Aviel Ginzburg
Aviel Ginzburg is currently a co-founder at Foundations and Founders Co-op. He has founded Foundations, a community, and Founders Co-op, a fund, both of which he remains involved with.
Aviel Ginzburg and Team Launch Foundations to Foster Seattle’s Startup Community with In-Person Support Network
Foundations, a new startup community group led by Aviel Ginzburg and others in Seattle, aims to create a supportive 'serendipity factory' for early-stage founders by fostering in-person connections among entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors. The group hosted a launch party in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood to build a vibrant local tech startup ecosystem.
'Seattle Freeze' Social Dynamic Criticized and Debated at WTIA FullConTech; Industry Leaders Call for Action in Seattle Startup Scene
Discussion about the 'Seattle Freeze' social dynamic resurfaced at the WTIA FullConTech conference, highlighting challenges for startup founders in Seattle. Industry leaders debated the issue, with some urging focus on actionable solutions over complaints.
The Power of Presence and Collaboration with Foundations Founding Partner Aviel Ginzburg
In this episode of the Shift AI Podcast, Aviel Ginzburg, founder of Seattle Foundations, joins host Boaz Ashkenazy to discuss the future of the startup ecosystems in the age of AI and remote work. Ginzburg shares his vision for reinvigorating Seattle's entrepreneurial scene through a unique blend of physical space, community engagement, and mentorship. From his early days with Techstars to the creation of Seattle Foundations, Ginzburg offers insights into the challenges faced by modern entrepreneurs and the importance of fostering serendipitous connections. If you are interested in how community-driven initiatives can shape the future of work and innovation in…
Seattle Venture Capitalists Say Founder Support, Not Local Money, Is Key Missing Piece in Startup Ecosystem
Seattle's startup ecosystem is often criticized for a lack of local venture capital firms, but experts highlight that the true opportunity lies in fostering greater founder-to-founder investment and community support to strengthen the scene. Panelists at the Seattle AI Investor Summit emphasized that being a net importer of investment capital is positive, and more connectivity among founders could boost the city's startup success.
Aviel Ginzburg Launches Seattle Foundations to Support Tech Startups with Non-Equity Accelerator in Capitol Hill
Aviel Ginzburg and a team of entrepreneurs are launching Seattle Foundations, a new invite-only entrepreneurial community and shared workspace in Seattle, aiming to support tech founders with mentorship and resources without taking equity. The initiative, set to open later this year in Capitol Hill, will offer co-working space, events, and six-month memberships focused on startup acceleration.
Author outlines how successful accelerators prioritize finding and supporting exceptional founders over ideas
The author responds to reactions to their Techstars obituary by outlining what makes an effective startup accelerator, arguing that accelerators must focus on identifying and supporting exceptional founders rather than ideas or technology. They begin a step-by-step framework emphasizing clear goals and prioritizing founder quality as the most important factor for early-stage investor success.
Techstars Shuts Down Seattle Program After Driving $80M in Funding Since 2020, Raising Concerns Over Local Startup Support
Chris DeVore reflects on the closure of Techstars Seattle (TS SEA), a top-performing program that helped founders raise over $80 million since 2020 and significantly contributed to the Pacific Northwest startup ecosystem. Despite its strong track record and community support, TS SEA was shut down due to company-wide consolidation, leaving concerns about a void in local entrepreneurial support.
Silicon Valley Bank Urges Customers to Return Deposits After Collapse, Backed by U.S. Government
Silicon Valley Bank, now backed by the U.S. government, is urging customers to return their deposits after its recent collapse, assuring them of full protections. The newly formed Silicon Valley Bridge Bank is operational, making new loans, honoring credit facilities, and seeing some customers already returning funds.
Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Prompts Full Deposit Protection but Signals Banking Challenges for Startups and Tech Industry
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse has led the U.S. government to fully protect all deposits, yet it raises significant challenges for startups and the tech industry, including more complex banking and cash management. Venture capitalists predict difficulties with venture debt financing and potential tech layoffs amid reduced venture capital investing.
What's next in the Silicon Valley Bank saga
Startups and investors cheered the U.S. government's promise this weekend to fully protect deposits after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. But the move left many unresolved questions and challenges for the U.S. financial system and the tech industry. Our guests on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast discuss their recent experiences and offer their informed opinions on what could come next. Speaking with GeekWire co-founder John Cook are: Kirby Winfield, founding general partner of Seattle venture capital firm Ascend; and Aviel Ginzburg, general partner at Seattle VC firm Founders’ Co-op. They both reflect on what happened last week, explaining how…
Founders’ Co-op celebrates 15 years, reflecting on 2008 founding and mission to fund Pacific Northwest technical founders
Founders’ Co-op marks its 15th year, reflecting on founding in 2008 and its mission to build a day-zero launchpad for technical founders in the Pacific Northwest and connect them to Series A+ capital. The partners describe learning the hard lessons of venture investing—how VC’s long, deliberate cycles and irrevocable decisions differ from startup speed and scale.
Seattle VC Aviel Ginzburg Launches Double Dinosaur Farm on 40 Acres in Oregon, Applying Startup Lessons to Farming
Aviel Ginzburg, a Seattle-based venture capitalist and general partner at Founders’ Co-op, bought a 40-acre farm in Oregon and started Double Dinosaur Farm, finding new entrepreneurial inspiration. He relates the lessons learned from farming, such as adaptability and resilience, to guiding startup founders amid economic challenges.
