#TechWeekBOS was good to us. With nearly 700 events across the week, Boston's tech community showed up in force. We would like to say a big thank you to our co-hosts, especially TECH WEEK by a16z and Upstarts Media. And to everyone who came out, thank you for bringing the energy! Let's keep it going.
Underscore VC
Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
Boston, MA 19,159 followers
It takes a community.
About us
Underscore VC is a Boston-based venture capital firm backing bold B2B software entrepreneurs at pre-Seed and Seed. Inspired by the principles of open source software — community, collaboration, and transparency — Underscore pioneered an “open source” investing model, sharing investment returns with a vibrant, curated, expert ecosystem — the Underscore Core Community — that sources and supports the startups Underscore backs. Learn more: https://underscore.vc/.
- Website
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http://www.underscore.vc
External link for Underscore VC
- Industry
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- Boston, MA
- Type
- Partnership
- Founded
- 2015
- Specialties
- Venture Capital and Seed Investing
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
45 School Street
2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02108, US
Employees at Underscore VC
Updates
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We came out of the gates hot for #BOSTechWeek, kicking things off with an Underscore VC Founders & Friends reception, following a jam-packed Annual Meeting. And it was all yellow 🎶 - the drinks, the flowers, and the vibes. A sincere thank you to everyone who joined us from near and far! It's a true privilege to work with each and every one of you. More to share back on Boston Tech Week to come! Like you, we're still sprinting from event to event taking it all in.
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Underscore VC reposted this
There's a new category in enterprise software: AI ROI. AI is changing the economics of software in real time. Every company is moving fast. Few can answer the questions that matter: - What are we spending? - What are we getting back? - Where should we invest more? That is why we built CloudZero into the AI ROI company. - Allocate every AI dollar. - Attribute every outcome. - Optimize what matters. Across every provider, every model, every team — in real time. Welcome to the AI ROI era. Welcome to the new CloudZero. Learn more here: cloudzero.com #AIROI #AICostIntelligence #AIAllocation #AISpend
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Underscore VC reposted this
Lily Lyman from Underscore VC on Day 3 of TECH WEEK by a16z at the Startup Culture Brunch Build intentional cultures. Be specific. Name it to tame it. And support & promote those who embody your cultures! Great discussion that followed with Tom Hammer from a16z speedrun, Emily Capodilupo from WHOOP, Steve Fredette from Toast, Jason Lavender from Electives, and Rob Gonzalez from Salsify
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Underscore VC reposted this
Just stepped off Bloomberg TV, on stage right after J. Christopher Giancarlo, former Chairman if the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, to discuss a topic that's hard to ignore: prediction markets. What the data shows: Monthly notional volume has gone from $2-3B in 2024 to $25-30B today. While volume has gone up 10x. Open interest only doubled. That gap is structural to prediction markets where capital recycles fast, positions are short-dated, and the risk profile looks nothing like traditional derivatives. Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated market, leads with $13-15B in monthly volume. When a regulated platform dominates, institutions follow. And when institutions follow, two types of data become critical: - the reference data that underpins contracts and determines how they resolve - the market data that participants rely on to trade and manage risk Both need to be independent, accurate, and held to institutional standards. Kaiko provides both: independent reference data to power CFTC-regulated prediction markets, as well as reliable data (volume, open interest, liquidity, prices) on the markets themselves. Great conversation with Tim Stenovec and Isabelle Lee at Bloomberg, thank you for having me!
