Verb Ventures launches series A marketplace focussed venture capital firm

Verb; a word used to describe an action, state or occurrence. Verb Ventures believes in backing do-ers and action takers who are focussed on bringing social change through the power of marketplaces and platforms. Verb Ventures will identify promising businesses at late seed to series A stage with scalable unit economics that are solving real world problems.

Partners Alexander Chikunov and Tom Wesseldine have combined over 25 years experience across building their own companies and working directly with founders. Alexander has over a decade of direct venture investing experience whilst Tom comes from a talent, private equity and start-up advisory background.

The pair met in 2019, Alexander had launched his maiden fund focussed on early stage marketplaces — amassing a fantastic portfolio of 6 companies — whilst Tom, who had worked with start-ups (including his own) for the past 10 years, was in the midst of launching a private equity fund of fund.

Sharing a passion for early stage businesses, they decided to join forces and buy the fund out from previous investors. Together they will continue working with their portfolio companies in what is now, Verb Fund I — already having added a further investment — and continue to build on the investment thesis with Verb Fund II, shortly to be announced.

Alongside Tom and Alex will be Alexey Bulygin who brings a wealth of direct investing within venture and family offices.

“We believe that marketplaces have the ability to unlock significant value not just to investors but to society as a whole; by definition, they have the ability to supercharge greater equality and offer economic opportunity to suppliers and customers globally.”

Verb Ventures will also be welcoming a best in class Advisory Board consisting of industry experts from the worlds of marketplaces, venture, serial entrepreneurs and leading financial institutions; to be announced shortly.