Conviction over consensus
We back the non-obvious early, when the data is thin and the thesis requires belief. We would rather be early and right than late and safe.
Our story
Started with a single conviction
Northstar Ventures was founded in 2014 by a group of operators who had built and sold companies and were frustrated by the venture experience from the other side of the table — slow decisions, shallow help, and capital that arrived with conditions but not conviction.
We started a fund to do the opposite: move fast, write real checks early, and roll up our sleeves on the problems that actually keep founders up at night. What began as a $40M first fund is now more than $1.4B under management across four funds and nine vintages.
We have stayed deliberately small as a partnership. Fewer deals, deeper relationships, and a willingness to be the most committed investor on every cap table we join — through the good quarters and the brutal ones.
What we stand for
The values that govern our capital
Returns matter, but how we earn them matters more. These principles guide every check we write and every board we sit on.
Founder-first, always
The company belongs to the founder. We are in service of the mission, never the other way around — even in the hard governance moments.
Decide with speed
A clear yes or a clear no, fast. We respect founders' time and never leave a team hanging through endless partner meetings.
Long-term capital
We invest from patient funds and reserve heavily for follow-on. We are built to hold through cycles, not to flip for the next markup.
Radical candor
We tell founders the truth as we see it, backed by evidence — especially when it is uncomfortable and especially when it matters most.
Build responsibly
We weigh the long-term impact of what our companies build on people, markets, and the planet. Durable value is responsible value.
A decade of compounding
2014Year founded
$1.4BAssets under management
90+Companies backed
22Exits & IPOs
The partnership
Meet the partners
A small, senior partnership. Every person who can say yes to your deal has built a company themselves.
Elena Castillo
Founding Partner
Founded and sold a fintech unicorn. Leads our fintech and infrastructure investing.
James Mensah
General Partner
Former VP Engineering at a public infra company. Leads deep tech and compute.
Aisha Khan
General Partner
Two-time AI founder with one acquisition. Drives our applied-AI thesis.
Robert Tanaka
Partner, Platform
Ex-operator who builds the talent, GTM, and capital network for the portfolio.
Priya Desai
Partner, Climate
Former energy founder leading our climate, energy, and hard-tech investments.
Liam Walsh
Principal
Ex-product lead sourcing and diligencing seed-stage AI and developer tools.
Sofia Novak
Partner, Bio
Computational biologist turned investor leading health and life-science deals.
David Cho
CFO & Partner
Runs fund operations, LP relationships, and the financial discipline behind the firm.
How we partner
What founders get from day one
Capital is the easy part. Our platform team works alongside you on the things that decide whether a great idea becomes a great company.
Recruiting the first 20 hires
Access to our talent network and hands-on help closing the executives who define your trajectory.
Warm paths to your next round
Curated introductions to the growth investors who lead Series B and beyond, when you are ready.
A partner in the hard moments
Direct access to a GP who has sat in your chair, through pivots, layoffs, and bet-the-company decisions.
Let's build something enduring
If our values resonate and you are early on a hard problem, we would love to hear your story. No warm intro required.