Unshackled Ventures
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Look, Unshackled has cracked a code that most VCs are too lazy or risk-averse to pursue: finding brilliant founders before anyone else even knows they exist. They just had their third 50x+ outcome and actually converted it to real liquidity - that's not luck, that's systematic early conviction. The immigration support isn't just virtue signaling; they have a 100% success rate getting visas for founders and 72% graduation rate from pre-seed to seed. But here's what founders really need to know: these guys price rounds aggressively low because they're betting on you before you've de-risked anything. As Manan puts it: "This may sit below Carta averages for pre-seed valuations, but it's what lets us say yes now—as your friends-and-family check." If you're an immigrant founder, this might be your best shot at someone who truly gets the unique challenges you face and won't ghost you when things get hard.
- —Best for: Immigrant founders who need true believers before having traction
- —Watch out for: Below-market pre-seed valuations in exchange for early conviction
- —Known for: 100% visa success rate and finding unicorns in university labs
Unshackled Ventures is the only early-stage venture capital fund that enables unrecognized and excluded immigrant founders to start companies in the U.S. Since its founding in 2014, Unshackled has proven its thesis that investing and supporting this population drives strong investment returns across key industries, including American infrastructure, generative AI, healthcare, space, and enterprise SaaS.
Pre-seed investments in immigrant founders, typically under $1M rounds with 8-12% ownership stakes. Sector agnostic but focuses on companies that can grow at "venture scale" in large market opportunities including tech (software and hardware), life sciences, and materials.
Previously ran marketing for ed-tech startup Kno (acquired by Intel 2013) that raised over $90M from top VCs including a16z. Before that, was an investment banker at Royal Bank of Canada with $3B in transactions, including the $1.9B acquisition of Skype. Embraces underdog mentality and roots for founders others overlook, believing when someone believes in you, something that seemed impossible becomes more accessible.
Born in India and raised in a one-room house with a hard-charging workaholic father focused on making things better - that mentality and ambition is deeply ingrained in him and helps him understand where immigrant founders are coming from. Previously VP-Finance & Controller at Kno Inc. (2010-2012) and Manager at Deloitte & Touche LLP (2005-2010).
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