Early-stage VC led by LinkedIn's former CEO with 9 unicorns including Figma and Slack
Early-stage VC led by LinkedIn's former CEO with 9 unicorns including Figma and Slack
Key people at Next Play Ventures.
Next Play Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded and led by Jeff Weiner, former CEO and current Executive Chairman of LinkedIn, alongside Brian Rumao, LinkedIn’s former Chief of Staff. The firm’s mission is to coach and invest in entrepreneurial leaders building world-class, purpose-driven organizations, emphasizing leadership development alongside capital investment. Their investment philosophy centers on supporting founders who align doing well financially with doing good socially, fostering companies that combine strong values with growth ambitions. Key sectors include Future of Work, Web3/Crypto, Climate, Health, and Communications & Information Technology, with a focus on startups in the USA. The firm has a notable track record, backing nine unicorns including Figma and Slack, reflecting its impact on the startup ecosystem by helping scale transformative tech companies[1][5][6].
Founded shortly after Jeff Weiner stepped down as LinkedIn CEO in 2020, Next Play Ventures leverages the leadership and operational expertise of Weiner and Rumao, who both played pivotal roles in LinkedIn’s growth and Microsoft acquisition. The firm’s name is inspired by Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski’s mantra “Next play,” symbolizing a focus on continuous improvement and resilience. This ethos reflects their approach to investing and coaching founders, emphasizing learning from past experiences and preparing for future challenges. Early traction for the firm comes from its deep network and operational playbook derived from LinkedIn’s success, enabling it to provide unique strategic support to portfolio companies[1][2][4][5].
Next Play Ventures rides the wave of purpose-driven entrepreneurship and the future of work, sectors that have gained momentum due to digital transformation and evolving workforce dynamics. The timing is critical as startups increasingly seek investors who provide more than money—offering mentorship and values-aligned support. Market forces such as the rise of remote work, digital collaboration tools, and the growing importance of social impact align with Next Play’s focus areas. By fostering companies that blend economic success with social good, the firm influences the broader ecosystem toward more sustainable and inclusive innovation[5][6].
Looking ahead, Next Play Ventures is poised to deepen its influence by continuing to back startups that address emerging challenges in work, technology, and society. Trends like AI integration in the workplace, decentralized technologies, and climate tech will likely shape their portfolio evolution. Their coaching-centric model may become a blueprint for other VCs aiming to build founder-centric, values-driven investment firms. As they scale, their role in closing the network gap and expanding economic opportunity could grow, reinforcing their founding ethos and extending their impact beyond capital deployment[5][6].
Next Play Ventures embodies Jeff Weiner’s vision of combining leadership, compassion, and strategic investment to build the next generation of iconic, purpose-driven companies.
Key people at Next Play Ventures.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2, 2026 | Arbor | $6.3M Seed | 645 Ventures | Chaac Ventures, Comma Capital |
| Oct 1, 2025 | AccessGrid | $4.0M Seed | — | Alumni Ventures, Harlem Capital, Innovation Endeavors, Julius Genachowski |
| Sep 1, 2025 | Hello Patient | $23.0M Series A | — | 8VC, Alumni Ventures, Coughdrop Capital, Flex Capital, Harlem Capital, Innovation Endeavors, Max Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Andrew Berman, Julius Genachowski, Russell Fradin, Russ Fradin |
| Aug 1, 2025 | Paradigm | $5.0M Seed | — | Axiom Partners, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, C2 Investment, Contrary Capital, General Catalyst, Erik Nordlander, Play Ventures, Sequoia Capital, UP.Partners, Y Combinator, Akshay Kothari, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, David Petersen, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Eoghan McCabe, Gokul Rajaram, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Kyle Vogt, Marc Benioff, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Spencer Kimball |
