Unorthodox Ventures

Carey Smith, the firm's founder, makes all investment decisions. Smith previously founded and led Big Ass Fans, which he grew from a niche industrial manufacturer into a globally recognized brand before exiting. His operating background shapes every investment the firm makes — Smith invests exclusively in areas where his manufacturing and supply-chain expertise applies directly.

Unorthodox Ventures operates as a permanent capital vehicle rather than a fund with a fixed 10-year lifecycle. The firm provides hands-on operational support in manufacturing, supply chain, and distribution rather than just capital. This hybrid operating-company-plus-investment-arm structure reflects Smith's experience scaling Big Ass Fans, where he learned that physical-product startups fail more often from operational problems than from lack of funding.

No. The firm invests exclusively in companies that make physical products — hardware, consumer packaged goods, apparel, and manufactured goods. This deliberate exclusion of software and pure-play technology companies is a defining feature of the firm's mandate and reflects Smith's conviction that his operational expertise provides a real competitive advantage only in tangible product categories.

The firm targets early-stage to growth companies that have already demonstrated product-market fit and are ready to scale manufacturing and distribution. Unorthodox Ventures typically avoids pre-revenue or concept-stage companies. The firm deploys capital at the inflection point where operational expertise in supply chain and production can most meaningfully influence the trajectory of the business.

The firm's public record does not indicate a structured co-investment program or formal syndication partnerships. Unorthodox Ventures tends to lead rounds for its portfolio companies and operates with a concentrated portfolio model. Smith's permanent capital structure gives the firm flexibility to invest without coordinating with outside limited partners or co-investors.