MANTIS Venture Capital
MANTIS Venture Capital is a company.
Active
Updated: ·
Financial History
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at MANTIS Venture Capital.
MANTIS Venture Capital is a company.
Key people at MANTIS Venture Capital.
MANTIS Venture Capital (Mantis VC) is an early-stage venture capital firm co-founded in 2019 by The Chainsmokers (Alex Pall and Drew Taggart) alongside Milan Koch and Jeffrey Evans, based in Santa Monica, California.[1][2] Its mission centers on proving celebrity-backed funds can deliver exceptional value through hustle, diverse perspectives, and social capital, investing opportunistically in seed and Series A technology-enabled startups across fintech, consumer tech, media/entertainment, AI, health, enterprise, Web3/crypto, and more.[1][2][3] The firm's investment philosophy emphasizes redefining go-to-market (GTM) support via branding, storytelling, warm introductions, and leveraging networks in tech, media, entertainment, and finance to act as the "most helpful investors on the cap table."[2] With over 130 investments, including Pipe (SaaS financing), MoonPay (crypto payments), and Public (social investing), Mantis has raised over $110M and made 81+ deals, impacting the startup ecosystem by providing operator-like support to diverse founders building generational companies.[1][2][4]
Mantis VC launched in 2019 when The Chainsmokers—electronic music duo Alex Pall and Drew Taggart—partnered with seasoned VC professionals and entrepreneurs Milan Koch and Jeffrey Evans to create a fund beyond a "celebrity check."[2][1] Motivated to fill a diversity void in VC, the team aimed to build a "respected generational fund" using their creator experience in culture-building and broad LP networks.[2] Key partners include General Partners Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, alongside figures like Adam Alpert (Partner) and Gaurav Bhogale (Principal).[2][5] The firm's evolution has shifted toward B2B technical startups like cybersecurity and AI, while maintaining consumer tech and fintech focus, evidenced by 130+ investments and funds closing through July 2025.[2][3][5]
Mantis rides trends in early-stage tech convergence—fintech democratization (e.g., Public, Pipe), crypto infrastructure (MoonPay), AI/deep tech (Outtake AI, Openlayer), and healthtech (Fellow, Journey)—amid rising demand for operator VCs in a high-interest, post-cookie privacy world.[1][3][4] Timing aligns with 2020s creator economy and Web3 booms, where social capital accelerates GTM for consumer-facing startups; market forces like equity dilution aversion (Pipe) and mental health innovation (Journey) favor their portfolio.[2][4] Mantis influences the ecosystem by championing diversity, supporting 130+ founders, and bridging entertainment/tech, proving non-traditional LPs can drive outsized results in a fragmented VC landscape.[2][1]
Mantis is poised for expansion post its July 2025 fund close, likely doubling down on AI, privacy-resilient analytics (e.g., causal inference tools), and cross-border fintech amid maturing crypto adoption and LATAM growth.[1][4][5] Trends like deepfake protection (Outtake AI) and third-party script security will shape its path, amplifying its edge in social/content tech.[4] Influence may evolve toward larger Series A/B leads and global portfolios, solidifying as a hustle-driven force that started as Chainsmokers' bet but became an ecosystem staple for founder success.[2]
Key people at MANTIS Venture Capital.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 2026 | Project Omega | $12.0M Seed | Starship Ventures | Buckley Ventures, Decisive Point, Slow Ventures |
| Feb 11, 2026 | Monaco | $25.0M Series A | Founders Fund | Alt Capital, Garry Tan, Human Capital, John Collison, Neil Mehta, Patrick Collison, Saga Ventures |
| Jan 28, 2026 | Rogo | $75.0M Series C | Sequoia Capital | Alt Capital, BoxGroup, Henry Kravis, JP Morgan, Khosla Ventures, Positive Sum, Stonecroft Management, Thrive Capital, Tiger Global Management, Truist Ventures, Wells Fargo |
