Underscore VC

Underscore VC is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in Boston in 2015. It invests at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages, backing entrepreneurs who apply artificial intelligence to real-world problems. Sector focus spans enterprise software, financial services technology, healthcare technology and logistics technology. The firm invests across the United States and internationally.

Underscore's stated investment approach centres on the founder rather than the idea: the firm assesses a person's ability to solve impactful problems rather than attempting to predict which concepts will define the future. This is paired with hands-on support intended to accompany founders through the harder phases of company-building.

Two structural elements distinguish the firm's model. The first is Core Community, a network of experienced operators and domain experts that supplies portfolio founders with expertise, introductions and advice as their companies grow. The second is what Underscore calls an open-source investing model, under which the firm shares a portion of investment profits with Core Partners who contribute support to the startups it backs - an arrangement that ties operator compensation to portfolio outcomes.

Underscore VC is headquartered in Boston, with investment activity spanning the United States and international markets.