| Aug 1, 2025 | Wisdom | $21.0M Series A | — | Alumni Ventures, Harlem Capital, Innovation Endeavors, Julius Genachowski |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Retab | $3.0M Seed | — | Alumni Ventures, Harlem Capital, Innovation Endeavors, Kima Ventures, Julius Genachowski, Mei Z. |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Julius AI | $10.0M Seed | — | Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Axiom Partners, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, C2 Investment, Contrary Capital, CRV, Index Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Lowercarbon Capital, Operator Collective, Sequoia Capital, South Park Commons, Stash Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, SV Angel, UP.Partners, Webb Investment Network, Y Combinator, Akshay Kothari, Alexandre Prot, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, Claire Hughes Johnson, Deborah Liu, DJ Patil, Don Dodge, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Eoghan McCabe, Fidji Simo, Gloria Baeuerlein, Gokul Rajaram, Guillaume Princen, Guillermo Rauch, Hanno Renner, Howie Liu, Jean Charles Samuelian, Job Van Der Voort, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Kevin Lin, Koen Bok, Kyle Vogt, Marc Benioff, Mike Volpe, Pawan Deshpande, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Sam Palmisano, Shishir Mehrotra, Tobias Lutke, Tom Blomfield |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Sundial | $23.0M Series A | — | Accel, Alt Capital, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, Browder Capital, Contrary Capital, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Founders Fund, Freestyle Capital, FTX Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Meritech Capital Partners, Mischief Venture Capital, Operator Collective, Redpoint Ventures, Saga, Sequoia Capital, South Park Commons, Summit Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, TCV, The Hit Forge, UP.Partners, Vela Partners, Webb Investment Network, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, Christina Cacioppo, Deborah Liu, Dharmesh Shah, DJ Patil, Don Dodge, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Fidji Simo, Howie Liu, Immad Akhund, Jason Lemkin, Jonathan Neman, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Joshua Reeves, Julian Shapiro, Justin Mateen, Koen Bok, Kyle Vogt, Marc Benioff, Max Mullen, Parker Conrad, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Scot Wingo, Sean Rad, Shishir Mehrotra, Siqi Chen, Tobias Lutke |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Ashby | $50.0M Series D | — | Alkeon Capital, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, Contrary Capital, Gaingels, General Catalyst, Greylock, Indeed.com, LGF, Otherwise Fund, Sequoia Capital, UP.Partners, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, John Collison, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Konstantin von Unger, Kyle Vogt, Marc Benioff, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Vivek Patel |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Ambience Healthcare | $240.0M Series C | — | Accel, Addition, Andreessen Horowitz, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Floodgate, General Catalyst, Greylock, Haystack, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, LGF, Lux Capital, Matrix, Oak HC/FT, Open AI Startup Fund, Tribe Capital, Venture Highway, Y Combinator, Bradley Horowitz, Elad Gil, Gokul Rajaram, Henry Kravis, Justin Mateen, Nico Rosberg, Paul Graham |
| Jun 1, 2025 | Warp | $10.0M Series A | — | ACME Capital, Addition, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Basecamp Fund, Bee Partners, Blue Bear Capital, Bond, Contrary Capital, Craft Ventures, Floodgate, General Catalyst, Giant Ventures, Giza Polish Ventures, Greylock, Frederique Dame, Haystack, IVP, Kleiner Perkins, Klossy, LAUNCH, Lux Capital, Makers Fund, Maniv Mobility, Matrix, Menlo Ventures, Hans Tung, Sequoia Capital, Seven Seven Six, Slow Ventures, The General Partnership, The House Fund, Toyota Ventures, Tribe Capital, Ultratech Capital Partners, Ulu Ventures, UP.Partners, Venture Highway, Volition Capital, Workday Ventures, Y Combinator, Adam Back, Amjad Masad, Arash Ferdowsi, Balaji Srinivasan, Bradley Horowitz, Catherine Lu, Ding Zhou, Drew Houston, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Emmett Shear, Gokul Rajaram, Henry Kravis, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Kelvin Beachum Jr., Kevin Weil, Kyle Vogt, Manish Chandra, Marc Benioff, Nico Rosberg, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Tony Xu |
