Invests in scalable tech startups founded by immigrant entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds globally.
NYC venture fund investing in immigrant founders building exciting scalable tech
Key people at Geek Ventures.
Geek Ventures is a New York City-based venture capital firm dedicated to investing in scalable technology startups founded by immigrant entrepreneurs from diverse global backgrounds. Its mission centers on bridging the opportunity gap immigrant founders face in accessing U.S. venture capital, helping them build networks, raise capital, and integrate into the U.S. tech ecosystem. The firm invests primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages, focusing on sectors such as SaaS, hardware, and deep tech, but remains sector-agnostic overall. Geek Ventures aims to back bold, innovative immigrant founders, recognizing their resilience and determination, and has made over 60 investments with check sizes ranging from $50,000 to $1 million. The firm also provides operational support, including fundraising education and investor introductions, to accelerate portfolio company growth[1][2][4][5].
Geek Ventures was founded in 2021 by Ihar Mahaniok, an immigrant engineering leader originally from Belarus with over 20 years of experience at companies like Google and Meta. Mahaniok’s own immigrant journey and his observation of the challenges immigrant entrepreneurs face in raising capital and building networks in the U.S. motivated him to create a fund specifically to support this underrepresented group. Joined by partner Vadim Rogovskiy, Geek Ventures quickly raised a $23 million inaugural fund and began investing in early-stage immigrant-founded startups. The firm’s thesis—that talent is equally distributed globally but opportunity is not—has remained central since inception. Early successes and a strong community network have helped Geek Ventures establish credibility and momentum in the venture ecosystem[2][3][4][7][8].
Geek Ventures rides the growing trend of recognizing diversity and inclusion as critical drivers of innovation and economic growth. The timing is favorable as immigrant entrepreneurs increasingly contribute to U.S. tech leadership but remain underfunded relative to their impact. Market forces such as globalization, remote work, and the rise of AI and deep tech create opportunities for immigrant founders to build globally scalable companies. By focusing on immigrant founders, Geek Ventures not only unlocks untapped talent but also helps create jobs both in the U.S. and founders’ countries of origin, thus influencing the broader ecosystem by promoting cross-border innovation and economic integration[2][5][6].
Looking ahead, Geek Ventures is raising a second fund to continue scaling its impact, with no fixed target amount yet but already raising $9 million. The firm is well-positioned to capitalize on increasing investor interest in immigrant-led startups and the expanding role of AI, SaaS, and hardware innovation. As the immigrant founder ecosystem matures, Geek Ventures’ influence is likely to grow, potentially shaping how venture capital supports diverse global talent. Its commitment to operational support and community-building will remain key to sustaining founder success and driving more exits and unicorns in the future[2][5][6][8].
Geek Ventures exemplifies how targeted venture capital can create equal opportunity by unlocking the potential of immigrant entrepreneurs, turning resilience and diversity into scalable innovation.
Key people at Geek Ventures.
