Side Stage Ventures
Status
ACTIVE
Global HQ
Sydney, Australia
Countries of investment
- Australia
Investment stages
- Pre-Seed
- Seed
Industries
- Fintech
- AI
- Health Tech
- Blockchain
- Web3
About
Side Stage Ventures positions itself as “the seed fund they wish they had,” built by founders, operators, and early investors who understand the realities of building from scratch. The firm typically writes first checks at pre-seed or seed and provides highly hands-on, collaborative support across hiring, fundraising, and achieving product-market fit. Rather than optimizing for ownership or rigid processes, they emphasize flexibility and a high “helpfulness-to-cheque” ratio, working closely with founders as active partners during the earliest and most uncertain stage of company building.
Side Stage Ventures positions itself as “the seed fund they wish they had,” built by founders, operators, and early investors who understand the realities of building from scratch. The firm typically writes first checks at pre-seed or seed and provides highly hands-on, collaborative support across hiring, fundraising, and achieving product-market fit. Rather than optimizing for ownership or rigid processes, they emphasize flexibility and a high “helpfulness-to-cheque” ratio, working closely with founders as active partners during the earliest and most uncertain stage of company building.
Investment Thesis
Side Stage Ventures is a founder-led seed fund that invests at the earliest stages of company creation, backing outlier founders building globally ambitious businesses in large markets. The firm is sector-agnostic but focuses on technology and technology-enabled companies with billion-dollar potential, particularly those reshaping industries or creating new categories. Their thesis is explicitly people-first: they prioritize exceptional founders over specific sectors, investing even pre-revenue and leaning heavily into the 0→1 phase where product, team, and strategy are still forming.
Manager's Experience
With a strong track record in venture capital, the fund manager has successfully executed over 45 investments, primarily in the technology and healthcare sectors across North America and Europe. Their investment strategy blends an operator-first approach with data-driven insights, enabling them to identify and nurture high-potential startups at the early and growth stages. Notable exits include several high-profile companies that have significantly contributed to their reputation in the industry. The manager’s thematic focus on innovation and disruption positions them as a key player in the evolving market landscape.
Team
Ben Grabiner - Co-Founder & General Partner
Markus Kahlbetzer - Co-Founder & General Partner
Elli Hanson - Principal Investor
Emily Casey - Principal
Portfolio
Leonardo AI
MagicBrief
Outstaffer.com
TrueState
Atomic Tessellator
Fabra
Puralink
Elita Genetics
Sequins