| Jun 1, 2025 | Trustible | $5.0M Seed | — | 1/1 Capital, Altos Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Benchmark, Craft Ventures, Dopamine Ventures, Hanaco Ventures, Harlem Capital, Innovation Endeavors, Andrew Schoen, Ragovin Ventures, Techstars, Tribe Capital, Virginia Venture Partners, Wilshire Lane Capital, Chung Ng, Jaan Tallinn, Joao Otavio Oliverio |
| May 1, 2025 | Keep | $24.0M Series A | — | 305 Ventures, 5Y Capital, 8VC, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, First Round Capital, General Catalyst, Granite Asia, Infinite Capital, Paradigm, Pareto Holdings, Runa Capital, S28 Capital, Social Capital, Soma Capital, Summit Partners, Tribe Capital, Valhalla Capital, Y Combinator, Arash Ferdowsi, Ayush Sood, Gokul Rajaram, John Griffin, Kulveer Taggar, Matt Macinnis, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Shay Banon |
| May 1, 2025 | FoodHealth | $8.0M Series A | — | Next 10 Ventures, Reach Capital, Refinery Ventures, sequel, Mark Williamson |
| Apr 1, 2025 | BuyWander | $2.0M Seed | — | Andreessen Horowitz, Chemistry VC, Contrary Capital, Forefront Venture Partners, Gaingels, Geek Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Pareto Holdings, Reshape Ventures, Streamlined Ventures, Tribe Capital, Unpopular Ventures, Y Combinator, Charlie Songhurst, Francis Santora, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Paul Forster, Ravi Grover, Vishal Rao |
| Mar 1, 2025 | Freed | $30.0M Series A | — | Array Ventures, AV8 Ventures, BoxGroup, C2 Investment, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, FirstHand Alliance, General Catalyst, Greycroft, Harrison Metal, Investo, Plug & Play Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Susa Ventures, True Ventures, UpHonest Capital, Xfund, Y Combinator, Patrick S. Chung, Scott Belsky, Steve Norall |
| Mar 1, 2025 | Nirvana Insurance | $80.0M Series C | — | Amplo, Atomico, CRV, DST Global, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Felicis Ventures, Felix Capital, General Catalyst, Giza Polish Ventures, Heartcore Capital, Kinnevik, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Hans Tung, Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, Aryeh Mergi, Fritz Demopoulos, Gillian Tans, Gokul Rajaram, Scott Belsky |
| Feb 1, 2025 | Nomagic | $44.0M Series B | — | Accel, Buckley Ventures, Flex Capital, Khosla Ventures, LGF, Open AI Startup Fund, Scale Venture Partners, Gokul Rajaram, Justin Mateen, Paul Graham |
| Feb 1, 2025 | Otis | $2.0M Seed | — | Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Everywhere Ventures (The Fund), Freestyle Capital, General Catalyst, Deborah Liu, Gokul Rajaram, Scott Belsky, Scot Wingo |
| Feb 1, 2025 | Eudia | $110.0M Series A | — | 9Yards Capital, Afore Capital, Basecase Capital, Browder Capital, Celesta, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Everywhere Ventures (The Fund), Factorial, General Catalyst, Hoxton Ventures, Infinity Ventures Crypto, LGF, LvlUp Ventures, Osney Capital, Penglan, Quake Capital, ScOp Venture Capital, Stellation Capital, Symbolic Capital, Uncork Capital, Weekend Fund, Akshay Kothari, Alex Oppenheimer, Andrew Steinwold, Evan Cheng, George Burke, Nitay Joffe |
| Feb 1, 2025 | Lemni | $4.0M Seed | — | byFounders, Cocoa, Creandum, Designer Fund, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, General Catalyst, Hummingbird Ventures, La Famiglia, Operator Collective, RTP Global, Sequoia Capital, SNR, Visionaries Club, Adam D'Angelo, Charlie Songhurst, Christian Bach, Christian Reber, Dharmesh Shah, Fredrik Hjelm, George Kurtz, Gokul Rajaram, Job Van Der Voort, Koen Bok, Lukas Brosseder, Mario Götze, Melissa Tan, Nico Rosberg, Robert Maier, Scott Belsky, Stefan Lindeberg, Stewart Butterfield |
| Feb 1, 2025 | Keebler Health | $6.0M Seed | — | 1984 Ventures, Afore Capital, Bling Capital, Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, Everywhere Ventures (The Fund), Freestyle Capital, General Catalyst, Deborah Liu, Gokul Rajaram, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Scot Wingo |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Speak | $78.0M Series C | — | Accel, Buckley Ventures, Khosla Ventures, KittyHawk Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, LGF, Open AI Startup Fund, Plum Alley Investments, Esther Dyson, Gary Lauder, Gokul Rajaram, Justin Mateen, Paul Graham |
| Nov 1, 2024 | Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering | $2.0M Seed | — | Curious Capital, Lowercarbon Capital, Preston-Werner Ventures, Eoghan McCabe, Grant Miller, Preetha Parthasarathy, Scott Belsky |
| Nov 1, 2024 | Agentio | $12.0M Series A | — | 1/1 Capital, Benchmark, Craft Ventures, Dopamine Ventures, Ragovin Ventures |
