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Imagination Capital

Imagination Capital is an early stage investor targeting companies that are poised to capture an industry shift.

New York, NY, USA

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Description

Imagination Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm based in New York City. Founded by Nilam Ganenthiran (former President of Instacart) and Patrick Robinson, the firm focuses on backing "fearless" founders who are utilizing technology to transform massive, often traditional, industries. 
  • Pre-Seed & Seed: This is the firm’s primary focus. They specialize in being the first institutional check and leading or co-leading the round.
  • Conviction-Based: They are comfortable investing at the "zero-to-one" stage, often before a company has significant revenue, provided there is a strong technical or product wedge. 
  • Method: Founders can engage through the Imagination Capital website or via professional referrals from their network of operators and founders.
  • Focus: For 2026, the firm is prioritizing Consumer Enablement, AI-Native Applications, and Marketplaces.
  • Materials: A pitch deck that emphasizes the "why now" and the founder's unique insight into a specific market friction. 

Eligibility

  • Sectors: Consumer Tech, B2B SaaS, E-commerce Infrastructure, and AI Platforms.
  • Geography: Primarily North America (with a high concentration in NYC and Toronto/Canada due to the founders' roots).
  • Founder Profile: They look for "obsessive" founders who have a deep, almost personal understanding of the problem they are solving. 

Process

  1. Operator-Led Review: Initial screening is conducted by partners who have scaled multi-billion dollar companies (specifically leveraging Nilam Ganenthiran’s experience at Instacart).
  2. High-Velocity Diligence: Known for a fast and transparent decision-making process; they aim to provide feedback or a decision within days, not weeks.
  3. The "Active Advisor" Model: Post-investment, they act as high-touch advisors, specifically helping with marketplace dynamics, unit economics, and operational scaling. 

What an Applicant can Obtain

  1. Operator Expertise: Direct mentorship on how to scale from seed to IPO-readiness from partners who have lived the journey.
  2. Marketplace Playbooks: Specialized guidance on building and scaling two-sided marketplaces and logistics-heavy businesses.
  3. Follow-on Support: Strong ties to Tier-1 Series A and B firms to help navigate later-stage fundraising.
  4. Network Access: Introductions to top-tier executive talent and strategic corporate partners.