SQN Venture Partners

ActiveVenture Capital

Updated: Feb 17, 2026 ·

About

SQN Venture Partners was founded in 2015 by serial entrepreneurs and seasoned finance professionals to creatively utilize alternative debt financing structures to help grow and scale the next generation of early to mid-stage transformative companies.

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Investments Made

Date	Company	Round	Lead Investor(s)	Co-Investor(s)
Oct 1, 2025	ClaimSorted	$13.0M Seed	—	Atomico, Balderton Capital, CRV, Eclipse Ventures, Firstminute Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, SOSV, Biz Stone, George Godula, Immad Akhund, Kulveer Taggar, Mario Götze, Scott Belsky, Tim Kendall, Tom Blomfield
Sep 1, 2025	Light	$30.0M Series A	—	Atomico, Balderton Capital, CRV, Eclipse Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Moonfire Ventures, SOSV, Alexander Aghassipour, Biz Stone, Bradley Horowitz, Chris Murphy, Fredrik Hjelm, George Godula, Jeppe Rindom, Mario Götze, Phillip Chambers, Scott Belsky, Tim Kendall
Feb 1, 2024	Myko AI	$3.0M Seed	—	ArcTern Ventures, Bling Capital, Core Innnovation Capital, Foundamental, Giant Ventures, KAAN Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Sand Hill Angels, Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, John M. Mueller, Michael Ma, Shane Neman
Jul 1, 2022	Monolith	$300.0M Series D	—	Aqua Spark, BP Ventures, Celesta
Mar 1, 2022	Gecko Robotics	$73.0M Series C	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Bond, Buckley Ventures, DCM, Scott Hartley, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, Next47, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, Sequoia Capital, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Y Combinator, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Rashaun Williams, Zander Lurie
Feb 1, 2022	Ev.energy	$4.0M Series A	—	ArcTern Ventures, Bling Capital, Core Innnovation Capital, Energy Impact Partners, Foundamental, Future Energy Ventures, Giant Ventures, Heartcore Capital, KAAN Ventures, Khosla Ventures, National Grid Partners, Sand Hill Angels, World Fund, Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, John M. Mueller, Michael Ma, Shane Neman
Nov 1, 2021	Socure	$450.0M Series E	—	Accel, Alkeon Capital, Amazon Alexa Fund, Arbor Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, Ballast Point Ventures, Commerce Ventures, Energy Impact Partners, Fifth Wall, Floodgate, Freestyle Capital, Greenoaks Capital, Group 11, Infinity Ventures, Insight Partners, IVP, Moonshots Capital, Nyca Partners, RET Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, SignalFire, Silverton Partners, Spark Capital, Telstra Ventures, Underscore VC, Webb Investment Network, Jordan French, Mark Cuban, Michael Lombardi, Ronald Cohen
Oct 1, 2021	Insiteflow	$2.0M Seed	—	Accel, Ballast Point Ventures, Floodgate, Silverton Partners, Jordan French, Mark Cuban
Oct 1, 2021	Saildrone	$100.0M Series C	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Asset Management Ventures, Bond, Buckley Ventures, CRV, Scott Hartley, Forerunner Ventures, General Catalyst, Greylock, Lux Capital, O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, Renegade Partners, Sequoia Capital, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Tusk Venture Partners, Two Sigma Ventures, Y Combinator, Anne Wojcicki, Halle Tecco, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Sahin Boydas, Zander Lurie
Sep 1, 2021	1build	$15.0M Series A	—	Allegion Ventures, Animo Ventures, ArcTern Ventures, Bling Capital, Core Innnovation Capital, Forum Ventures, Foundamental, Giant Ventures, Greycroft, KAAN Ventures, Khosla Ventures, MetaProp Ventures, Sand Hill Angels, Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, John M. Mueller, Michael Ma, Oliver Friedrichs, Shane Neman, Tony Jamous
