Rackhouse Venture Capital
Early-stage venture capital firm focused on AI/ML applied to real-world problems; participated in Reality Defender's $15M Series A (October 2023).
Rackhouse Venture Capital is a San Francisco-based early-stage venture firm founded in 2021 by Kevin Novak, Uber's first Head of Data Science. The firm backs founders building at the intersection of AI/ML and real-world industries, with a stated focus on GenAI, AI services, and data-enabled marketplaces — particularly companies that have found product-market fit in overlooked niches. Rackhouse closed its debut fund at $22.3 million in 2021 and a $45 million Fund II in June 2024, opening its first physical office (in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood) concurrently with the Fund II close.
Overview
- Firm
- Rackhouse Venture Capital
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA
- Founded
- 2021
- AUM
- $22.3M (Fund I, closed 2021) + $45M (Fund II, closed June 2024)
- Stages
- Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
- Thesis
- Backs early-stage founders building at the intersection of AI/ML and the real world — particularly GenAI, AI services, and data-enabled marketplaces — who have found product-market fit in overlooked niches and use data to make the world more efficient.
Portfolio companies1
Frequently asked
- What is Rackhouse Venture Capital?
- Backs early-stage founders building at the intersection of AI/ML and the real world — particularly GenAI, AI services, and data-enabled marketplaces — who have found product-market fit in overlooked niches and use data to make the world more efficient.
- How much does Rackhouse Venture Capital manage?
- Rackhouse Venture Capital manages $22.3M (Fund I, closed 2021) + $45M (Fund II, closed June 2024) in assets, and was founded in 2021.
- What stages does Rackhouse Venture Capital invest at?
- Rackhouse Venture Capital invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A.
Tags
Sources & citations4
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
The round was led by DCVC, with participation from Comcast, ex/ante, Partnership Fund for New York City, Rackhouse Venture Capital, and Nat Friedman's AI Grant
PR Newswire: Deepfake Detection Platform Reality Defender Secures $15 Million in Series A Funding Led by DCVCVerified2023-10-17 - 2
Fund I closed at $22.3 million in 2021 with a 69% graduation rate across 32 investments; Kevin Novak was Uber's first Head of Data Science; firm opened its first office (SoMa, San Francisco) in June 2024
Pulse2: Rackhouse Venture Capital: $45 Million Second Fund Closed To Invest In Early-Stage AIVerified2024-06-25 - 3
Rackhouse closed its second fund with $45 million in closed capital and commitments; firm invests in companies and founders that have achieved product-market fit in overlooked niches, with a stated focus on GenAI, AI Services, and Data-enabled Marketplaces
Businesswire: Rackhouse Venture Capital Closes Second Fund at $45 MillionVerified2024-06-25 - 4
Team roster (Novak, Baker, Crisostomo, Gorcey, Kramer et al); site footer states 'Rackhouse Venture Capital, San Francisco, USA'
Rackhouse Venture Capital: Rackhouse — About pageVerified2026-08-09