Fika Ventures

?? BuildOps is Hiring! Join a fast-growing team transforming commercial contracting. At Fika Ventures, we’ve always believed in backing exceptional teams tackling real-world challenges. That’s why we’ve been proud supporters of BuildOps from the beginning. With their recent Series C raise, they’ve officially hit unicorn status ?? with a valuation of $1 billion—a huge milestone, but just the start of what’s ahead. As they scale, they’re looking for driven individuals to help build the future of #commercialcontracting. Check out these open roles: ?? Senior Campaign Manager (LA or Raleigh) – https://lnkd.in/ghsAfPVb ?? Account Based Marketing Manager (LA or Raleigh) – https://lnkd.in/gzWtm_aC ?? Deal Desk Manager (LA) – ?https://lnkd.in/gn7XC4yG ?? Strategic Account Executive (LA or Remote) – https://lnkd.in/ges_Bpwb ?? Enterprise Account Executive (Remote) – https://lnkd.in/gyp_nipt ?? Manager, Customer Success *Strategic (LA or Raleigh) – https://lnkd.in/gu93zJJf ?? Senior Full-Stack Engineer (LA or Toronto) – https://lnkd.in/g6rtMUmd ?? Machine Learning Engineer (LA or Toronto) – https://lnkd.in/gi_5KBGp ?? BuildOps is reshaping the way commercial contractors run their businesses with modern software built specifically for the skilled trades. Founders Alok Chanani and Steve Chew lead an exceptional team that deeply understands the industry’s challenges and is executing relentlessly to solve them. ?? Know someone who’d be a great fit? Share this post and help spread the word! #hiring #techjobs #salesjobs #marketingjobs #engineeringjobs #machinelearning #customersuccess #careers #remotejobs #unicorn

Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting a Fintech Fellows Leaders Dinner in NYC, bringing together an incredible group of fintech founders, executives, and innovators at L’Artusi Supper Club. At Fika Ventures, we believe fintech is at an inflection point—where embedded finance, AI, and new infrastructure are reshaping how financial services are built and delivered. The conversations around the table reflected exactly that, from the opportunities in AI-driven automation to the regulatory shifts influencing fintech partnerships and growth. It was inspiring to hear firsthand from the operators and visionaries who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in financial technology. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and made the night such a success. These gatherings reinforce why we invest in fintech: the best ideas come to life through collaboration and shared insights. Looking forward to continuing the momentum and supporting the next wave of fintech innovation! #Fintech #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Innovation #FikaFellows Aunim Hossain Jesse Podell Yi Wang Zakie Twainy Marco Ronning Philip Kim Luca Cosentino Pallavi K. Gabriella Brignardello Matt Hersh Jake Mendel Jelena Hoffart Jordy Albert Maria Romano de Angoitia Logan Pike Bruno Werneck de Almeida Michael Manne Manny Cominsky Stuart Cook Stuart Mason Bryan O'Connell Hannah Goldberg-Morse David Sandler Nikhil Batheja Michael Lee Live Oak Ventures, LLC

The Fika Ventures team couldn't be more thrilled to congratulate the entire BuildOps team on securing $127M in Series C funding led by Meritech Capital, reaching an incredible $1B valuation! ?? What Alok Chanani, Steve Chew, and the entire team have accomplished is truly remarkable - building AI-powered tools specifically designed for the trades that help contractors run more efficient jobs, get paid faster, and scale their businesses without limitation. From our first coffee chat at Coffee Bean back in 2018 to today's billion-dollar milestone, it's been incredible to witness your journey. This isn't just about software - it's about fundamentally transforming an industry that employs millions and impacts us all. The results speak for themselves: customers turning unprofitable divisions into money-makers, growing their revenue 10x, and remaining fiercely loyal to your platform. This is indeed just the beginning!

?? A Billion Reasons to Believe: Why We're Doubling Down on BuildOps ?? From day one, we knew BuildOps was special. Alok Chanani, Steve Chew and the entire team weren’t just building software—they were transforming an industry. Commercial contractors have long been underserved by modern technology, and BuildOps is changing that at scale. At Fika Ventures, we invest in "screwdrivers," not "paintbrushes"—companies that solve real, high-impact problems in overlooked markets. BuildOps embodies that vision, helping thousands of specialty contractors streamline operations, boost profitability, and scale their businesses. We’ve been proud partners since that first coffee chat in 2018, and today, as BuildOps surpasses a $1B valuation, we’re doubling down—writing our largest check to date because we believe this is just the beginning. Congrats to the entire BuildOps team! First of many great milestones to come ?? Read more on our journey together since day 1:

Thrilled to finally share this news!??? Huge thanks to?Zach Shelby?and?Jan Jongboom?for trusting Fika Ventures to lead your pre-seed round back in 2019 and allowing us to be part of your incredible journey. It’s been an honor to serve on your board and witness your growth firsthand. Excited to see how you scale within?Qualcomm! ?? More about our investment in Edge Impulse below! https://lnkd.in/daEx8gvS

Just wrapped up an incredible evening co-hosting with Goodwin's fintech team during Fintech Meetup in Las Vegas! The Grand Canal at Canaletto made for a stunning backdrop, but what truly made the night special was the company around the table. We had thought-provoking conversations on everything from navigating vendor selection in an AI-driven fintech landscape to the regulatory shifts shaping partnerships in the industry. I walked away with new insights and a deeper appreciation for the brilliant minds pushing fintech forward. A huge thank you to David Ajalat, Mitzi Chang, and Arman Carretta for co-hosting with us, my partner Matt Hersh for running the event with me and to everyone who joined—it’s these conversations that drive innovation and shape the future of fintech. Britt Danneman Kapil Chhibber Rex Salisbury Arvind Purushotham Pallavi K. John Onwualu Ruth Foxe Blader Michael Kindrat-Pratt Luke Voiles John He Laura Bock Kalyani Iyer Neil Kapur Lindsay Fitzgerald Abhi C. Tanvi Lal #FintechMeetup #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital Fika Ventures

