We invest up to $1M in early-stage founders exploiting unfair advantages to build category-leading companies.
We're a team of seasoned entrepreneurs offering capital, connections, and decades of experience to help founders build with confidence today and scale with purpose tomorrow.
Data First VC (approach) /noun/
With a data-first approach, we uncover outliers, mitigate risk, and enhance portfolio performance. Using Aureus’ advanced analytics, we empower visionary founders to redefine what’s possible.
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We back visionary founders from day one, providing the capital and expertise they need to turn groundbreaking ideas into transformative ventures.
We partner with startups that have achieved product-market fit, helping them scale aggressively, streamline operations, and unlock new growth opportunities.
We recognize that opportunity knows no borders. And while we primarily invest in the US, we consider all opportunities in NATO and allied nations around the world.
At Athenian Capital, we're unafraid of risk, investing between $100K and $1M to back visionary founders shaping the future of humankind.
We fund transformative AI-native applications, hardware, and infrastructure, as well as vertical and horizontal SaaS solutions. We prioritize dual-use technologies across both categories, serving commercial and defense applications for the US and her allies.
AI-Native Applications, Hardware & Infrastructure:
Our investments focus on AI-native applications and the hardware and infrastructure that support them. This includes advanced processors, edge computing devices, and platforms optimized for AI workloads. These technologies are essential for applications ranging from autonomous vehicles to smart cities, as well as defense operations like real-time surveillance and autonomous drones. By prioritizing dual-use capabilities, we ensure that our investments have both commercial viability and defense relevance, providing critical value to both sectors.
SaaS – Vertical and Horizontal:
We invest in vertical SaaS solutions tailored to specific industries such as healthcare, logistics, and finance, as well as horizontal SaaS platforms that serve a broad range of industries with tools like AI-powered CRM, collaboration, and project management systems. These investments capture the growing demand for industry-specific software while also addressing cross-industry needs. Dual-use opportunities are a key focus here as well, enabling us to back SaaS companies that serve both civilian and defense markets.
Prioritizing Dual-Use Technologies:
Across both AI and SaaS, we prioritize dual-use technologies that cater to both commercial markets and government or defense applications. These technologies enhance national security, emergency response, and infrastructure resilience while also driving innovation and growth in commercial sectors. This dual focus allows us to capitalize on both commercial scalability and government demand, ensuring a diverse and resilient portfolio across the US and her allies.
Democratizing Opportunity
Democratizing Opportunity
Founder First
Founder Focused
First Check Investors
We believe in a Founder First, Founder Focused approach because we know that founders are the heart of every transformative company. As First Check Investors, we’re committed to being there from day one, providing the early capital and support needed to turn bold ideas into impactful ventures. We’re not afraid to take risks, and we seek founders who share our drive to challenge the status quo and shape the future.
Our ability to invest between $100K and $1 million early on is powered by our proprietary language model, Aureus. This unique technology helps us de-risk investments by deeply analyzing founder potential and market opportunities. It allows us to move faster, make smarter decisions, and back visionary founders with confidence. If you’re looking for a partner who values founders first and is willing to take calculated risks, we’re ready to be your first check on the journey to success.
