Investment Principal

Swift Ventures backs early-stage AI and automation companies. We're former founders who built TubeMogul, took it public, and sold it to Adobe. We started Swift to be the investors we wished we'd had: low ego, direct, and useful when there's real work to do.

We're looking for a Principal who knows promising AI founders and builders before everyone else does. You build relationships early, have your own point of view, and earn people's trust by being helpful and following through.

Your job is to find exceptional companies, figure out which ones are worth backing, and help Swift earn the opportunity to invest. You'll work directly with Brett Wilson and John Hughes, with real ownership from sourcing and diligence through closing and supporting founders.

Prior venture experience is welcome. Evidence that you can spot talent, exercise good judgment, and make things happen matters more.

About You

• Deep technical curiosity. You want to understand how AI actually works, what it makes possible, and where it can solve important customer problems.
• Strong commercial judgment. You ask pointed questions, look past a polished pitch, and form your own view of why a company could become big—and what could stop it.
• Comfortable with startup finance, unit economics, and basic deal mechanics.
• Strong relationships in the Bay Area AI community. You seek out promising builders, bring people together, and follow through.
• Earned credibility with founders and researchers. They ask for your perspective because you give honest, useful feedback.
• Low ego and highly collaborative. You're comfortable defending your views and changing your mind when the evidence warrants it.
• We welcome different paths into investing. Prior VC experience is a plus, but we also value founders, operators, technical community leaders, and angel investors.

The Job

• Find exceptional AI companies early. Build relationships with promising founders and researchers before they raise or launch, and uncover opportunities that aren't already making the rounds.
• Be active in the Bay Area AI community, during the day and after hours. Visit labs, attend hackathons and demos, and bring interesting people together over founder dinners.
• Be useful without being asked. Follow up promptly, make thoughtful introductions, and help founders before there's a deal on the table.
• Develop investment themes and market maps in AI and automation. Turn that research into relationships and investment opportunities.
• Lead initial founder meetings. Ask the hard questions, form your own view, and make a clear case for which companies we should back and why.
• Own diligence and investment memos, and work with the General Partners to negotiate SAFEs and term sheets.
• Build trusted relationships with portfolio founders. Help them find customers, recruit talent, raise capital, and work through important decisions.
• Work directly with our two General Partners, with real responsibility for advancing investments and a voice in investment decisions.

We have offices in San Francisco and Lafayette, CA, with flexible work options.

Benefits

• Work directly with two experienced founders, with real ownership and influence over where we invest and how we build Swift.
• Build lasting relationships with ambitious founders, operators, and investors across the AI community.
• Health insurance with a generous employer contribution toward premiums.
• Flexible PTO and sick leave.

Swift Ventures backs early-stage AI and automation companies with B2B business models. We're former founders and operators who built TubeMogul, took it public, and sold it to Adobe. We started Swift to be the fund we wished we'd had: low ego, candid, and sincerely helpful.

We know how hard building a company can be. We help founders win customers, recruit great people, raise capital, and work through tough decisions. We value bold founders with a high Do ratio—and hold ourselves to the same standard.

Apply at info@swift.vc. Along with your resume, tell us about a promising founder or company you spotted early. How did you find them? What did you see? What did you do to build the relationship or help them succeed? What happened? You don't need to have been their investor.