?? Congratulations to Zach Shelby, Jan Jongboom, and the entire Edge Impulse team on joining forces with Qualcomm! This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for #edgeAI and for a team that has worked tirelessly to make their vision a reality. From day one, Edge Impulse has built an industry-leading platform, empowering over 170,000 developers to create 500,000+ machine learning projects for edge devices. Their impact on the edge AI space is undeniable, and this next chapter with Qualcomm will only accelerate their mission. As one of our earliest Fund II investments, we’re incredibly proud to have been part of this journey. We can’t wait to see the groundbreaking innovations that come next! ?? Read more about our journey with Edge Impulse: https://lnkd.in/gDytJ2Ph #EdgeAI #MachineLearning #TinyML #StartupSuccess

?? Every great startup journey starts with a spark—and sometimes, it takes six years to see the impact of a single introduction. In 2019, we met Fran?ois Baldassari (Memfault) at YC Demo Day. Though we didn’t land on his cap table, we stayed true to our philosophy: help first, invest later. That mindset paid off when Fran?ois introduced us to Zach Shelby and Jan Jongboom, the visionary founders of Edge Impulse. From day one, we knew we had to back them. Their deep expertise in embedded tech, relentless execution, and mission to unlock AI at the edge fit squarely within our thesis at Fika Ventures. ?? Fast forward to today: Edge Impulse’s platform powers 170k+ developers, 500k+ ML projects, and partnerships with NVIDIA, AWS, and Nordic Semiconductor, and they are set to become the default Edge AI platform for the world’s devices. Today we are also thrilled to announce that Edge Impulse is joining forces with Qualcomm, marking a major milestone in their journey. This was Fika’s first investment out of Fund II, and seeing this team scale from a shared office in San Jose to a category-defining AI company is truly what venture is all about. A huge congratulations to Zach, Jan, and the entire Edge Impulse team! We’re excited to see what’s next. And Zach—keep that fun spirit alive, but maybe trade in the Bird scooter for a trendier ride. ?? (Check out our post to see what we mean!) Read more on our journey with Edge Impulse: https://lnkd.in/gPQ55KiS #AI #EdgeAI #VentureCapital #StartupSuccess #MachineLearning Fika Ventures

Our first newsletter of 2025 is here! As we settle into the year, we’re sharing updates on our growing portfolio, along with recent news and activities from the Fika Ventures team. ?? Arteen Arabshahi and Olivia Pittard are doubling down on #supplychain and AI-driven industrial tech. If you're building in these spaces, they’d love to connect! ?? TX Zhuo and Patrick McClanahan explore how AI-driven insights and automation are reshaping #verticalSaaS ?? New Pour Over #podcast with John Chen and Min-Kyu Jung, CEO & Co-Founder of Ivo, who recently announced their $16M Series A. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g-n_A6DF ?? Recent #funding news from Outmarket AI, SGNL, Ivo, Moment Energy, and StretchDollar ?? Several of our portfolio companies at CapExpert, Clerq, Coverbase, Hue., Payabli, SELECT, and Sunbound are actively #hiring. Be sure to explore the Key Roles! ? We hosted a magical evening at Hatchet Hall, where coinvestors and LPs connected, shared insights, and celebrated the vibrant spirit of our venture community ?? Continue to join us in support of LA #wildfire relief by: ?? Donating to the LA Tech Community Cares Fund: https://lnkd.in/gWzdN39u. ?? Signing up to volunteer with #LATechDayOfService, where founders, operators, and investors recently assembled 1,400+ food boxes at Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for wildfire-affected families: https://lnkd.in/gqd6mTgr ?? For more insights, read our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gbx3Cysu ?? If you’re not a subscriber yet, sign up here: https://eepurl.com/iaoksz

I'm thrilled to announce Fika Ventures' investment in Outmarket AI, a company that's set to transform the commercial insurance industry through AI. When I first met Vishal Sankhla and Anshu Jain, I was immediately struck by their deep understanding of the commercial insurance landscape. They identified a critical problem: despite being a $800B industry growing at 9.7% annually, commercial insurance remains plagued by disconnected data, outdated analytics, and manual workflows that create massive inefficiencies. As someone who's been investing in enterprise software for years, I recognize a massive opportunity when I see one. Outmarket's AI-driven platform creates a crucial connectivity layer between retail agencies, wholesalers, and carriers - a solution the industry desperately needs. Three things sold me on this investment: Exceptional founding team: Vishal (ex-Facebook, Ethos) and Anshu (IBM Research) combine product leadership with AI expertise to build a defensible platform. Strong market validation: Our network connected Outmarket with top insurance brokers and wholesalers who immediately engaged with the platform, confirming the critical need. Transformative vision: They're creating an intelligent ecosystem that will change how insurance professionals make decisions and grow revenue. At Fika, we back founders tackling entrenched problems in critical industries. I'm excited to partner with Vishal, Anshu, and their team on their journey to reshape commercial insurance - exactly the kind of bold vision we love to support. Read more on why we invested: https://lnkd.in/gVbwS44S Fika Ventures #InsurTech #AI #CommercialInsurance #startupnews #fundingnews