Aug 1, 2021	Apollo GraphQL	$130.0M Series D	—	11.2 Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bedrock Capital, Bloomberg Beta, Bonfire Ventures, BoxGroup, Cervin Ventures, Chemistry VC, DN Capital, Felicis Ventures, Graypes GmbH, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Heavybit, IA Ventures, Insight Partners, Lead Edge Capital, Matrix, Next47, Smash Capital, Threshold Ventures, Torch Capital, Uncork Capital, Uncorrelated Ventures, Vertex Ventures, Y Combinator, Erik Eccles, Sahin Boydas
Aug 1, 2021	XpertSea	$20.0M Series B	—	7BC Venture Capital, 8VC, Aqua Spark, Asylum Ventures, Adeyemi Ajao, BP Ventures, Canary Ventures, Celesta, Chroma Ventures, Citi Ventures, Connolley, Future Shape, Graph Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital, H.I.G. Capital, Kaszek Ventures, Mindset Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, monashees, Hans Tung, QED Investors, Quartz, Ribbit Capital, Rubicon VC, Scale Asia Ventures, Spero Ventures, Tribe Capital, Valutia, Armando Mann, Bradley Horowitz, John Collison, Justin Mateen, Matt Carbonara, Paulo Silveira
Aug 1, 2021	Flume	$3.0M Seed	—	Amplo, Craft Ventures, LAUNCH, Mayfield, SOSV, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, The House Fund, Trajectory Ventures, True Ventures, Lauren Loktev, Sundeep Madra, Travis Vanderzanden
Aug 1, 2021	Salted	$15.0M Series A	—	ArcTern Ventures, Bling Capital, Core Innnovation Capital, Foundamental, Giant Ventures, KAAN Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Sand Hill Angels, Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, Michael Ma, Shane Neman
Jul 1, 2021	Orum	$25.0M Series A	—	Abstract Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Angel investor, Jana Messerschmidt, Banana Capital, BoxGroup, Craft Ventures, First Round Capital, Inspired Capital, LAUNCH, Moving Capital, Pioneer Fund, Polychain Capital, QueensBridge Venture Partners, Republic Records, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, Trajectory Ventures, YLEM, Aaron Harris, Demetrios Christofidis Jr, Josh Mohrer, Kristian Segerstrale, Nick Jonas, Rashaun Williams, Steve Aoki, Steve Chen, Sundeep Madra, Travis Vanderzanden, Vikas Sabnani
Jul 1, 2021	FairMoney	$42.0M Series B	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Scott Hartley, Flourish Ventures, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, NewFund, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Y Combinator, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Zander Lurie
Jul 1, 2021	Blackbuck	$67.0M Series E	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Scott Hartley, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Y Combinator, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Zander Lurie
Jun 1, 2021	RoadSync	$30.0M Series B	—	645 Ventures, Base10 Partners, Craft Ventures, Flex Capital, Foundry Group, Freestyle Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners, Incisive Ventures, LAUNCH, Recursive Ventures, Slow Ventures, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, Trajectory Ventures, True Ventures, Jason Katzer, Sundeep Madra, Thomas Noonan, Travis Vanderzanden, Vikas Sabnani
Jun 1, 2021	Karat Financial	$11.0M Series A	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Diaspora Ventures, Scott Hartley, General Catalyst, Hawke Ventures, Shawn Modarresi, KB Partners, LAUNCH, Lux Capital, Origins, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, REMUS Capital, Robot Ventures, Serena Ventures, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Thirty Five Ventures, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Union Square Ventures, Winklevoss Capital, Y Combinator, Antoine Martin, Griffin Johnson, Jay Z, Jeff Chang, Jimmy Donaldson, John Kobs, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Roger Ehrenberg, Ron Pragides, Zander Lurie
