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Key people at HorizonVC.
We’re software investors who partner with exceptional founders at the pre-seed and seed stages. We believe generational companies are built by independent thinkers with bold, pioneering ideas.
Key people at HorizonVC.
HorizonVC is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in pre-seed and seed-stage software startups, particularly those led by exceptional, product-driven technical founders. Their investment philosophy centers on backing disruptive, bottoms-up SaaS, open source, and scalable software business models rather than chasing hype. HorizonVC typically writes checks ranging from $250k to $1.5 million and supports founders through their early growth phases. The firm has a strong emphasis on software innovation and product obsession, positioning itself as a first-check investor in disruptive software ventures[2].
HorizonVC was founded in 1999 and is based in Los Altos, California. It evolved from a broader venture capital firm, Horizon Ventures, which has a history of investing in technology companies including notable exits like WhiteHat Security and Siri. The current iteration of HorizonVC is led by General Partner Sandy Kory, who co-founded Horizon Partners, a boutique M&A advisory firm, in 2010. HorizonVC emerged as a productized venture capital arm complementing Horizon Partners’ M&A advisory, leveraging deep operational expertise and a strong network of past M&A clients as limited partners. This evolution reflects a strategic focus on product-driven SaaS businesses and early-stage investing[1][2][4].
HorizonVC rides the trend of early-stage software innovation, particularly in SaaS and open source, which continue to transform enterprise and consumer markets. The timing is favorable due to the increasing demand for scalable software solutions and the rise of product-led growth models. Market forces such as digital transformation, cloud adoption, and developer-driven innovation work in HorizonVC’s favor. By focusing on exceptional technical founders and product obsession, HorizonVC influences the startup ecosystem by enabling disruptive software companies to emerge and scale, contributing to the broader evolution of software-driven industries[2][4].
Looking ahead, HorizonVC is likely to deepen its focus on product-driven software startups, potentially expanding its investment scope within emerging software categories like AI-enabled SaaS or developer tools. Trends such as AI integration, cloud-native architectures, and decentralized software models will shape their portfolio’s evolution. HorizonVC’s influence may grow as it continues to leverage its unique blend of venture investing and M&A advisory expertise, positioning itself as a key partner for early-stage software founders navigating complex growth and exit pathways. This integrated approach ties back to their mission of supporting exceptional technical leaders who drive meaningful disruption in software[2][4].
