About Gen 1 Capital
Gen 1 Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2020. It is primarily based out of Chicago, United States. As of Sep 2021, Gen 1 Capital has invested in 65 companies. It primarily invests in Seed round in United States based startups. Its investments are spread across a wide range of sectors from Enterprise Applications to High Tech and Retail. Most recently it participated in the $***** Seed round of Zippedi Overall, Gen 1 Capital portfolio has seen 7 unicorns, 3 IPOs and 23 acquisitions including key companies like Whoop, Digital Asset and ICEYE. A lot of funds co-invest with Gen 1 Capital, with names like Grep VC sharing a substantial percentage of its portfolio. Gen 1 Capital has team of 15 people including 1 partners.Key Metrics
Team Members
Portfolio Sectors
Portfolio Locations
Rounds of Entry
Seed
Portfolio IPOs
Portfolio Acquisitions
Gen 1 Capital's List of Top Investments
Gen 1 Capital has a portfolio of 65 companies, including 7 unicorns. Their most notable investments include Ripple and Whoop.Their portfolio spans across United States, Canada, United Kingdom and 4 more locations. They have invested in Enterprise Applications, High Tech, Retail and 22 other sectors, across stages such as Seed stage. Here is the list of top investments by Gen 1 Capital:
1. Ripple
Provider of blockchain and financial infrastructure solutions for cross-border payments and digital asset custody. The company offers payments, custody, and stablecoin solutions. These solutions enable the integration of blockchain and digital assets. The company aims to provide a simple, secure, and compliant way to modernize financial infrastructure.
Key facts about Ripple
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $853M
- Employee Count: 2,261 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: 2020 Ventures, 27th Street Capital and 106 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Conventional Debt, Aug 18, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
2. Whoop
Provider of wearable trackers to monitor fitness data. The devices track sleep patterns, strain levels, recovery metrics, and stress indicators. The data collected helps users make informed decisions regarding their fitness, health, and lifestyle choices. The fitness trackers offer insights into sleep optimization, activity tracking, and personalized guidance based on individual cycles.
Key facts about Whoop
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Boston (United States)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series G
- Total Funding till date: $979M
- Employee Count: 1,664 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: Glade Brook Capital, Trinity Capital and 68 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series G, Mar 31, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
3. CustomInk
Online retailer of customizable apparel, promotional products, and related design services. It provides design tools for customising items such as t-shirts, hats, and bags. The business offers options for group orders and fundraising campaigns. It also provides enterprise-level swag management solutions, including custom kits and global shipping.
Key facts about CustomInk
- Founded Year: 2000
- Location: Fairfax (United States)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $41.8M
- Employee Count: 1,280 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: HarbourVest Partners, Great Hill Partners and 14 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, May 2019, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
Provider of Canton Network, the public blockchain with institutional-grade privacy for tokenized real-world assets. It enables tokenization, clearing, settlement, custody, collateral mobilization, and capital markets for TradFi institutions. It offers tools for developing Dapps for healthcare, supply chain, client servicing, and financial services sectors.
Key facts about Digital Asset
- Founded Year: 2014
- Location: New York City (United States)
- Annual Revenue: £0 - £1M as on Nov 30, 2022
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series F
- Total Funding till date: $817M
- Employee Count: 376 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: ADIA, Goldman Sachs and 51 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, Jun 11, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
5. ICEYE
Manufacturer of radar satellite constellations providing persistent earth observation imagery. These systems deliver radar data to detect and monitor physical changes on the surface of the planet. The technology functions through cloud cover and darkness to provide imagery for environmental monitoring, infrastructure assessment, and disaster impact analysis. The hardware enables the collection of radar intelligence for various monitoring requirements.
