NextWorld Capital
NextWorld Capital is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm investing exclusively in early-stage enterprise software startups. Founded in 2009, the firm has backed 26-plus portfolio companies and is now in harvesting mode, focused on exiting existing investments rather than making new ones.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NextWorld Capital does
NextWorld Capital is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded in 2009 that invests exclusively in early-stage enterprise software startups. The firm is explicitly positioned as a non-generalist, focusing on the most disruptive innovation areas in enterprise technology and providing both financial capital and continuous non-financial support to help portfolio companies reach financial independence. Over approximately 15 years, the firm has built a portfolio of 26 or more enterprise software companies, including recognized global leaders such as Zuora, Gong.io, and Aircall, alongside earlier-stage and exited investments like GoodData, DataStax, Honeycomb.io, Stampli, Copper, and BrightRoll.
The firm is led by General Partners Ben Fu and Craig Hanson. Its business model generates revenue through venture capital returns on equity investments in enterprise software companies, with distribution occurring via direct funding rounds and ongoing portfolio engagement. The firm markets itself on an impact philosophy that seeks to pair financial returns with social and environmental outcomes, and distributes communications through its website, industry events, and annual Progress Reports (most recently the 2025 Progress Report).
NextWorld Capital has publicly stated that it is "now in harvesting mode," meaning it has shifted away from making new investments and is focused on managing and exiting its existing portfolio. Operating geographies are global in scope, though the firm itself is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with a small team of 1-10 employees. The firm is privately held, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or public listings disclosed.
NextWorld Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NextWorld Capital
- Legal name
- Nextworld
- Website
- https://nextworldcap.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NextWorld Capital is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm investing exclusively in early-stage enterprise software startups. Founded in 2009, the firm has backed 26-plus portfolio companies and is now in harvesting mode, focused on exiting existing investments rather than making new ones.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NextWorld Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where NextWorld Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NextWorld Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Returns: Returns generated from equity investments in early-stage enterprise software companies. The firm harvests successful portfolio companies that have grown into global leaders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
NextWorld Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NextWorld Capital is a venture capital firm that makes early-stage equity investments in enterprise software startups and provides continuous financial and non-financial support to help them reach financial independence and grow into global leaders. The firm is sector-specialized (enterprise technology, focused on disruptive innovation areas) and is currently operating in harvesting mode, managing and exiting existing portfolio investments.
Product overview
NextWorld Capital is a venture capital firm, not a product company. It does not offer commercial products or services. The firm focuses on investing in early-stage enterprise software startups, providing financial and non-financial support to help them grow into global leaders. The website showcases its portfolio of invested companies (including Zuora, Gong.io, Aircall, Jirav, SPIFF, routefusion, grain, Stampli, Docugami, Copper, Headspin, Casaone, Honeycomb.io, Datastax, GoodData, Datameer, Aviso, Agilone, and others), but these are portfolio companies, not products or services offered by NextWorld Capital.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Early-stage enterprise software venture investing
- Impact-oriented portfolio management
Quantifiable outcome
- Portfolio companies have grown from humble early-stage beginnings to become global leaders in their fields
Companies that use NextWorld Capital
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
NextWorld Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
NextWorld Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights1 record
NextWorld Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Battery Ventures: Multi-stage venture firm with deep specialization in enterprise software, SaaS, and infrastructure. Highly comparable to NextWorld Capital's sector-focused, enterprise-only thesis.
- Bessemer Venture Partners: One of the most established early-stage enterprise and cloud software investors, with a publicly tracked BVP Cloud Index. Directly comparable given NextWorld's enterprise SaaS focus.
- Accel: Long-standing early-stage VC with deep enterprise SaaS franchise and US/EU presence. Comparable given shared early-stage enterprise software investment mandate.
- Emergence Capital: SaaS-only early-stage venture firm based in San Francisco. Directly comparable given nearly identical enterprise-only, SaaS-specialized mandate.
- Scale Venture Partners: Enterprise SaaS-focused early to growth-stage VC. Closely aligned with NextWorld's thesis of partnering with enterprise software companies from early stage to category leadership.
- Insight Partners: Large-scale enterprise software investor spanning early to growth stages. Comparable as a major capital provider to enterprise software companies in NextWorld's portfolio profile.
Broad incumbents
- Andreessen Horowitz: Large multi-stage venture firm with significant enterprise software practice. Overlaps with NextWorld's investment universe but operates across consumer and bio as well.
- Sequoia Capital: One of the largest global venture firms with extensive enterprise software exposure. Overlaps with NextWorld's enterprise mandate but is far larger and broader across stages and geographies.
- Kleiner Perkins: Historic enterprise technology investor with longstanding SaaS franchise. Comparable overlap with NextWorld's enterprise focus but operates across stages and digital health as well.
- New Enterprise Associates (NEA): Large diversified VC with longstanding enterprise software practice. Comparable on enterprise software exposure though far broader in stage, geography, and sector coverage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NextWorld Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NextWorld Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
NextWorld Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NextWorld Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments56 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NextWorld Capital
What does NextWorld Capital do?
NextWorld Capital is a venture capital firm that makes early-stage equity investments in enterprise software startups and provides continuous financial and non-financial support to help them reach financial independence and grow into global leaders. The firm is sector-specialized (enterprise technology, focused on disruptive innovation areas) and is currently operating in harvesting mode, managing and exiting existing portfolio investments.
Is NextWorld Capital a public or private company?
NextWorld Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NextWorld Capital founded?
NextWorld Capital was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NextWorld Capital based?
NextWorld Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does NextWorld Capital make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Capital Returns.
Who are NextWorld Capital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Battery Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Accel, Emergence Capital, Scale Venture Partners and Insight Partners. Broad incumbents are Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Kleiner Perkins and New Enterprise Associates (NEA).
Does NextWorld Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for NextWorld Capital.
What industry is NextWorld Capital in?
NextWorld Capital's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6799.