Jun 1, 2021	Curb Food	$24.0M Series A	—	Dimension Capital, EQT Ventures, Point72 Ventures, Uncork Capital
Jun 1, 2021	Deduce	$10.0M Series A	—	TJ Nahigian, Calibrate Ventures, Companyon Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Craft Ventures, Foundry Group, Hyde Park Venture Partners, LAUNCH, March Capital, Overline VC, RRE Ventures, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, Techstars, Toyota Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Ubiquity Ventures, XFactor Ventures, Sundeep Madra, Travis Vanderzanden, Vikas Sabnani
May 1, 2021	StudentFinance	$6.0M Seed	—	ArcTern Ventures, Armilar Venture Partners, Bling Capital, Core Innnovation Capital, Foundamental, Giant Ventures, Jlabs, KAAN Ventures, Khosla Ventures, LAUNCH, Oak HC/FT, Passion Capital, Sand Hill Angels, Seedcamp, SuperAngel.Fund, Velo Capital Partners LLP, Y Combinator, Zeno Ventures, Abdul Hye, Felipe Navio, John M. Mueller, Jonathan Wasserstrum, Juan Urdiales, Michael Ma, Rolf Schrömgens, Shane Neman, Steven Sinofsky, Tom Blomfield, Victoria van Lennep, Vishal Rao
Apr 1, 2021	Hadrian	$10.0M Seed	—	1435 Capital Management, 2045 ventures, 305 Ventures, 8090 Industries, Accel, Afore Capital, Also Capital, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Ballast Point Ventures, Better Tomorrow Ventures, Bolt, Caffeinated Capital, Cherry Ventures, Construct Capital, Countdown Capital, Cubit Capital, Daft Capital, E1 Ventures, Floodgate, Flucas Ventures, Founders Fund, Good Growth Capital, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Heavybit, Invariantes Fund, LombardStreet Ventures, Lux Capital, Paradox Capital, Pareto Holdings, Phenomen Ventures, Picus Capital, Plaid, Quiet Capital, Ravelin Capital, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Saga, Silverton Partners, SpaceFund, Starbridge Venture Capital, Stash Ventures, Stellar Capital, Sterling Equity, Techstars, The Hit Forge, William Guo, Tribe Capital, Virginia Venture Partners, Austin Ogilvie, Dylan Taylor, Harry Hurst, Joao Otavio Oliverio, Jordan French, Justin Mateen, Kirill Silkin, Koen Koeppen, Mark Cuban, Mattia Astori, Richard Cooperstein, Rob Meyerson, Sahin Boydas, Scott Belsky, Sohila Zadran, Sung ho Choi, Vineet Jain, William Miller
Mar 1, 2021	AKASA	$60.0M Series B	—	20VC, 305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Scott Hartley, General Catalyst, Kearny Jackson, Lux Capital, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Quona Capital, Rebel Fund, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund, Tribe Capital, Y Combinator, Allison Barr Allen, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Manik Gupta, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Scott Belsky, William Hockey, Zander Lurie
Mar 1, 2021	Cityblock Health	$190.0M Series C	—	305 Ventures, 75 & Sunny, Addition, Altimeter Capital, Anterra Capital, Bond, Buckley Ventures, Scott Hartley, ff Venture Capital, General Catalyst, Genoa Ventures, Heavybit, Kairos HQ, Lakestar, Lux Capital, Maverick Capital, Picus Capital, Playground Global, Portal Ventures, Rebel Fund, Redpoint Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Smash Capital, Social Capital, ThirdLove, Tiger Global Management, Tribe Capital, Verified Capital, Y Combinator, Jared Leto, Justin Mateen, Louis Beryl, Mark Cuban, Rashaun Williams, Zander Lurie

