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About
Year One Ventures

Year One Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early stage venture capital firm focused on the convergence of breakthrough science, engineering, and commercial opportunity. We don’t shy away from highly technical topics or early-stage risk, leverage extensive business operator networks, and validate the commercial application of promising research with the help of the smartest people in the field.

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Our mission

We aim to address the planet’s most challenging problems. We seek out scientific research that impacts our fundamental understanding of the world, and invest in companies where this can revolutionize a process, material, system, or component. We believe that profound insights often defy scientific silos and we specifically seek out unique applications of technology that can work together—such as photonics and material science, autonomous robots and nanoscale manufacturing, AI and transportation.

Our story

From historic Harvard Yard to the low-slung buildings of Sand Hill Road, our story spans ideas, ambition, and geography.

1995

Daniel Hoffer and Ben Kaplan meet in Boston as members of the Harvard College class of 1999 and share an affinity for entrepreneurship, technology, and big ideas.

2011

Daniel leaves his role at Benchmark Capital with Series A funding to launch his CouchSurfing platform into new global markets while Ben’s first startup exceeds $10M in annual revenue — but both keep their eyes on investment opportunities and technological change.

2024

Daniel and Ben engage in a series of wide-ranging dialogues on the state of scientific advancement and market opportunity—and add to the mix Luc Vincent, a former Harvard postdoc and renowned computer vision expert who worked with Dan at Hayden AI. The three partners decide to launch a new fund to seek out under-commercialized and highly technical early-stage opportunities.

Our founders

Based in Silicon Valley, we possess a complementary set of technical, business, brand, and go-to-market skills.

Daniel Hoffer

Managing Partner

Luc Vincent

Partner

Our mantra

Think Big

We're bold. We're ambitious. Every day, we dare to be great.

Learn at Warp Speed

We love exploring technology. We’re incessantly curious.

Dive Beyond

We have the heart of an optimist, but the mind of a skeptic.

Set the Tempo

We take a long-term view but we’ll sprint when necessary.

Whatever It Takes

We believe in accountability. We’re problem solvers, not excuse makers.

Make It Better

Small improvements lead to big gains. If it ain’t broke, optimize it.