What super{set} does

super{set} is a San Francisco-based venture studio founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneurs Tom Chavez and Vivek Vaidya. The firm operates a company-creation model in which it ideates, co-founds, funds, and scales data and AI-native software businesses from inception. Rather than investing in external founders, super{set} originates the company concept, recruits the co-founder, builds the MVP, provides operational support through scaling, and retains meaningful equity. The studio operates Fund II ($90M, 2024) and runs a structured pipeline beginning with the Signal program, a three-month validation phase for aspiring founders, followed by co-founding and graduation to a formal portfolio company.

The studio's active portfolio spans 12+ companies across multiple verticals: marketing automation (Kana), sales execution (Zig.ai), data privacy and consent (Ketch), software test automation (Checksum), healthcare data (Headlamp Health, Point Health), nonprofit fintech (Mazlo), music collaboration (Boombox), HR analytics (Eskalera), and AI-powered CTV advertising (Rembrand). Three portfolio companies have been acquired to date — Habu by LiveRamp for $200M (January 2024), Spectrum Labs, and Nurdle. super{set} also maintains an open-source project (Majordomo) and runs the closed{session} podcast and annual super{summit} conference to build brand and source the next cohort of founders. Cross-portfolio companies share resources through an internal collaboration network called the Hive.

The studio's revenue model is built on equity ownership in portfolio companies rather than product sales or external SaaS revenue. Income is generated through capital appreciation realized at exit events, supplemented by fund-level management fees on committed capital. The studio is privately held by its founding and general partners — Tom Chavez, Vivek Vaidya, Jeremy Klein, and Peter Day — with institutional LP capital backing Fund II. Co-investors across portfolio rounds include Mayfield, Andreessen Horowitz, The Trade Desk, Naver Corporation, Social Good Fund, and Westbound Equity Partners, indicating institutional validation of the studio's deal flow.

Name

super{set}

Legal name

Superset Partners, Inc.

Website

https://superset.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

super{set} is a San Francisco-based venture studio that conceives, co-founds, funds, and scales data and AI-native software companies from scratch, managing a portfolio of 12+ startups and executing exits through strategic acquisitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Portfolio company equity: super{set} generates returns through equity ownership in portfolio companies they co-found and build. They conceive companies from scratch, invest capital, and provide operational support to scale businesses for eventual exit.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

super{set} is an AI-native startup studio that conceives, co-founds, funds, and scales data and AI software companies from scratch. Rather than selling a single product, it produces a portfolio of independently operating companies (e.g., Kana, Zig, Ketch, Checksum, Rembrand, Headlamp Health, Mazlo) and offers the Signal validation program for aspiring founders. Its primary deliverable is co-founded portfolio companies that exit or scale, generating returns through equity ownership.

Product overview

super{set} is an AI-native startup studio that conceives, co-founds, builds, and scales data and AI-focused software companies from scratch. Rather than offering a single unified product, super{set} operates a portfolio of distinct companies across various verticals including marketing automation (Kana), sales execution (Zig), data privacy (Ketch), software testing (Checksum), healthcare (Headlamp Health, Point Health), nonprofit finance (Mazlo), creative tools (Boombox), and virtual advertising (Rembrand). The studio provides a company-building platform through programs like Signal (validation phase) and closed{session} (podcast), along with open-source software (Majordomo). Each portfolio company operates independently with its own product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signal Three-month validation program for aspiring founders to explore problem worth-solving, develop hypotheses, and validate business ideas before being co-founded as a company by super{set}.
• Boombox Music collaboration platform enabling musicians to work together remotely. Operates as an independent super{set} portfolio company.
• Checksum AI-powered end-to-end test automation platform that enables software engineering teams to automate quality assurance continuously. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Eskalera HR and workplace analytics platform. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Headlamp Health Healthcare data platform that unifies behavioral and biological patient data for precision mental health care. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• InFlow AI-powered workflow automation platform. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Kana AI-native marketing automation platform with customizable AI agents for campaign automation and media planning. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Ketch Data privacy and compliance platform that automates consent management and data subject request orchestration. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Mazlo Financial management platform for nonprofits offering banking, accounting, and smart cards. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Point Health Healthcare technology platform. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Rembrand In-scene media and virtual product placement platform for connected TV. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Zig AI-powered sales execution platform that embeds AI agents into revenue workflows with outcome-based billing. Operates as a super{set} portfolio company.
• Majordomo Open source software project maintained by super{set}.
• closed{session} Podcast series featuring candid startup conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• First exit: Habu acquired by LiveRamp for $200M
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Portfolio Companies (Hive)coreOtherssuper{set}'s portfolio companies form a collaborative ecosystem ('the Hive') where companies share expertise, work with sister companies, and leverage cross-company knowledge. Current active portfolio includes Boombox, Checksum, Eskalera, Headlamp, Ketch, Zig, Mazlo, Point Health, Rembrand, The Ethical Tech Project, Kana, and InFlow.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pioneer Square Labs: Seattle-based venture studio that co-founds and incubates technology startups from inception. Closest direct peer given similar studio model, founder-day-one approach, and software/AI focus.
• Idealab: Pioneer of the startup studio model, founded in 1996 by Bill Gross. Operates a comparable conceive-build-scale framework with a portfolio of software companies.
• Betaworks: New York-based startup studio building and investing in internet-focused companies with a studio structure analogous to super{set}'s.
• Science Inc. Los Angeles startup studio that builds and scales consumer and enterprise software companies using a similar co-founder operator model.
• Atomic: Venture studio that co-founds companies with founders and provides operational support. Comparable studio structure with portfolio-company approach.
• Expa: Startup studio founded by Garrett Camp that creates and launches technology companies, sharing the operator-led studio model.
• Human Ventures: New York-based venture studio that builds companies alongside founders, structurally aligned with super{set}'s hands-on co-founding approach.
• Antler: Global early-stage venture firm and startup generator with a studio model that builds companies from day zero with founders.

Broad incumbents

• Boldstart Ventures: Enterprise software-focused seed VC that often provides hands-on company-building support. Adjacent operator-led model though structured as fund rather than studio.
• Mayfield Fund: Long-standing enterprise AI and seed investor that led Kana's seed out of super{set}. Comparable AI-enterprise thesis though operating as a traditional venture firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@super-set
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/superset-startup-studio
• Xx.com/supersetstudio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments28 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about super{set}