Key facts about ICEYE
- Founded Year: 2014
- Location: Espoo (Finland)
- Annual Revenue: €100M - €500M as on Dec 31, 2024
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series F
- Total Funding till date: $1.25B
- Employee Count: 1,156 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: TCV, General Atlantic and 50 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, Jun 09, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
Gen 1 Capital's Year-on-Year Investment Trends
Its most recent first time investment was in Zippedi.Gen 1 Capital's Investments by Stage
Gen 1 Capital has made 1 investment in Seed stage with an average round size of $6.9M.Gen 1 Capital's Investments by Sector
Gen 1 Capital has a diverse portfolio, with companies operating in the Enterprise Applications, Retail and Vertical SaaS. Notably, it has invested in 62 Tech companies, 53 Enterprise (B2B) companies, 46 Software companies and at least 24 companies focusing on Saas.Sector | No. of Investments |
|---|---|
Enterprise Applications | 1 |
Retail | 1 |
Vertical SaaS | 1 |
Note: We have considered here, only first round of investments
Gen 1 Capital's Investments by Geography
Gen 1 Capital has made most investments in United States (1).Gen 1 Capital's recent investments
Gen 1 Capital has not made any investment in 2026 so far.Here are the most recent investments by Gen 1 Capital:
Filter this listDate | Company | Location | Round Details | Round Amount | Co-Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 09, 2021 | United States | Seed | 2537 | [+1] |
Unicorns in Gen 1 Capital's Portfolio
Gen 1 Capital has 7 unicorns in its portfolio - SkyRyse, ICEYE, Halter and others. The most recent unicorn in their portfolio is SkyRyse. It became a unicorn in 2026.Here is a list of unicorns in Gen 1 Capital's portfolio:
Tracxn Score | Company | Short Description | Founded year | Sector | Location | Company Stage | First Investment/ Acquisition Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
65 | Developer of advanced flight automation systems for aircraft | 2016 | Hayward | Series C | bezzyi{ | ||
73 | Manufacturer of radar satellite constellations providing persistent earth observation imagery | 2014 | Espoo | Series F | jjvbzcs | ||
65 | Revolutionizing pasture management with virtual fencing and animal monitoring technology | 2016 | Auckland | Series E | arnhkav | ||
74 | Provider of Canton Network, the public blockchain with institutional-grade privacy for tokenized real-world assets | 2014 | New York City | Series F | lwkaaxa | ||
63 | Provider of AI-enabled data analytics solutions for businesses | 2013 | Pleasanton | Series D | mmbxvnw |
IPOs and Publicly Listed companies in Gen 1 Capital's Portfolio
3 of Gen 1 Capital's portfolio companies have become public. Rocket Lab got listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ), in Aug 2021 and Revolution Medicines got listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) at marketcap of $967M.Here are Gen 1 Capital's portfolio companies that went public:
Company | IPO Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug 24, 2021 | - | - | 9877 | |
Feb 13, 2020 | - | - | 5979 | |
Jan 06, 1978 | - | - | 2543 |
Acquired companies in Gen 1 Capital's Portfolio
23 companies from Gen 1 Capital's portfolio have been acquired. The most recent acquisition was Dispatch in Jul 2026 by Manos for $*****.Here are Gen 1 Capital's portfolio companies that got acquired most recently:
Company | Acquisition Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jul 10, 2026 | - | - | 6963 | |
Jan 13, 2025 | - | - | 3922 | |
Nov 01, 2024 | - | - | 4012 | |
May 06, 2024 | - | - | 2380 | |
Mar 26, 2024 | - | - | 1104 |
Team profile of Gen 1 Capital
Gen 1 Capital has a team of 15 members including 1 Partner and 13 Principals located in United States. Gen 1 Capital's team sits on the board of 1 company.Here is a list of top team members in Gen 1 Capital:
Name | Designation | Location | Board Memberships | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Partner | United States | - | ||
Principal | Chicago | - | ||
Principal | Chicago | - | ||
Principal | Chicago | - | ||
Principal | San Francisco | - | ||
Principal | - | - | ||
Principal | Batavia | - | ||
Principal | Chicago | - | ||
Principal | Chicago | - | ||
Principal | Mountain View | - | ||
Principal | - | - |
Co-investors of Gen 1 Capital
Over the past 5 years, 2 investors have co-invested in Gen 1 Capital's portfolio companies. This includes funds and angels.
- Top Co-investors of Gen 1 Capital: 2 investors entered a company along with Gen 1 Capital. These include investors like Grep VC (1 company).
Recent News related to Gen 1 Capital
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AMR provider Zippedi closes $6.9M seed series funding roundThe Robot Report•Sep 10, 2021•Zippedi, Grep VC, Chileglobalventures, alerce.science and 1 other
