At 645, we partner with relentless founders who defy convention to change the future.
We operate as a research-driven and founder-focused venture capital firm with a concentrated portfolio. Our investment approach is deliberate — we typically make 8-10 investments annually, typically entering at the Seed or Series A as a lead or co-lead investor.
This focused strategy allows us to provide meaningful support to our companies throughout their formative stages and far into the future as companies mature. Our aim is for our founders to say that we are the most valuable investor they have in their cap table.
Our investment process combines a thoughtful approach to get to know a company with rigorous due diligence supported by thematic research to deeply understand market dynamics. We leverage our proprietary software, Voyager, to efficiently identify and select the best startups building in particular thematic areas. Our data-driven model enables us to approach opportunities with an informed perspective while identifying the most effective ways to help companies.
What truly distinguishes our firm is our unwavering focus on founders themselves. Through years of experience, we have identified four core paradigms that prioritize in the companies we back. These traits have held true across time, driving outlier success.
Our Founder Paradigms and the founders who embody them
Purity of Motivation
The first is purity of motivation. The founders we support are deeply committed to their mission and fueled by a genuine desire to solve problems they have personally experienced or been impacted by. This intrinsic connection sparks a lasting passion for change that guides their efforts over many years or even decades.
Unlike founders who chase market trends or prioritize immediate financial gain, these individuals are relentlessly focused on their domain, dedicating themselves to addressing long-term challenges with unwavering passion. Their pursuit is not just about success — they will continue their work regardless of external rewards, making them uniquely resilient when facing adversity.
We partner with these founders by helping them to recruit team members who share their motivation, while helping founders to shape their motivation into a sustainable business that can reach large scale.
Earned Secret
The second paradigm we value is that of the earned secret. Founders with earned secrets have invested years acquiring domain expertise. In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell states that it takes 10,000 hours of focused practice to become an expert in a discipline. Founders with earned secrets have experienced industry inefficiencies and developed a nuanced understanding of the most important areas for innovation. Their insights emerge from a first principles understanding of the status quo, bringing clarity to problems others overlook.
We help founders with earned secrets to test, validate and shape their insights, and then translate those insights into products and eventually organizations that address the most critical industry pain points.
Obsessed Problem Solvers
Third, we seek obsessed problem solvers. These entrepreneurs operate with the unyielding belief that better solutions exist, and they are determined to discover them. They deeply immerse themselves in understanding their customers' pain points, identifying problems, and learning the nuances of their market and competitors. Their approach is rooted in constant experimentation and learning through iteration, all while remaining thoughtful about the direction of their startup.
Being an obsessed problem solver also requires knowing when to pivot. Success hinges not just on persistence and endurance but also on the ability to make critical decisions at the right moments. We partner with obsessed problem solvers by providing guidance on the best experiments to run, input on how best to pivot if necessary, and resources to help them have the biggest impact on solving these problems.
Non-Consensus Thinking
Finally, we value founders who apply non-consensus thinking. These founders have the wisdom to recognize when a path isn't working and the courage to change course, ensuring that their relentless drive is channeled toward meaningful progress. They identify opportunities others miss by questioning established practices and reimagining solutions. By combining experimental mindsets with innovative perspectives, they reconstruct markets and create distinctive value. Their willingness to diverge from established paths, paired with the discernment to adjust course when needed, enables breakthroughs that transform industries and set them apart in their quest to make a meaningful impact.
Being a founder applying non-consensus thinking can be a lonely and challenging journey. We provide guidance and support to help these founders stay the course, while better understanding and eventually overcoming the roadblocks that will stand in their way.
These four paradigms — purity of motivation, earned secret, obsessed problem solving, and non-consensus thinking — are four important traits that we look for in founders who create meaningful change.
If you represent one or multiple of these paradigms, we’d like to speak with you. We are committed to supporting founders who bring genuine insight, deep expertise, and innovative thinking to their work. If our way of thinking resonates with you get in touch.