by Conrad Shang
We are extremely targeted with the companies we approach.
We spend all of our time playing offense––making sure we’re objective and aggressive in connecting with every outlier team we’ve identified.
Our investment process starts with proprietary insights on team quality, so when we meet with companies, it’s because we already see something special. We’re not perfect, but our goal is to follow a general set of investment process principles below.
- Curiosity Over Skepticism: Our first meetings are about exploring potential, not imposing biases. We aim to discover unique opportunities, not limit them to familiar schools, networks, or backgrounds. Founders shouldn’t need to conform to a mold to get funded, and we’re committed to fostering innovation by expanding the conversation.
- Two-Way Value in Every Meeting: A great meeting is a collaborative exchange. Whether it’s sharing insights, challenging ideas, or providing actionable feedback, our goal is to add value—even if we’re not the right partner. Founders’ time is precious, and we respect that.
- Respect the Builder’s Journey: Founders drive the business; our role is to support that effort. We prioritize speed and clarity in our decision-making and encourage founders to hold us accountable to timelines that match their pace.
- Be Prepared, Be Engaged: We come to meetings ready and excited to engage with your vision. Anything less reflects poorly on how a VC might act post-investment, and we believe founders deserve engaged, committed partners at every stage.
These principles reflect our belief that venture capital should serve and amplify the work of founders, and we strive to embody that in every interaction.
Optimus to Optimist: The Next Generation of Primes Pt. 2
In the second part of a two-part series, Ensemble VC explores how emerging defense tech startups are reshaping the military-industrial landscape. With AI, structural reforms, and a changing geopolitical environment, new defense primes are rising to meet the challenges of modern warfare.
Optimus to Optimist: The Next Generation of Primes Pt. 1
In the first part of a two-part series on innovation in the defense industry, Ensemble VC examines the historical context behind the "military-industrial complex," and the failure of a consolidated set of prime contractors to innovate in line with adversaries despite no shortage of innovation in the larger economy.
The Future of Healthcare Tech Adoption: From Top-Down to Practitioner-First
Danny Freed and Blueprint are redefining healthcare tech adoption with practitioner-first AI tools that streamline workflows and prioritize patient care. By empowering providers instead of replacing them, they’re addressing the inefficiencies of top-down mandates to drive meaningful change in healthcare.
Clazar raises $10M to revolutionize the way software is bought and sold
Ensemble is proud to announce our most recent investment in Clazar, a company powering software businesses to sell and grow revenue through cloud marketplaces, like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
