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Fifty Years

San Francisco, CA · Invests in US; North America; Europe; UK · Website

Pre-SeedSeedAI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsHealthcare & BiotechClimate & EnergySpace & DefenseRoboticsBiotech & Life SciencesClimate & Clean EnergyDeveloper Tools & InfrastructureAerospace & DefenseHealthcare & Digital HealthRobotics & Automation

Thesis

We back founders using technology to solve the world's biggest problems. We believe capitalism can be a force for good when companies are built to be both massively profitable AND create positive impact. The best entrepreneurs are determined, passionate, smart, creative, and can inspire thousands of talented people.

Likely not a fit for

We don't back founders just looking to get rich. We avoid companies with primarily negative impact. We don't invest in pure financial optimization plays.

How they invest

Lead or follow
Usually leads
Typical decision
~2 weeks
Warm intro
Not required
Involvement
Advisor
Fund status
Actively deploying
Assets under mgmt
$200M
Decision process
Partnership vote

Partners & team

6 contacts on file

EM

Ela Madej

General PartnerFounding Partner · Primary contact

+ Pitch

e•••@fi•••.vc

LinkedIn profile

X profile

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SB

Seth Bannon

General PartnerFounding Partner

+ Pitch

s•••@fi•••.vc

LinkedIn profile

X profile

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DS

D. Scott Phoenix

PartnerPartner

+ Pitch

d•••@gm•••.com

LinkedIn profile

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AT

Alex Teng

PartnerPartner

+ Pitch
DM

Drew Moxon

Platform & OpsHead of Platform and Product

+ Pitch
AB

Ale Borda

Instigator

+ Pitch

Portfolio

Upside FoodsFood Beverage

Upside Foods is a pioneer in cultivated meat, offering delicious chicken products grown directly from animal cells, aiming to provide a more humane and sustainable alternative to traditional meat production.

SolugenManufacturing Industrial

Solugen is redefining chemical manufacturing by harnessing the power of biology and chemistry to create sustainable chemical solutions for various industries, including oil and gas, renewable fuels, and agriculture.

BillionToOneHealthcare Digital

BillionToOne is a molecular diagnostics company focused on creating accessible prenatal screening and liquid biopsy tests.

Athelas

Athelas is an AI-driven platform designed to enhance healthcare operations for modern medical practices. By integrating solutions like revenue cycle management (RCM), electronic health records (EHR), and ambient AI, Athelas aims to simplify healthcare processes, reduce administrative burdens, and improve financial outcomes for providers.

AstranisAerospace Defense

Astranis builds the world's most advanced satellites for high orbits, focusing on dedicated satellite broadband and supporting government science, PNT, and communications missions.

SubstackMedia Entertainment

Substack is a new media app that connects you with the creators, ideas, and communities you care about most. It allows writers and creators to publish their work and monetize it through paid subscriptions, fostering a direct relationship between creators and their audience.

Atom ComputingSemiconductors Hardware

Atom Computing is a quantum computing company developing scalable quantum computers based on neutral atom technology. It announced a 1,225-qubit quantum computer in 2023 and collaborates with Microsoft for quantum computing advancements.

VardaBiotech Life Sciences

Varda Space Industries is industrializing low Earth orbit by processing materials in microgravity and returning them to Earth, focusing on biopharma and other industries.

WorldcoinFintech Payments

Worldcoin is a digital identity and financial network designed to provide universal proof of humanity, enabling secure access to services and financial systems for real humans, while distinguishing them from AI.

BioRenderEnterprise Software

BioRender is the world’s first tool to help scientists create and share beautiful, professional scientific figures. It provides a platform for creating custom science visuals quickly and easily, utilizing AI tools to enhance the design process.

Arpeggio BiosciencesBiotech Life Sciences

New Therapies for Lung Cancer & Beyond, targeting undruggable transcription factors.

Catalog DNABiotech Life Sciences

Catalog DNA is pioneering the use of synthetic DNA for data storage and computing, aiming to revolutionize the economics of data management by leveraging the ultra-dense and stable characteristics of DNA.

Recent activity

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Research briefRead more
Fifty Years Research Investment Thesis Fifty Years is a pre-seed and seed focused venture capital firm founded in 2016 by Ela Madej and Seth Bannon, two Y Combinator alumni and serial entrepreneurs. The firm's core mission is to back founders using technology to solve the world's biggest problems while building massively profitable businesses. The firm explicitly rejects traditional "maximize shar

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