Batshit Crazy Ventures

Batshit Crazy Ventures Research Investment Thesis Batshit Crazy Ventures (BCV) is an early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to supporting unconventional and high-risk startups at the earliest stages of development. Based in Boulder, Colorado, the firm focuses exclusively on pre-revenue, pre-seed, and pre-everything startups that embody bold, creative thinking. Founded in 2016 by Dane McDonald (formerly at Foundry Group), BCV believes in the power of passionate founders with early-stage ideas and provides not just capital but significant operational support and founder mentorship. Investment Philosophy BCV takes a generalist approach with a focus on supporting founders who are solving real problems with conviction. The firm dedicates substantial time, effort, and resources to working with early-stage founders, recognizing that many breakthrough companies start with "crazy" ideas that traditional investors overlook. The firm's irreverent brand and approach reflect its commitment to supporting unconventional thinking and non-consensus bets. Stage Focus Batshit Crazy Ventures invests exclusively in the earliest stages: Pre-Seed & Pre-Everything : Companies with ideas, prototypes, or minimal traction Seed : Early-stage companies beginning to validate product-market fit The firm rarely participates in Series A, preferring to maximize founder support and hands-on involvement at the earliest stages when capital and mentorship have the highest impact. Check Size Typical investment range: $100,000 - $1,000,000 Most common: $250K-$500K for pre-seed Occasional: Up to $1M for exceptional seed companies Sector Diversity BCV is a true generalist investor with portfolio exposure across multiple sectors: AI/ML and Robotics : Early-stage AI applications, robotics companies Biotech & Life Sciences : Pre-clinical biotech, healthcare innovation Climate & Clean Energy : Clean energy, climate tech solutions Enterprise Software : B2B SaaS, developer tools, infrastructure Defense & Aerospace : Advanced manufacturing, aerospace tech, defense-related applications Consumer & Food : Branded beverages (Liquid Death, Sunday), consumer apps Hardware & Manufacturing : Electric vehicles (CAKE motorcycles), manufacturing innovation Ad Tech & Influencer Marketing : (Influence.co) Blockchain & Crypto : Earlier investments in blockchain technology IoT & Hardware : Connected devices, sensor networks Recent Activity & Portfolio Performance BCV has made 26 investments since founding, with strong exits: Active Notable Companies: Liquid Death : Unicorn status (valued at $1B+), energy beverage brand Sunday : Series C, $104M raised, lawn care brand Fi : Series B, smart GPS tracking for dogs Shinesty : Series A, fashion/apparel brand Xplore : School transportation technology Radian Aerospace : Space launch systems Cosmic Shielding : Aerospace/defense tech Constellation Labs : Advanced technology CAKE Motorcycles : Electric motorcycles (acquired) Radar Relay : Decentralized exchange (acquired) Kubos Corporation : Satellite operations software (acquired) Influence.co : Influencer marketing platform (acquired) Fund Deployment: Most recent investments: 2021 (Opopop Series A, Cosmic Shielding Seed) Portfolio has generated 1 unicorn and 6 successful acquisitions Shows early-stage fund deployment capability Team & Background Dane McDonald (Co-Founder, GP): Founded BCV and FG Press. Previously spent 3+ years at Foundry Group focused on sourcing and deal flow. Has deep Boulder tech ecosystem connections. Alex Bogusky (General Partner): Design, marketing, and consumer products expert. Former principal at award-winning agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B). Brings consumer brand and marketing expertise to portfolio companies. Actively involved in sourcing and supporting portfolio companies. Jordan Bornstein (Partner): Denver-based partner with deal sourcing and investment expertise. Cole Sears (Principal): Early-stage operations and founder support. Finn Faldi (Principal): Investor and deal sourcing support. Decision Process BCV operates as a partnership with collaborative decision-making. Given the small team and early-stage focus, investment decisions are made relatively quickly with strong partner alignment. Founder Preferences BCV seeks: Founders with conviction and bold ideas, even if "crazy" or non-consensus Technical founders with deep domain expertise Experienced entrepreneurs who have built before Diversity in founder backgrounds and perspectives Founders willing to engage with hands-on mentorship and support Geographic Focus Primarily United States with concentration in: Boulder, Colorado (home base) Denver, Colorado (secondary hub) San Francisco Bay Area (access to tech talent) International investments in select cases (Singapore, Sweden) Typical Involvement Board seats : Active board participation typical for early-stage companies Mentorship : Significant operational support and founder mentorship Resources : Access to BCV network, introduction capabilities, operational expertise Follow-on : Limited reserves for follow-on investments, but will support strong companies Co-Investment Partners BCV frequently co-invests with: SpaceFund (aerospace/space tech) Valor Equity Partners Creandum (Nordic tech) Lagfe (Nordic investors) Other early-stage and founder-friendly funds Warm Introduction Preference Like most early-stage funds, BCV operates largely through founder introductions, portfolio company referrals, and ecosystem connections. Warm introductions from trusted sources (Boulder tech community, Foundry Group alumni, existing portfolio founders) are strongly preferred. Notable Pattern BCV shows strong appetite for consumer brands with strong founders : Liquid Death (beverage), Sunday (lawn care), Shinesty (apparel), and Fi (pet tech) represent successful consumer bets that required both product innovation and brand building. Historical Context Batshit Crazy Ventures emerged from the Boulder tech ecosystem during the growth of the city as a startup hub. The firm's irreverent branding and founder-first approach reflects the culture of unconventional thinking that characterizes the Boulder/Denver startup community. Conclusion BCV is a genuine early-stage fund with significant founder conviction and operational involvement. The firm excels at identifying bold founder-led companies with breakthrough potential, even when ideas seem unconventional. Strong portfolio exits (1 unicorn, 6 acquisitions) and continued activity demonstrate both successful pattern-matching and strong founder relationships that create follow-on opportunities.