Dent Capital

Dent Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered in Menlo Park, California, that specializes in investing in artificial intelligence-first startups. The firm provides initial investments ranging from $250,000 to $500,000. Its investment thesis targets companies in sectors described as "leapfrog verticals," "functional disruptions," and "picks & shovels," focusing on the future of living, working, playing, shopping, and banking. Dent Capital looks for startups addressing large markets and complex problems, founded by entrepreneurs with deep technical expertise.

The firm was established in 2024. The founding team consists of experienced founders, CEOs, CTOs, and AI leaders from startups valued between $100 million and $2 billion. Key figures include Founder & Managing Partner Hiro Tien, co-founder of Viralspace.ai (acquired by Smartly.io) and the MBA fund; Founding Partner Apoorva Dornadula, co-founder and CTO of Viralspace.ai; and Founding Partner Marco Alban-Hidalgo, co-founder and CTO of AtomicVest. The team's background as operators allows them to offer hands-on tactical guidance to the founders they support from day one. A 2024 SEC filing indicates a total offering amount of $50 million for its fund, Dent Capital Fund I LP.

The firm's business model is centered on leveraging its partners' operational and AI expertise to support its portfolio companies' growth. Revenue is generated through management fees from its fund and carried interest from successful investment exits. Dent Capital differentiates itself by being a collective of experts actively building AI products, which provides them with practical, current insights to guide their portfolio companies. Keywords: venture capital, AI-first startups, early-stage investment, seed funding, artificial intelligence, functional disruptions, leapfrog verticals, picks & shovels, founder-led investors, tactical guidance, Viralspace.ai, AtomicVest, startup investing, technology investment, Menlo Park VC, AI innovation, deep tech, enterprise AI, consumer AI, fintech AI, e-commerce AI, future of work, strategic investment, tech startups, AI founders