Harlem Capital Partners

Harlem Capital Partners Research Investment Thesis Harlem Capital Partners is a mission-driven venture capital firm dedicated to backing the next generation of winners, with a specific focus on investing in diverse founders (women, Black, and Latino entrepreneurs) who are building transformational companies. Founded by first-time VC managers Henri Pierre-Jacques and Jarrid Tingle, the firm has established itself as a leader in diversity-focused venture investing, explicitly working to reverse the significant underrepresentation of diverse investors and founders in venture capital. The firm's core belief is that the world is missing out on a great deal of innovative companies by not investing more heavily in women and diverse entrepreneurs . Rather than waiting for other venture capital firms to address this disparity, Harlem Capital is proactively taking action to change the face of entrepreneurship and create generational wealth for people of color and women. Their "Winner Archetype" describes the founders they seek: Founders who hold themselves to a standard most people think is unreasonable Founders who don't accept limits – not reckless, but relentless Founders with enough conviction to build a generational company Fund Structure and Capital Harlem Capital currently manages $174 million in committed capital. The firm raised Fund II of $134 million (oversubscribed from a $100M target), demonstrating strong LP confidence in their investment thesis and track record. They actively seek to deploy capital and made 7 investments in 2025, with plans to remain active in the market. Investment Criteria & Check Size Harlem Capital makes initial investments of $1M-$2.5M in Pre-Seed and Seed rounds. Their investment criteria require: Resilient management team with at least one full-time founder No product or revenue requirements - they invest early (Pre-Seed and Seed stages) Disruptive business model solving an important problem Large market size ($1B+ TAM) with positive demand drivers Attractive valuation in priced or capped Pre-Seed/Seed rounds (targeting 10%+ ownership) They explicitly do not invest in Biotech, Consumer Products, or Cannabis, and only invest in U.S.-based companies . Stage Focus & Lead Tendency Harlem Capital focuses exclusively on early-stage investments: Pre-Seed : Early-stage companies with initial traction or strong teams Seed : Companies with working products and initial customers The firm demonstrates a strong lead tendency - they actively lead seed rounds (as evidenced by recent portfolio headlines mentioning "led $X.XM seed") and maintain board involvement and advisory relationships post-investment. Portfolio & Recent Activity Harlem Capital has built a portfolio of 60+ investments across 10+ cities, spanning diverse sectors including AI, Consumer, Ecommerce, Enterprise, FinTech, Healthcare, Software, and Web3/Crypto. Recent Notable Investments (2025-2026): AccessGrid (Oct 2025): $4.4M for security infrastructure Lava (Aug 2025): $5.8M digital wallet platform for agent-native economy Trustible (2024): $4.6M AI governance platform TestParty (2025): $4M+ compliance and accessibility testing Propense AI (2025): AI-powered sales intelligence Remarkable AI (2025): AI customer support platform Notable Portfolio Companies: AllieHealth : Vertical SaaS for aging care industry Compt : Enterprise SaaS for flexible HR benefits Malomo : E-commerce package tracking platform Lami : African insurance digital platform (2022 seed extension led by HCP) Wagmo : Pet wellness and insurance platform ($12.5M Series A) MoviePass : Subscription movie ticketing service Drip : Live stream commerce marketplace Exit Success: Multiple portfolio exits and acquisitions Focus on sustainable, long-term value creation Founder Preferences & Values Harlem Capital emphasizes: Seven Core Values: First Things First Over Communicate Excellence in Everything Enduring Relationships Push Past Possible Optimize For Outcomes Enjoy the Journey Founder Preferences: Diverse founders (Black, Latino, Women entrepreneurs prioritized) First-time founders with resilience and determination Technical and non-technical founders (no requirement for domain expertise) Founders focused on addressing large market problems Founders with strong values alignment Geographic Focus While they only invest in U.S.-based companies, their portfolio spans 10+ cities , with particular strength in: New York (headquarters location) Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area Other major tech hubs Their geographic diversification supports their mission to find exceptional founders wherever they are located. Sector & Model Preferences Primary Focus Sectors: AI & Machine Learning applications Enterprise Software & SaaS FinTech & Payments Healthcare & Digital Health E-commerce & Marketplaces Consumer apps Web3/Crypto platforms Developer tools Business Model Preferences: B2B SaaS (strong portfolio presence) Vertical SaaS (they publish research on this vertical) Marketplace and platform models Infrastructure and tools Digital-first solutions Their research publications show deep expertise in AI in B2B SaaS, vertical SaaS companies, and emerging areas like Gen Z-focused companies and responsible AI. Decision Process & Timeline Based on their structure as a partnership of experienced investors: Decision Process : Partnership-based (2 Managing Partners + 3 Partners + Principal level advisors) Decision Timeline : They request "at least two weeks" for evaluation Investment Process : Structured application form, pitch materials guidance provided Notable Distinguishing Factors "Culture Carry" Program : Unique feature where founders split 1% of the fund's carry, allowing portfolio companies to directly benefit from each other's success - creating an ecosystem effect Mission-Driven but Sophisticated : Published extensive research on diverse founders, women in tech, and VC landscape - demonstrating data-driven approach combined with mission focus Strong Public Voice : Significant media presence and thought leadership in diversity & inclusion in venture capital Internship & Education Program : 25th class of winter 2026 interns, emphasizing pipeline and knowledge transfer Playbook Transparency : They've publicly shared their fund-raising playbook and pitch deck templates, contributing to ecosystem development Institutional Support : Backed by major institutions (Apple $10M investment, TPG partnership, KKR partnership, Bank of America commitments) Fund Status & Deployment Status : Actively deploying capital from Fund II Recent Activity : 7 investments in 2025, planning to remain active Last Known Activity : Feb 2026 (recent Forbes article on market conditions) Philosophy : Subscribe to "time in market, not timing the market" Performance & Outcomes Harlem Capital has demonstrated: 39 investments into Black & Latino founders (backing 2.9% of companies in their diverse founder report) Portfolio of 66+ companies across diverse metrics Multiple exits and successful follow-on funding rounds 1,000 founder target : Ambitious goal to back 1,000 diverse founders Their founders have raised significant capital post-investment (Series A, Series B rounds), validating the quality of their early-stage selection. Warm Introduction Requirements Not explicitly stated, but given their structured investment process and focus on founder quality, warm introductions are recommended . Their website includes contact form and internship opportunities, suggesting multiple entry paths. Co-Investment Partners Harlem Capital frequently co-invests with: First Round Capital a16z ventures Sequoia Capital Other early-stage focused firms Strategic LPs with operational expertise Operational Support Philosophy Beyond capital, Harlem Capital provides: Strategic guidance and mentorship Access to their network of entrepreneurs and operators Participation in community events and peer learning Support navigating next rounds of funding Direct advisor relationships from experienced partners