Story Ventures
Story Ventures is a New York-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2016 by Jake and Brian Yormak, investing exclusively in data and AI companies across sensory systems, data processing, and machine intelligence through two funds totaling $30M.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Story Ventures does
Story Ventures is a New York-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2016 by brothers Jake and Brian Yormak. The firm invests exclusively in data and AI technology companies operating across three thematic tiers: Sensory Systems (companies digitizing real-world data via hardware and software), Data Processing (middleware companies organizing, aggregating, and structuring data), and Machine Intelligence (AI applications applied to proprietary data). Story Ventures backs founders building automated systems that transform legacy industries, writing initial checks as early as the seed stage.
The firm manages two closed-end investment funds: Fund I ($5M raised in 2016 from 20 investors) and Fund II ($25M raised in 2018 from multiple LPs including founders of portfolio companies such as Petal, Freightwaves, Sayspring, and Jiko). Fund II enabled larger check sizes ($500K-$1M versus $100K-$200K in Fund I), the ability to lead rounds, and board representation. As of the input data, the portfolio comprises 40+ companies across healthcare, logistics, automotive, real estate, financial services, and consumer robotics, with notable investments including NewtonX, Motorq, Particle Health, viaPhoton, Inspiren, and 10Beauty.
The firm generates revenue through traditional venture capital fund management economics, specifically management fees on committed capital and carried interest on fund profits. Deal flow is sourced through direct GP relationships, prior portfolio founder referrals, content marketing via the Story Journal blog, and the Story Scout Program launched in 2022, which extends the firm's reach through a network of entrepreneurial scouts. The legal entity is Story Ventures Management, LLC, headquartered at 54 West 21st Street in New York, with a small team of fewer than 10 people including co-founders, a CFO, and operational staff.
Story Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Story Ventures
- Legal name
- Story Ventures Management, LLC
- Website
- https://storyventures.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Story Ventures is a New York-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2016 by Jake and Brian Yormak, investing exclusively in data and AI companies across sensory systems, data processing, and machine intelligence through two funds totaling $30M.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Story Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD), Corporate Innovation & Technology Scouting Units (with investment mandate) (FSANAHAI)
Keywords
Where Story Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Story Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Fund Management: Story Ventures generates returns through management fees and carried interest from investment funds. The firm manages multiple funds including a $5M Story I fund (2016) and a $25M Story II fund (2018).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Story Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Story Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in data and AI companies through two dedicated funds (Story I at $5M and Story II at $25M). The firm backs founders building across the modern data stack—Sensory Systems (data capture via hardware/software), Data Processing (middleware and data infrastructure), and Machine Intelligence (AI applications)—typically writing checks of $500k–$1M from Fund II, leading rounds, and taking board seats. The firm also operates a Scout Program (launched 2022) that allows outside operators to invest capital on Story's behalf.
Product overview
Story Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm founded in 2016 that operates two investment funds (Story I at $5M and Story II at $25M) focused exclusively on data and AI companies. The firm invests across three layers of the modern data stack: Sensory Systems (companies capturing real-world data via hardware and software), Data Processing (middleware and data infrastructure companies), and Machine Intelligence (AI applications and creative software). Story Ventures also maintains a Scout Program launched in 2022 to work with entrepreneurs at the cutting edge of technology development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Story I Fund The initial $5 million venture fund launched in 2016, focused on early-stage investments in data and AI companies across sensory systems, data processing, and machine intelligence sectors. Typical check sizes from Fund I ranged from $100k to $200k.
- Story II Fund A $25 million venture fund raised in 2018, enabling larger check sizes ($500k–$1M), lead investments, and board seats in data technology entrepreneurs across sensory systems, data processing, and machine intelligence categories.
- Story Scout Program A scout investment program launched in 2022 that enables outside operators and angel investors to invest capital on Story Ventures' behalf, gaining access to deal flow alongside the firm's data/AI portfolio.
Companies that use Story Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Story Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Story Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Story Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Costanoa Ventures: Early-stage venture firm with a thesis-led approach to data infrastructure and B2B software. Highly comparable to Story Ventures given its focus on data stack investments, similar fund size tier, and lead-investor posture at seed/Series A.
- Boldstart Ventures: Sector-focused, founder-led seed-stage VC with deep enterprise and AI/data infrastructure specialization. Comparable in check size, lead-investor frequency, and thematic conviction around data platforms.
- Eniac Ventures: NYC-headquartered early-stage VC investing in seed and Series A rounds across enterprise software and AI/data tooling. Comparable on geography, stage, and thesis overlap with Story Ventures' data stack focus.
- Lerer Hippeau: NYC-based seed-stage VC investing across consumer, enterprise, and data-driven businesses. Comparable given shared NYC base, early-stage focus, and overlap on data/AI portfolio themes.
- Primary Venture Partners: NYC-based early-stage VC backing seed and Series A companies in commerce, enterprise software, and data infrastructure. Comparable on geography, stage, and overlap in data-platform portfolio companies.
- Zelkova Ventures: Early-stage NYC-based VC with thesis focus on data-driven and software-enabled businesses. Comparable on geography, fund-size tier, and data/AI thematic specialization at seed.
- Notation Capital: NYC-based pre-seed and seed investor with deep technical and data/AI thesis orientation. Comparable on geography, stage (often pre-seed/seed), and thematic overlap on developer and data infrastructure.
- ff Venture Capital (ffVC): Long-running NYC-based early-stage VC with a thematic, thesis-driven approach to data, AI, and frontier-tech investments. Comparable on NYC base, early-stage focus, and historical data/AI thesis investing.
Broad incumbents
- Flybridge Capital Partners: Established Boston/NYC early-stage VC with broader portfolio across enterprise, consumer, and data-driven businesses. Comparable on stage and data thesis exposure but with a wider sector mandate and larger fund size.
- Bain Capital Ventures: Multi-stage, multi-sector VC arm of Bain Capital with significant data and AI infrastructure investing. Comparable thesis overlap but materially larger AUM and broader industry coverage than Story Ventures.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Story Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceStory Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Story Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Story Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Story Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments72 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Story Ventures
What does Story Ventures do?
Story Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in data and AI companies through two dedicated funds (Story I at $5M and Story II at $25M). The firm backs founders building across the modern data stack—Sensory Systems (data capture via hardware/software), Data Processing (middleware and data infrastructure), and Machine Intelligence (AI applications)—typically writing checks of $500k–$1M from Fund II, leading rounds, and taking board seats. The firm also operates a Scout Program (launched 2022) that allows outside operators to invest capital on Story's behalf.
Is Story Ventures a public or private company?
Story Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Story Ventures founded?
Story Ventures was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Story Ventures based?
Story Ventures is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Story Ventures make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Capital Fund Management.
Who are Story Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Costanoa Ventures, Boldstart Ventures, Eniac Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Primary Venture Partners, Zelkova Ventures, Notation Capital and ff Venture Capital (ffVC). Broad incumbents are Flybridge Capital Partners and Bain Capital Ventures.
Does Story Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Story Ventures.
What industry is Story Ventures in?
Story Ventures's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B), with a secondary code of FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.