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Ten years ago, Richard Dulude helped light the torch that became Underscore VC. He didn't just build a firm; he helped define what kind of firm we'd become. Human-first. Founder-obsessed. Conviction-led. The DNA he poured into this place shows up in every founder we've championed, every thesis we've sharpened, every value we've dedicated ourselves to living. Which is what makes today's news, bittersweet as it is, feel like such a natural next chapter: after a decade of backing bold startup founders, Richard is becoming one. He's stepping back into the arena to start a company of his own. There is a symmetry to this we deeply appreciate. There's never been a more exciting time to build, and we're proud to be in his corner as he does. The best part: he's not going far. Richard will continue with us as a Venture Partner, supporting portfolio companies and keeping his eye out for fellow founders built to go the distance in this age of AI. Those of us who've gotten to work alongside him know what makes Richard, Richard. The Olympic-skier competitive fire that somehow coexists with the gentlest, warmest encouragement you've ever received from a colleague. The hand-written notes that show up on your desk exactly when you need them. The flip chart seized mid-conversation to almost-poetically map out something none of us had seen yet. The Underscore yellow notebook always within reach. The brief but committed glasses era ("sometimes the meeting requires the glasses"). Richard is wildly analytical and full of heart. He named his children after telecommunications protocols and makes sure every team event ends with us laughing until our faces hurt. He's never let us lose sight of the fun, or of the fact that love is the operating system. He reminds us, as does his go-to mantra, "memento mori," that life is fleeting and the work should feel like it matters, because it does. Which is why we have no doubt that Richard will go build something worthy of his next ten years. And we'll be cheering the loudest, the way he has cheered for so many. We love you, Rich! - Your Underscore Family
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Underscore VC reposted this
Talk about an absolutely stacked Thursday of #TechWeekBOS! Underscore is hosting not one, not two, but three (!) back-to-back events. And each one earns its spot on a founder's calendar. 🥐 Kick off your morning with our Startup Culture Brunch. Come spend a few hours with early stage VCs, angel investors, and founders getting into the details on how to build a strong cultural foundation for your startups success. Chatham House rules discussion with: - Steve Fredette, cofounder, Toast - Rob Gonzalez, cofounder, Salsify - Jason Lavender, cofounder, Electives - Emily Capodilupo, SVP / Employee #1, WHOOP - Moderated by: Tom Hammer, Talent Partner, a16z speedrun 🥗 Founder Lunch with Upstarts Media. What does it take to build the next billion dollar startup in Boston, or anywhere else?Join Upstarts Media and Underscore VC for a builders-only lunch event, featuring a tactical discussion on company-building tips featuring local startup leaders: - Christopher O'Donnell, founder and CEO, Day AI - Jonathan Corbin, founder and CEO, Maven AGI - Nick LaRovere, co-founder and CEO, Pryzm - Moderated by: Alex Konrad, founder, Upstarts Media 🍻 Engineering Reception - No Hype: AI in Practice. When AI tools are changing every week, it can feel impossible to make informed decisions. Three early stage startup engineers discuss their experiences bringing order to the chaos that is engineering in the AI age. Join us - I'll throw all three links in the comments!
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With so much going on during #TechWeekBOS, it's hard to choose what to attend! Founders - let us point you towards an event that's sure to be a great return on your time. 👉 We've teamed up with Alex Konrad at Upstarts Media to host a curated founder lunch and learn. Come connect with your peers in the startup trenches, including Christopher O'Donnell, Jonathan Corbin, Nick LaRovere, and ~50 other best-in-class builders! Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e74Rwd4z?
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Underscore VC reposted this
Attention, Boston startups and builders headed to Boston Tech Week 👀 Upstarts is hosting a lunch event for founders next Thursday May 28, where you'll have a chance to hear me interview several local startup CEOs about tactical company-building tips, like how to raise a round and hire your first key leaders. Where: Downtown Boston When: May 28, 12:30pm Speakers will include: ▪️ Christopher O'Donnell, CEO of Day AI ▪️Jonathan Corbin, CEO of Maven AGI ▪️Nick LaRovere, CEO of Pryzm ▪️Alex Konrad, founder of Upstarts Media (moderator, that's me!) We'll have lunch, a Q&A and networking after, courtesy of our partners Airwallex, Vanta and venue partner Underscore VC. Free and application only, with a priority for full-time founders and startup builders! We hope to see you there 🫡 https://lnkd.in/ezBbGhVR
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Underscore VC reposted this
Most companies think they have a context moat. Most are wrong. They have data — sometimes a lot of it — but most of what they're calling a moat is one customer's instance of information that every competitor could have their own version of. That's not a moat. I've been mapping what context actually is, and what makes some kinds dramatically more defensible than others. It turns out there are distinct types, separated by three properties: who else can access it, whether it compounds with use, and what replication would cost in dollars and years. The 15-slide framework is below. Curious where you'd score your own company.