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Defiance Ventures

Defiance Ventures helps founders develop innovative ideas by providing strategic guidance as well as hands-on implementation support.

Charlotte, NC, USA

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Description

In 2026, Defiance Ventures continues to operate as a prominent venture builder and venture capital firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 2020 by John Espey and Tareq Amin, the firm utilizes a "Capital+" model that combines direct investment with strategic operational support. 

  • Stage Agnostic: Defiance engages with startups at any point—from opportunity/idea and concept development to MVP and late-stage growth.
  • Specialization: They specifically focus on advancing companies beyond the MVP stage that are struggling to achieve commercial growth.
  • B2B Focus: The firm exclusively targets B2B enterprise technology companies. 

  • Method: Unlike fixed-batch accelerators, Defiance operates on a rolling basis. Founders typically engage through the Defiance Ventures contact portal or via professional referrals.
  • Selection Criteria: They seek promising tech teams where their technical prowess (application development, cloud architecture) and marketing capabilities can unlock previously missed growth opportunities.

Eligibility

  • Sector: B2B enterprise technology, specifically in financial software, B2C non-financial services, and hardware (e.g., autonomous drones).
  • Geography: Primarily United States (headquartered in Charlotte, NC), though they have previously invested in Latin American platforms.
  • Entrepreneurial Profile: They prioritize "founders by founders" partnerships, favoring teams that can benefit from their deep technical network. 



Process

  1. Flexible Engagement: Engagement ranges from full acquisition and joint ventures to equity-driven management advisory agreements.
  2. Strategic Support: Post-investment, the firm provides hands-on implementation in marketing, branding, sales, and cloud architecture.
  3. Governance: They often offer "Management Advisors" through board appointments or executive talent supplementation to help startups scale. 



What an Applicant can Obtain

  • Capital: Direct seed and early-stage funding, as well as assistance with future capital strategies and network connections.
  • Technical Prowess: Access to experts in application development and cloud architecture to refine the technical product.
  • Growth Support: Strategic implementation of marketing and sales playbooks to disrupt established industries.