In an age where artificial intelligence is reshaping industries at breakneck speed, seasoned experts from companies like Medio, Amazon, and Expedia are entering the investment space to fuel this shift. Drawing from years of experience at the intersection of technology and leadership, these individuals have pooled their expertise to create VQ Capital, a new investment firm focused on scaling AI-driven companies that promise to redefine market standards.
The founding team includes former Amazon and Medio leader Brian Lent, Expedia and PayPal veteran John Kim, and Yotam Avrahami, who initially established the firm under the name YA6. Together, they’ve rebranded the venture as VQ Capital, establishing its headquarters in New York while planning a strategic hub in Seattle, a city renowned for its tech innovation. Their choice to operate outside the traditional venture fund model stands out. Instead of amassing a single large fund, they collaborate with family offices on a deal-by-deal basis, combining the precision of private equity with the innovative acumen of venture investing.
What makes VQ Capital different?
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Targeted Investment Thesis
The firm centers its strategy on two key areas: transforming consumer companies through AI and revolutionizing cyber intelligence. In consumer enterprises, AI integration is driving efficiency across supply chains, customer engagement, and operations. On the other hand, the “Golden Dome” framework sets out to unify disjointed cybersecurity tools into cohesive platforms, aiming to provide robust protection as digital threats evolve. -
Focus on Compounding Change
VQ Capital advocates for investing in small, agile teams that can rapidly execute ideas and outperform slower competitors. They operate under the belief that traditional technological progress has been overtaken by what they describe as an “era of compounding change,” where breakthroughs in hardware and AI models are transforming industries faster than ever before. -
Hybrid Approach to Funding
Unlike traditional venture capital funds that function over extended timelines, VQ forms close partnerships with multibillion-dollar family offices. This enables flexibility, tailored deal structures, and a unique capability to act quickly in seizing opportunities.
How to adopt lessons from VQ Capital if you’re an entrepreneur
Many startup founders often miss the critical shift from building a product to scaling a business. If you want to attract partners like VQ Capital, make sure you’re thinking beyond the MVP phase and developing models that integrate AI to solve long-standing inefficiencies.
Here’s how to align your startup approach with these insights:
- Leverage AI to bridge gaps, particularly in customer-facing and operational inefficiencies. Whether in marketing strategies or optimizing supply chains, AI should drive measurable impact. Look for inspiration in sectors outside your domain to stay ahead.
- Quantify scalability. Investors are increasingly drawn to ventures that can showcase a path to category leadership using numbers rather than vision alone. Prove that your solution saves time, money, or resources at a scale no competitor can match.
- Adopt a collaborative mindset. Partnerships, especially with non-traditional investment players like family offices, require transparency and long-term strategy alignment. Hone your communication to address both business growth metrics and broader societal impacts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overlooking operational pitfalls in AI. AI is only as good as the data it processes. Dirty or sparse data pipelines will lead to inaccurate results, jeopardizing investor confidence.
- Neglecting cybersecurity. With so much focus on growth and disruption, startups often underestimate the necessity of cybersecurity measures. Build this foundation early, especially if your product involves sensitive information.
- Failing to target niche problems. Many founders mistakenly believe wide-reaching AI solutions are more attractive. In reality, specialized applications often command greater attention because they address high-value pain points decisively.
The Seattle Advantage
From my experience as a startup founder in Europe and my extensive engagement with U.S. tech ecosystems, it’s clear that Seattle ranks as one of the top innovation hotspots globally. The concentration of top-tier engineers, proximity to tech giants, and a deep-rooted culture of problem-solving create unique opportunities for companies like VQ Capital. Entrepreneurs aiming to step into AI should consider the mentorship, partnerships, and investor networks in cities like Seattle, which can accelerate their ventures.
Closing thoughts
VQ Capital’s launch marks a pivotal moment for startups operating in the AI and cybersecurity space. By blending years of aggregated wisdom from leaders at Amazon, Medio, and Expedia with an unconventional investment approach, the firm embodies a future-forward perspective on venture creation. Entrepreneurs of today should take note: investors increasingly value solutions that don’t just keep pace with change but actively drive it.
As someone deeply invested in helping founders scale their ideas, and as an advocate for leveraging underutilized talent pools, I believe this shift toward faster, more strategic funding networks will unlock a competitive edge that benefits both startups and investors. Keep an eye on ventures like VQ Capital, when industry veterans are in charge, groundbreaking opportunities often follow.
FAQ
1. What is VQ Capital, and what does it focus on?
VQ Capital is a thesis-driven, AI-native investment platform designed to scale AI-driven companies into category leaders. It focuses on two main areas: transforming consumer companies with AI and revolutionizing cybersecurity through the "Golden Dome" framework. Learn more about VQ Capital
2. Who founded VQ Capital?
VQ Capital was co-founded by former Amazon and Medio leader Brian Lent, Expedia and PayPal veteran John Kim, and Yotam Avrahami, who originally started the firm as YA6 before rebranding it as VQ Capital. Meet the founders here
3. Where is VQ Capital headquartered?
VQ Capital is headquartered in New York City, with plans to establish a hub in Seattle, a global hotspot for tech innovation. Explore Seattle’s tech ecosystem
4. What makes VQ Capital’s investment approach different from traditional venture capital?
Unlike traditional venture capital firms that raise large, long-term funds, VQ Capital operates on a deal-by-deal basis in collaboration with multibillion-dollar family offices, blending the discipline of private equity with the flexibility of venture-style investing. Learn about VQ Capital’s approach
5. How does VQ Capital define the “era of compounding change”?
VQ Capital describes this era as a time when advancements in hardware, AI models, and large-scale data are accelerating innovation at a pace far beyond traditional Moore’s Law cycles. Understand the “era of compounding change”
6. What is the “Golden Dome” framework in cybersecurity?
The “Golden Dome” framework aims to unify fragmented cybersecurity tools into cohesive platforms designed to offer robust protection against evolving digital threats. Discover the “Golden Dome” framework
7. What advice does VQ Capital give to startup founders for attracting investment?
VQ Capital encourages startups to leverage AI to address inefficiencies, quantify scalability with metrics beyond vision alone, and cultivate a collaborative mindset aligned with long-term strategies and societal impacts.
8. What common mistakes should AI startups avoid?
Startups should avoid pitfalls such as overlooking data quality, underestimating cybersecurity needs, and targeting overly broad problems instead of niche, high-value pain points.
9. Why is Seattle considered a key location for tech innovation?
Seattle boasts a concentration of top-tier engineers, proximity to major tech companies, and a robust culture of problem-solving, making it a pivotal hub for advancements in AI and cybersecurity. Discover Seattle’s tech advantage
10. What is VQ Capital’s overall mission in the investment space?
VQ Capital aims to redefine venture creation by leveraging the founders’ expertise in AI, leadership, and innovation to invest in solutions that drive transformative industry change. Learn about VQ Capital’s mission
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.