Symphonic Capital

In February, we hosted our first-ever Founders Day, bringing together an incredible group of visionaries who are building transformative companies. We invest in founders based outside of traditional tech hubs because we know groundbreaking ideas aren’t confined to a few cities. But founders in emerging markets don’t often have the same built-in ecosystems, which makes opportunities to learn from each other even more powerful. From deep-dive sessions on scaling beyond Series A to financial strategy and regulatory insights, the room was buzzing with candid conversations, shared challenges, and brilliant ideas. Unlike most early-stage VCs, our concentrated portfolio allows us to invest deeply — not just in capital but in community. ?? First and foremost, this event couldn’t have happened without the deep support of Nehemiah Green at Amazon Web Services who went above and beyond to make this day special. In addition, we also want to extend our sincerest gratitude to our incredible speakers and ecosystem partners who made the day so special. ?? Mike Smith from Footwork ?? Bianca Caban from HSBC ?? Chris Earley and Tina Gregory from Escalon Services ?? Simone Otenaike and Danielle Reyes from Goodwin ?? Jeanette Jordan, MBA, PCC from Jeanette Jordan Consulting ?? Stephanie Cook from GoodPR Finally, thank you to Wayee Chu who hosted us and shared amazing insights with our founders about what it takes to scale. To our founders: Your vision, passion, and drive inspire us every day. This is just the beginning! #venturecapital #foundersday #startupfounders

It’s estimated that 1 in 3 Americans have worked in a restaurant at some point in their lives. ??? But for many hospitality workers in America — 12 million of them to be exact — working in the industry isn’t just a first job used as a stepping stone into their next career move. It’s how they support their families and livelihoods. Yet the hospitality industry is still struggling to provide affordable and comprehensive benefits to its employees. Across the industry, only 34% of workers have access to employer-sponsored health insurance. Our portfolio company OS BENEFiTS is changing that. They launched nationwide in April 2024 and offer low-cost, monthly insurance plans tailored to hospitality and gig-worker needs. The company works alongside its hospitality studio Oyster Sunday to ensure they have an understanding of the industry and what workers need most. Elizabeth and her team are an example of what’s possible when you seek to solve problems that you’re proximate to and have first-hand experience with. We’re proud to have OS BENEFiTS as part of our investment portfolio. #hospitalityindustry #employeebenefits #insuranceplan

Symphonic Capital founder Sydney Paige Thomas recently spoke alongside a panel of powerful social innovators at Startup San Diego’s final First Monday of 2024. The panel shared their transformative approaches to addressing systemic challenges across their sectors and ways attendees could do the same. We’re always grateful to participate in conversations and opportunities that amplify the voices of those who are doing the work. ??: Sydney pictured with ??Oralia A. of Mission Driven Finance? and Cindy J. Lin of Hey Social Good. #venturecapitalist #socialinnovators #transformativeapproach

When we talk about investing in companies led by founders who are proximate to the problems they’re solving, Gwyneth Borden is a great example. Gwyneth found herself in insurmountable credit card debt, and knew she wasn’t the only one. She studied the process of getting out of debt and leaned on her policy background to create a better tool than the ones that existed. She set out to find a solution that was effective and centered the humanity of the people in debt. So she created Remynt. Remynt is about financial resilience. The organization empowers consumers who have made credit mistakes to reset themselves for a more secure financial future. The Symphonic team is proud to be an investor! #venturecapital #financialresilience #securefinancialfuture #creditrecovery

We’ve spent the last year supporting pre-seed founders who are solving some of the world’s biggest problems in healthcare and financial services. Today, we’re excited to share 2024 results via our first annual Impact Report. This report pulls back the curtain on the rigor, innovation, and accountability that drive our decision-making - and how our approach is already transforming the culture of VC. Get access to the full report, plus more insight into what’s on the horizon from Symphonic at: https://lnkd.in/eGm_5Vme. #venturecapital #startupfounders #healthcareissues #impactreport

Our portfolio company, Honeycomb Credit, is expanding its impact with its acquisition of Raise Green. ?? Since its inception, Honeycomb has been dedicated to helping everyday people invest in entrepreneurs and communities they care about. Acquiring Raise Green allows Honeycomb users to widen their investment options in sustainable projects. Together, Honeycomb and Raise Green will be the one-stop shop for anyone to become an impact investor, making it more accessible than ever to support the small businesses and causes their customers care about most. Congrats to Honeycomb and Raise Green on this new chapter! ?? #venturecapital #acquisition #sustainableprojects #impactinvestor

Check out Symphonic partner Shruti Shah on a recent episode of the DO GOOD X podcast! She chats with hosts Stephen Lewis and Kimberly R. Daniel about her career journey from being a public school teacher to moving to Silicon Valley to work in VC, including her time as a co-founder of a startup. In the episode, Shruti discusses her challenges and triumphs of scaling a business, shares her tips for building confidence as a founder, and explains why her work with Symphonic leans on both previous lessons from her career and the necessary skill of empathy. Listen to the full episode at https://lnkd.in/edtBM4Bw. #venturecapitalistlife #podcast #businesspodcast #careerjourney

If you want to be a founder, learning to trust your gut — among other things — is key, says Symphonic Partner Shruti Shah. Recently, she sat down with Linda Nedell, founder of SAYge Link and host of the Real Stories podcast. In the episode, Shruti discusses her time as a founder, what it taught her, and how she leans on those experiences in Silicon Valley to support her current work with the founders she works with at Symphonic. ????Listen to the full episode at https://lnkd.in/ekcEBJs2. #venturecapitalist #founder #podcast

Empathy is at the heart of everything we do. Not because it’s good for business, or because it makes LPs or our founders happy, but because it’s who we are. While there are lessons and best practices the Symphonic team has picked up throughout our professional experiences, treating people with kindness, being transparent, and empathetic our central to who we are and what we believe makes our business better. Our founder Sydney Paige Thomas recently spoke with Acumen America about Symphonic’s approach to supporting founders and why it is intentionally different from other firms. Read her conversation with Amon Anderson: https://lnkd.in/gBcsBWGP. #venturecapitalist #founders #empathy #withkindness

AI isn’t just for tech bros looking to cut corners. It can be used for good. Our portfolio company Starlight is proof. Roughly 30% of people in the U.S. participate in a public assistance program. But that number could be much higher. Starlight is making sure of it with the help of AI. They identify individuals facing financial challenges and pre-qualify them for benefits based on their financial data. This allows members to access government benefits including the cost of food, healthcare, childcare, and utilities. Using technology to support the 99% is what we’re all about. We’re proud to work with a company like Starlight that’s using emerging tech to support communities that need it most. #AI #inclusivity #makingadifference #portfoliocompany