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Geek Ventures

Driving equal opportunity for visionary immigrant entrepreneurs through capital and connections

New York, NY, USA

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Description

Geek Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm founded by Ihar Mahaniok. The firm is built on a "geeks-first" philosophy, specializing in backing immigrant founders and highly technical entrepreneurs who are solving massive global problems through breakthrough software and data science.

  • Pre-Seed & Seed: This is the firm’s primary focus. They specialize in being the first or second institutional check.
  • Target: They prioritize "technical-first" teams, often investing at the stage where a founder has a powerful prototype or a unique technical wedge but has not yet fully scaled the business operations.

  • Method: Founders can apply through the Geek Ventures website or engage via warm introductions from the firm’s extensive network of immigrant founders.
  • Materials: A pitch deck and a clear explanation of the "technical moat"—the specific engineering or data reason why the product is difficult to replicate.
  • Focus: For 2026, the firm is heavily focused on Generative AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, and Vertical SaaS.


Eligibility

  • Founder Profile: Strong preference for immigrant founders or first-generation entrepreneurs based in the U.S.
  • Technical Bench: The founding team must have a deep technical background (e.g., former engineers at FAANG companies or PhD-level researchers).
  • Geography: Primarily United States (with a high concentration in New York City), but they also back immigrant teams from Europe and Israel.

Process

  1. Technical First Review: Initial screening is conducted by partners with deep engineering backgrounds (founder Ihar Mahaniok was an early engineer at Google and Facebook).
  2. Immigrant Insight: Due diligence includes evaluating the founder's resilience and their ability to navigate the unique challenges of building a company in the U.S. as an immigrant.
  3. Fast Execution: Known for a rapid decision-making process; they often provide a term sheet within 7–10 days of the first meeting for high-conviction deals.
  4. Network Integration: Post-investment, founders are introduced to the "Geek Network," which includes over 500+ advisors and angel investors from major tech companies.

What an Applicant can Obtain

  1. High-Prestige Capital: Funding from a firm with a strong "signal" to follow-on investors like Sequoia, Accel, or Index.
  2. Immigration Support: Practical advice and networking to help founders navigate O-1/H-1B visa issues and other immigration-related hurdles.
  3. Engineering Mentorship: Direct coaching on building world-class engineering teams and scaling complex software architecture.
  4. Hiring Network: Access to a specialized talent pool of senior engineers and product managers.