
Hard Yaka
Description
Hard Yaka is a venture capital firm based in Crystal Bay, United States, dedicated to investing in early-stage companies that are revolutionizing exchanges between seekers and providers of goods, services, and information. The firm's investment thesis centers on identifying and supporting innovative teams that are building the next generation of marketplaces, platforms, and infrastructure to facilitate more efficient and impactful interactions. Hard Yaka typically engages with companies at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages, demonstrating a commitment to nurturing growth from the earliest phases.
The firm's portfolio reflects its broad interest in transformative technologies across various sectors, including fintech, developer tools, and future-of-work solutions. Notable investments include companies like Superhuman, Brex, Mercury, and Vanta, all of which have achieved significant traction and valuation in their respective markets. Hard Yaka's approach is characterized by a hands-on engagement with its portfolio companies, offering strategic guidance and leveraging its network to accelerate their development and market penetration.
As of recent data, Hard Yaka has made over 35 investments, showcasing its active presence in the early-stage ecosystem. While specific check sizes can vary depending on the stage and needs of the company, Hard Yaka's typical first investments range from approximately $250,000 for promising pre-seed or smaller seed rounds, up to $2,500,000 for larger seed rounds or strategic participations in Series A funding. This flexibility allows them to support a diverse array of startups poised for significant disruption. Their focus remains on backing founders who are building foundational technologies that redefine how people and businesses connect and transact.
Investor Profile
Hard Yaka has backed more than 154 startups, with 5 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 8 rounds, about 5% of its total and boasts 31 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Seed, Series Unknown, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Spain.
- Strong thematic focus on FinTech, Financial Services, Blockchain.
- Typical check size: $250K – $2.5M.
Stage Focus
- Seed (55%)
- Series Unknown (18%)
- Series A (13%)
- Series B (5%)
- Pre Seed (5%)
- Series C (3%)
- Angel (1%)
- Initial Coin Offering (1%)
Country Focus
- United States (73%)
- United Kingdom (6%)
- Spain (3%)
- Mexico (3%)
- Hong Kong (3%)
- France (2%)
- Canada (1%)
- Switzerland (1%)
- Colombia (1%)
- India (1%)
Industry Focus
- Fintech
- Financial Services
- Blockchain
- Software
- Payments
- Cryptocurrency
- Mobile
- Finance
- Banking
- Internet
Frequently Asked Questions
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