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Inception Capital, founded in 2021 by David Gan, operates as a U.S.-based venture and fund-of-funds platform. The firm aims to bridge the gap between Western entrepreneurs and the Asian market, facilitating cross-border innovation in digital assets and frontier infrastructure. Inception Capital has quickly established itself as a key player in the early-stage investment landscape, managing over $80 million across various funds.
The firm has a diverse portfolio of 58 companies, reflecting its commitment to supporting innovative startups in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Inception Capital's headquarters is located in the United States, but it maintains a global investment focus, particularly in North America and Asia. The firm has evolved from its predecessor brand, OP Crypto, and continues to leverage its historical expertise in the blockchain and digital assets sectors.
Notable milestones include significant investments in companies like TikTok and Bilibili, showcasing the firm's ability to identify and support high-potential startups. Inception Capital's approach combines venture capital with fund-of-funds strategies, allowing it to back emerging managers and provide comprehensive support to its portfolio companies.
Inception Capital specializes in early-stage investments, primarily targeting sectors such as web3, artificial intelligence, and frontier technology. The firm invests at various stages, including Friends & Family, Angel, Accelerator/Incubator, Pre-seed, and Seed. Inception Capital's check sizes are not publicly disclosed, but the firm emphasizes its commitment to supporting startups through comprehensive strategies.
The firm provides end-to-end support for its portfolio companies, focusing on fundraising strategies, tokenomics optimization, and market entry strategies, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Inception Capital's investment thesis centers on backing early-stage builders and emerging managers in digital assets and frontier infrastructure, leveraging cross-border access to create advantages for startups.
Inception Capital actively seeks innovative companies that can benefit from its extensive resources and expertise. The firm emphasizes its role in facilitating cross-border innovation, particularly in blockchain technology and digital assets, making it a valuable partner for startups looking to expand into Asian markets.
Inception Capital's portfolio includes a diverse range of companies, with notable investments in:
These investments highlight Inception Capital's focus on blockchain technology and digital assets, showcasing its commitment to supporting innovative startups in these sectors. The firm has also made recent investments in companies like Skyfire, Term Labs, and Camp Network, further expanding its portfolio in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
David Gan - Founder & General Partner. David has led early-stage investments in consumer companies and crypto protocols since 2016. He previously worked with Huobi, Qiming Venture Partners, Morgan Stanley, Moshi Group, and Lehigh University. David founded Inception Capital in 2021 to connect Asia and the West through blockchain innovation.
John Fan - Investment Partner. John is based in San Francisco and focuses on early-stage infrastructure and AI/ML investments. He has a background as a software engineer, having worked at CloudSwitch and Google Cloud, and has prior VC experience at Blumberg Capital and Sky9 Capital.
Felix Ke - Head of Secondaries. Felix is based in Shenzhen/Hong Kong and focuses on secondaries. He was formerly a Global Partner at OKX and spent years with Huobi as a main trading partner, combining trading, quantitative, and early-stage VC experience.
Huy Vu - Platform Director. Huy leads portfolio support and ecosystem growth, with prior experience at AlphaDAO and managing over 80 angel investments.
Sunny Jia - Portfolio Manager. Sunny provides strategic marketing support to portfolio companies, leveraging her background in web3 marketing.
Thomas Z. - Deal Analyst. Thomas focuses on consumer infrastructure and emerging technologies, evaluating investment opportunities and supporting strategic initiatives.
Shiqi W. - Research Analyst. Shiqi builds research and investment capability around AI and consumer applications.
Jiani Li - Marketing Director. Jiani supports Inception's brand and communications work, with experience from a metaverse gaming platform.
Daisy W. - Operations Director. Daisy handles investment operations and financial oversight, with prior fund-operations experience at Hillhouse and audit experience at Big Four firms.
To pitch Inception Capital, founders should visit the official website at inception.capital. It is recommended to include a detailed pitch deck that outlines the business model, market opportunity, team background, and fundraising strategy. Inception Capital prefers pitches that clearly articulate the startup's unique value proposition and how it aligns with the firm's investment focus.
While specific response time expectations are not disclosed, founders should anticipate a thorough review process. Warm introductions are beneficial but not mandatory. The firm values clarity and conciseness in pitch materials, so founders should ensure their presentations are well-structured and informative.
Inception Capital has been active in the investment space, with recent investments including Skyfire, Term Labs, and Camp Network in 2024. The firm continues to expand its portfolio, reflecting its commitment to supporting innovative startups in the digital assets and frontier technology sectors.
In January 2024, TechCrunch reported that Inception Capital closed a $30 million Fund of Funds, adding to its existing $50 million Venture Fund I. This brings the total assets under management to over $80 million, allowing the firm to support a diverse range of early-stage projects.
Inception Capital's founder, David Gan, has been vocal about the firm's investment thesis, emphasizing the importance of automated finance and the integration of AI with crypto technologies. A 2025 BeInCrypto article highlighted Gan's vision for the future of financial systems, where capital and asset logic operate continuously and autonomously.
What are Inception Capital's investment criteria?
Inception Capital focuses on early-stage companies in sectors such as web3, AI, and frontier technology. The firm invests at various stages, including Friends & Family, Angel, Accelerator/Incubator, Pre-seed, and Seed.
How can I pitch to Inception Capital?
Founders can pitch their startups through the official website at inception.capital. It is advisable to include detailed information about the business model, market potential, and team background in the pitch deck.
What makes Inception Capital different from other investors?
Inception Capital emphasizes its expertise in bridging Western entrepreneurs with the Asian market, providing extensive support in fundraising strategies, tokenomics, and market entry tactics, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
What is the geographic scope of Inception Capital's investments?
The firm has a global investment focus, with particular emphasis on North America and Asia, facilitating cross-border innovation in digital assets and frontier infrastructure.
What kind of support does Inception Capital provide to its portfolio companies?
Inception Capital offers comprehensive support, including fundraising strategy, tokenomics assistance, exchange-listing navigation, talent access, and connections to market makers and community strategies.
What is the fund size of Inception Capital?
Inception Capital manages over $80 million across its venture and fund-of-funds strategies, allowing it to support a diverse range of early-stage startups.
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