U.S. Venture-Backed Startups See Exit Values Plunge to Lowest in Over Five Years with IPOs at 13-Year Low in 2023
Exit opportunities for U.S. venture capital-backed startups have sharply declined in 2023, with only 831 exits totaling $49 billion in the first half of the year compared to 883 exits worth $372.2 billion in 2021. The number of IPOs hit a 13-year low due to rising interest rates and recession fears, forcing startups to reconsider their exit strategies.
GeekWire surveys Seattle-area VCs to name Pacific Northwest startups they predict will become unicorns in 2022
GeekWire surveyed more than a dozen Seattle-area venture capitalists for their picks of Pacific Northwest startups likely to reach unicorn status this year, compiling a list of candidate companies with reasons for each selection. The piece notes rising valuations nationwide and excludes VCs' own portfolio companies to reduce bias.
Founders Co-op General Partner Aviel Ginzburg Discusses NFTs, Web3, Metaverse and Startup Investing on GeekWire Podcast
GeekWire Podcast interviews Aviel Ginzburg, general partner at Seattle seed fund Founders Co-op, about pandemic-era networking, NFTs, crypto, Web3, the Metaverse, and how his firm differentiates in a crowded funding market.
NFTs, Metaverse, Web3, and new realities of startup investing, with Founders Co-op’s Aviel Ginzburg
So much of what happens in the startup world comes from serendipitous moments, random interactions that lead to fresh insights and new collaborations. And so much of that has traditionally happened at events, meetups, coffee meetings, and other in-person gatherings. Two years into the pandemic and remote work, what are the implications? That's our first topic on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, with entrepreneur, software engineer and investor Aviel Ginzburg, general partner at Seattle-based seed-stage venture fund Founders Co-op. The former Techstars Managing Director for Amazon's Alexa Accelerator, Ginzburg was co-founder of social analytics platform Simply Measured, acquired by…
U.S. VC Hits $330B in 2021; Washington State Pulls $8.5B Across 549 Deals, 9 New Seattle Unicorns
Venture capital hit record highs in the U.S. in 2021 with $330 billion across 17,054 deals, and Washington state saw $8.5 billion invested in 549 deals (a 77% increase over 2020), driven in part by newly minted unicorns in the Seattle area.
Microsoft acquires Seattle OKR startup Ally to integrate into Microsoft Viva; terms undisclosed
Microsoft has acquired Seattle-based OKR startup Ally, founded three years ago, to integrate its goal-tracking capabilities into Microsoft Viva and other products; financial terms were not disclosed.
Remitly IPO Marks End of 10-Year Journey for Seed Investor Who Led Early Round and Served on Board
Investor and VC recounts Remitly’s IPO, celebrating the Seattle fintech’s public debut after a decade since he led its Seed round and served on the board, praising the founders’ methodical approach and noting the milestone’s importance to his investing career.
Coinbase IPO Soars to $85 Billion, Nets Windfalls for Early Backers Including Version One Ventures
Coinbase’s IPO pushed its valuation to $85 billion and delivered major returns to early investors like Version One Ventures, which made a highly profitable bet years ago. The article examines how Seattle and Pacific Northwest investors view crypto and blockchain as the region seeks to grow its fintech presence amid emerging local startups and initiatives.
Founders’ Co-op’s Chris DeVore skips Auth0 seed due to competing investment, joins 2015 Series A and profits from Okta’s $6.5B acquisition
Seattle VC Chris DeVore of Founders’ Co-op missed Auth0’s 2014 seed because the firm already backed competitor Meldium, which was acquired in 2014 for $15 million; after that exit he joined Auth0’s $6.9M Series A in 2015 and saw the company acquired by Okta for $6.5B. DeVore says avoiding portfolio overlap is key and expresses gratitude to Auth0’s founders for allowing Founders’ Co-op to participate.
Founders’ Co-op closes $50M Fund V to back pre-seed and seed Pacific Northwest startups
Founders’ Co-op announced the close of its fifth fund, a $50M largest-to-date vehicle focused on pre-seed and seed investments in Pacific Northwest technical founding teams, highlighting the region's growth since 2008 and the firm's track record with over 200 portfolio companies.
Founders’ Co-op raises $50M fifth fund to back 20–25 Pacific Northwest early-stage startups
Seattle venture firm Founders’ Co-op raised a $50 million fifth fund, its largest to date, to invest in 20–25 early-stage startups across the Pacific Northwest. The larger fund reflects growing deal sizes and outside LP interest as the region sees record startup funding and more unicorns.
Madrona pauses Create33 co-working space, shifts to free virtual membership after COVID-19 forces closure
Madrona’s Create33, a Seattle founder center launched in July 2018, has closed its co-working space and is converting to a free virtual membership program after pandemic-related event cancellations and lost rental revenue; key staff including executive director Rebecca Lovell have departed.
Founders’ Co-op publishes customer experience promise to founders outlining five commitments after 200+ early-stage investments
Founders’ Co-op outlines a written customer experience promise to founders, committing to five principles—Tell the Truth, Be Fast, Give First, It’s Your Company, Be Human—based on the partners’ founder-to-VC experience and more than 200 early-stage investments.
Organizations
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Foundations Co-founder & Janitor Emeritus 2024–present · current
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Founders' Co-op Co-founder and General Partner 2018–present, Venture Partner 2015–2018 · current
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Foundations Co-founder · current
Education
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Vanderbilt University Bachelors of Science, Economics · 2003–2007
