Leap Ventures

Leap Ventures provides pre-seed funding and support for employed technical founders looking to launch new startups. The firm offers capital ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for a 5-10% equity stake, coupled with a structured six-month program to develop a minimum viable product. This support includes access to engineering, design, and sales resources, along with guidance on internal compliance to safeguard intellectual property.

The firm was founded by Bartek Ringwelski, a former Product Manager of Payments at Meta and ex-Partner at Core Innovation Capital. Ringwelski’s own experience building a startup to $100k ARR while still employed at Meta inspired the firm's model. He recognized the significant untapped potential and unique challenges faced by experienced professionals within top tech companies who aspire to entrepreneurship.

Leap Ventures primarily targets employed founders at prominent technology companies, such as Google, Stripe, and Amazon, as well as current and ex-Y Combinator alumni. The company's vision is to accelerate the transition of these skilled individuals into successful entrepreneurs by providing a de-risked pathway to validate ideas and build initial products before committing full-time. The ultimate goal is to facilitate their ability to raise subsequent seed rounds from leading venture capitalists.