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Leadership Team

Key people at SQN Venture Partners.

Ryan McCalley

Managing Partner

Leadership Team

Key people at SQN Venture Partners.

Ryan McCalley

Managing Partner

Deep Dive

High-Level Overview

SQN Venture Partners (SQNVP) is a US-based investment firm specializing in alternative debt financing solutions tailored for early to mid-stage transformative companies. Founded in 2015, SQNVP focuses on providing growth capital through debt securities, leases, and related equity securities primarily in emerging technology sectors such as information technology, biotech, and energy technology. Their investment philosophy emphasizes steady cash flow, regular dividends, and attractive total returns with upside potential from warrant realizations, aiming to help companies grow without the costly dilution of equity. Since inception, SQNVP has invested over $150 million, supporting startups by creatively structuring financing as a supplement to traditional venture capital[1][2][3][4][5].

Origin Story

SQN Venture Partners was founded in 2015 by a team of serial entrepreneurs and seasoned finance professionals who sought to fill a niche in the startup financing ecosystem by offering alternative debt financing structures. The firm is majority-owned by Ryan McCalley, who controls over 75% of the company. The founding vision was to provide flexible, non-dilutive capital solutions to early and mid-stage companies poised for growth, particularly in high-potential technology sectors. Over time, SQNVP has evolved to manage Regulation D exempt funds and privately offered investment vehicles, maintaining a disciplined investment approach with a strong ethical framework and regulatory compliance[1][2].

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: Focus on alternative debt financing rather than traditional equity venture capital, allowing companies to avoid equity dilution while accessing growth capital.
Sector Focus: Targeting emerging technology sectors including IT, biotech, and energy technology.
Experienced Leadership: Founded by entrepreneurs and finance professionals with deep expertise in structuring creative financing solutions.
Regulatory Compliance and Ethics: Operates under a strict Code of Ethics, independent audits, and full custody of client assets, ensuring transparency and investor protection.
Investor Profile: Serves accredited investors, qualified clients, and qualified purchasers, with discretionary investment authority granted by fund documents.
Fee Structure: Management fees range from 1.5% to 2.0%, negotiable based on account size and asset type, aligning incentives with investor interests[1][2][3].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

SQN Venture Partners rides the growing trend of alternative financing solutions that supplement traditional venture capital, addressing startups’ needs for growth capital without equity dilution. This timing is critical as startups increasingly seek flexible capital structures amid competitive fundraising environments and evolving market dynamics. By focusing on debt instruments tailored to technology-driven sectors, SQNVP supports innovation and scaling in industries with high growth potential. Their approach influences the broader ecosystem by providing entrepreneurs with more diverse financing options, potentially accelerating startup growth and sustainability beyond the typical equity funding cycles[2][3][4].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, SQN Venture Partners is well-positioned to capitalize on the increasing demand for alternative financing in the startup ecosystem, especially as technology sectors continue to expand and mature. Trends such as rising valuations, investor caution on equity dilution, and the need for flexible capital structures will likely drive further interest in debt-based growth financing. SQNVP’s disciplined investment approach, sector focus, and creative structuring capabilities suggest it will continue to play a significant role in enabling early to mid-stage companies to scale efficiently. Their influence may grow as more startups and investors recognize the benefits of hybrid financing models that balance risk, return, and control.

In summary, SQN Venture Partners stands out as a specialized investment firm offering innovative debt financing solutions that empower technology startups to grow while preserving equity, reflecting a strategic niche in the evolving venture ecosystem[1][2][3][4][5].

Sources

High-Level Overview

Origin Story

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: Focus on alternative debt financing rather than traditional equity venture capital, allowing companies to avoid equity dilution while accessing growth capital.
Sector Focus: Targeting emerging technology sectors including IT, biotech, and energy technology.
Experienced Leadership: Founded by entrepreneurs and finance professionals with deep expertise in structuring creative financing solutions.
Regulatory Compliance and Ethics: Operates under a strict Code of Ethics, independent audits, and full custody of client assets, ensuring transparency and investor protection.
Investor Profile: Serves accredited investors, qualified clients, and qualified purchasers, with discretionary investment authority granted by fund documents.
Fee Structure: Management fees range from 1.5% to 2.0%, negotiable based on account size and asset type, aligning incentives with investor interests[1][2][3].