New VC Fund Targets Space & Deep Tech "Valley of Death"

Whipsmart Ventures, a new venture capital fund, has been launched by a team of experienced professionals to support space and deep tech companies. The fund is co-founded by Mark Matossian, who has a background in leading space technology companies; Lylan Masterman, a software developer and venture capitalist; and Judy Robinette, a corporate leader, venture capitalist, and author.

The primary objective of Whipsmart Ventures is to invest in and support companies that are navigating the crucial phase between demonstrating their technology in a lab and achieving commercial scale. This period, often termed the "Valley of Death," is frequently underserved by existing funding structures. Matossian highlighted that while early-stage and later-stage funding exist, the mid-stage Series A funding is often insufficient.

This new fund intends to make significant investments, often taking board seats and a larger ownership percentage, to be closely involved in the companies' growth. Whipsmart is looking to invest in seven specific disruptive technology areas, as well as other exceptional space and deep tech ventures, aiming to help them transition effectively toward market scale and manage resources prudently, especially during economic downturns in the space investment cycle.