SoftTech VC
SoftTech VC is a company.
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Leadership Team
Key people at SoftTech VC.
SoftTech VC is a company.
Key people at SoftTech VC.
Key people at SoftTech VC.
Uncork Capital (formerly SoftTech VC) is a seed-stage venture capital firm founded in 2004, based in San Francisco (previously Palo Alto), focused on early-stage investments in B2B software, SaaS, developer tools, marketplaces, consumer services, and frontier technologies.[5][1][2] Its mission is to commit early, provide hands-on support through challenges, and remain invested long-term, managing multiple institutionally-backed funds including the recent $225M Uncork VIII and $75M Plus IV in 2025, with a track record of over 260 investments in companies like Postmates, Eventbrite, Fitbit, LaunchDarkly, and ClassDojo.[5][8][3] The firm targets 10-15% ownership stakes via $500K-$1M seed checks, often leading or co-leading rounds, and follows on in later stages, influencing the startup ecosystem through consistent deal flow (20+ per year historically) and expertise in high-growth tech verticals like connectivity, media, and AI-related tools.[3][2][5]
SoftTech VC was founded in 2004 by Jeff Clavier, a prominent Web 2.0 angel investor who formalized his portfolio into a structured seed fund, evolving from individual investments into institutional vehicles like SoftTech VC II (raised 2007, targeting 20 companies/year at $100K-$500K checks), III ($55M in 2011), and IV ($85M in 2014).[1][3][5] Key partners include Andy McLoughlin (ex-Huddle), Susan Liu (ex-Scale Venture Partners), Tripp Jones (ex-August Capital), and Amy Saper (ex-Accel), expanding the firm's operational depth.[5] The focus shifted from broad consumer internet and mobile to refined B2B/SaaS and marketplaces; in 2017, it rebranded to Uncork Capital to reflect its enduring "uncorking" of startup potential, continuing with larger funds like $100M SoftTech VC V (2016), Uncork VI ($100M + $100M Plus II in 2019), VII ($400M total in 2023), and VIII ($300M total in 2025).[5][3]
Uncork Capital rides the seed-stage resurgence in AI-driven developer tools, SaaS marketplaces, and frontier tech amid maturing cloud ecosystems and remote work shifts, where early validation is critical for scaling amid high burn rates.[5][8] Timing aligns with 2025's fundraises ($300M total), capitalizing on post-2023 recovery and AI hype, enabling larger follow-ons in a market favoring resilient B2B over pure consumer plays.[5][3] Favorable forces include abundant dry powder for seeds, geographic hubs like SF/NY fostering talent density, and the firm's influence via alumni networks boosting ecosystem liquidity—e.g., backing tools like LaunchDarkly that power Fortune 500 AI deployments.[8][5] It shapes the landscape by democratizing seed access for non-mega-round founders, bridging angels to VCs.
Uncork Capital's trajectory points to deepened AI and developer ecosystem bets, leveraging its 20+ year playbook for 50+ new deals from VIII/Plus IV amid 2025's optimistic VC rebound. Trends like progressive feature rollout, enterprise AI prompts, and marketplace consolidation will amplify its portfolio, potentially yielding more unicorns akin to Fitbit/Eventbrite. Influence may evolve toward opportunity funds for breakouts, solidifying its role as a steadfast seed partner in an increasingly specialized tech landscape—echoing its origins as a Web 2.0 pioneer now uncorking AI's next wave.[5][8][3]
