Michael Lazerow

Michael Lazerow is a prominent figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Velvet Sea Ventures, a New York-based venture capital firm he established with his wife, Kass Lazerow. The firm is known for its strategic investments across various stages, focusing on founders building category-defining companies. Velvet Sea Ventures successfully closed its second fund, Velvet Sea Ventures II, L.P., at $100 million in 2021, bringing their total assets under management to $140 million across two funds. This significant capital base allows them to deploy meaningful checks into promising startups.

Velvet Sea Ventures employs a stage-agnostic investment strategy, actively investing from Seed to Growth rounds. Their approach emphasizes building a concentrated portfolio, allowing them to provide substantial support and value-add to their portfolio companies. They are flexible in their participation, often leading investment rounds but also co-investing alongside other reputable venture capital firms. The firm seeks out companies poised for significant market disruption and growth, leveraging their deep operational experience to assist founders.

While Velvet Sea Ventures does not publicly disclose a fixed check size range, their investment activity suggests a typical first check can range from approximately $1 million for early-stage seed investments to around $10 million for leading Series A or B rounds, or significant participation in growth-stage opportunities. Their portfolio showcases a diverse array of successful companies, including well-known brands like Oura, Cameo, Allbirds, Glossier, Away, and Daily Harvest, reflecting their commitment to backing consumer-focused and technology-enabled businesses with strong market potential. This flexible yet focused investment strategy underscores Michael Lazerow's commitment to fostering innovation and scaling impactful enterprises.