KittyHawk
KittyHawk is a private multi-stage technology investment firm operating KittyHawk Frontier (seed and early-stage frontier-tech investing) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private markets via structured secondaries), with the flagship Nasdaq Top 20 index fund targeting institutional allocators and family offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What KittyHawk does
KittyHawk is a privately held, multi-stage technology investment firm founded in 2015 by Will Weisman at Singularity University in NASA's Ames Research Park and now headquartered in Los Angeles. The firm operates two primary strategies: KittyHawk Frontier, a seed and early-stage venture fund investing in frontier technologies (AI/Quantum, Healthcare/Bio/Longevity, Robotics/Advanced Materials, Energy, Aerospace, Web3), and KittyHawk Secondaries, a late-stage private markets platform offering structured exposure to pre-IPO companies through partnerships with Nasdaq and Nasdaq Private Market. Its flagship product, the KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20, is described as a first-of-its-kind vintage-based private market secondaries index fund designed for institutional allocators, family offices, and private wealth platforms.
The firm generates revenue through investment management fees and carried interest on its two fund strategies. Portfolio company acquisition runs through trusted-network referrals and a website intake form; institutional distribution for the secondaries product runs through direct outreach and the Nasdaq Private Market infrastructure. The team of fewer than 10 employees combines senior investment and operating backgrounds, including John Pearce (former Global Head of Platforms & Governance at BlackRock) as COO, Paul Burgon (30-year energy/climate investor, $3B in exits across ~100 companies, formerly founder/CEO of Exit Ventures) as Partner, and Nick White as AI/ML expert. In October 2025 KittyHawk acquired Exit Ventures to deepen its energy and sustainable-materials franchise, and in January 2026 led a $2 million seed round in encoord, an energy-grid planning software company.
Strategically, KittyHawk has positioned itself as a platform that supports companies 'from inception to scale to liquidity' — combining early-stage venture with structured secondaries and institutional partnerships to address the increasing duration that companies remain private. The Nasdaq co-branding and dedicated LP channel for the Top 20 index fund represent the firm's primary offensive move toward scaling institutional fee-paying AUM beyond the constraints of a small seed-stage team.
KittyHawk firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KittyHawk
- Legal name
- KittyHawk Ventures
- Website
- https://kittyhawkvc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KittyHawk is a private multi-stage technology investment firm operating KittyHawk Frontier (seed and early-stage frontier-tech investing) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private markets via structured secondaries), with the flagship Nasdaq Top 20 index fund targeting institutional allocators and family offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KittyHawk industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Investment Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory (FSAEAIAD)
Keywords
Where KittyHawk is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
KittyHawk business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Management: KittyHawk generates revenue through investment management fees and carried interest from their venture and secondary funds. The firm manages multiple investment strategies including KittyHawk Frontier (seed/early-stage) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private markets).
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
KittyHawk product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KittyHawk is a multi-stage technology investment firm operating two primary strategies: KittyHawk Frontier (seed and early-stage venture investing in frontier technologies such as AI/Quantum, Healthcare/Bio, Energy, Aerospace, Robotics, and Web3) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private market exposure through structured secondaries, including the KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20, a vintage-based private market index fund built in partnership with Nasdaq and Nasdaq Private Market).
Product overview
KittyHawk is a multi-stage technology investment platform operating two primary strategies: KittyHawk Frontier (seed and early-stage frontier technology investing) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private markets through structured secondaries). The flagship product is the KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20, a first-of-its-kind vintage-based private market index fund built in partnership with Nasdaq and Nasdaq Private Market. The platform also includes Strategic Partnerships with market leaders to enhance access and transparency in private markets. KittyHawk invests across sectors including Healthcare/Bio/Longevity, Robotics/Advanced Materials, Web3, AI/Quantum, Energy, and Aerospace.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KittyHawk Frontier Seed and early-stage venture fund focused on frontier technologies including AI & Quantum, Energy, Aerospace, Robotics & Advanced Materials, and Healthcare & Bio, for bold mission-driven founders.
- KittyHawk Secondaries Late-stage private markets fund offering pre-IPO secondary funds that leverage a deep partnership with Nasdaq Private Market to access investment opportunities in leading late-stage companies, for institutional investors and family offices.
- KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20 Vintage-based private market index fund designed to provide systematic exposure to leading late-stage private companies through index-style discipline, for institutional allocators, family offices, and sophisticated investors.
Quantifiable outcome
- KittyHawk-supported companies have achieved significant growth, with Vytalize Health growing 90,779% over 3 years and reaching #1 on Inc 5000
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use KittyHawk
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KittyHawk technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
KittyHawk partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NasdaqcoreKittyHawk partners with Nasdaq to leverage its deep expertise in index construction, governance, and market data. Nasdaq serves as an index calculation agent, bringing institutional rigor and credibility to the development of structured private market strategies. Through this partnership, the KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20 was created as a first-of-its-kind investable private-markets index fund.
- Nasdaq Private MarketcoreNasdaq Private Market is the leading institutional platform for secondary liquidity in late-stage private companies. Built to support company-approved transactions, it provides a centralized, compliant environment for private share transfers. Through the partnership, KittyHawk gains differentiated access to private market liquidity and insights, enabling participation in structured secondary transactions at scale.
- NasdaqcoreNasdaq is a global leader in market infrastructure, technology, and index innovation. As the pioneer of the world's first electronic stock market, Nasdaq has played a central role in shaping modern capital markets for over five decades. Partnership reflects shared belief that private markets are entering a new phase requiring discipline, transparency, and infrastructure long present in public markets.
- Nasdaq Private MarketcoreNasdaq Private Market is the leading institutional platform for secondary liquidity in late-stage private companies. Through the partnership, KittyHawk gains differentiated access to private market liquidity and insights, enabling participation in structured secondary transactions at scale. Together working to modernize how liquidity is provided in private markets, bridging the gap between private growth and public readiness.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KittyHawk competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hiive: Hiive operates a private secondary marketplace for vested shares and options in venture-backed companies. Comparable to KittyHawk Secondaries in providing liquidity and price discovery for late-stage private securities.
- EquityZen: EquityZen is a private investment platform that enables accredited investors to buy shares in pre-IPO companies through structured secondary transactions. It is directly comparable to KittyHawk's late-stage secondaries franchise.
- Republic: Republic is a private investment platform offering access to startup and pre-IPO investment opportunities across multiple vehicles. Comparable to KittyHawk's mission of broadening access to private markets beyond traditional institutional channels.
- Moonfare: Moonfare is a digital private equity platform offering individuals and family offices access to top-tier private market funds. Comparable to KittyHawk Secondaries in providing structured, accessible private market exposure to high-net-worth and family-office capital.
- Forge Global: Forge Global is a leading private securities marketplace for late-stage company shares. Like KittyHawk Secondaries, it facilitates secondary transactions in pre-IPO companies and targets institutional and accredited investors seeking exposure to private market value.
- OurCrowd: OurCrowd is an online venture investing platform offering curated access to early-stage and growth-stage private companies to accredited and institutional investors. Comparable to KittyHawk in combining VC fund management with broader investor access.
- SharesPost: SharesPost facilitates secondary transactions in shares of late-stage private companies for accredited investors. It is a long-standing peer in the private secondaries space that KittyHawk Secondaries competes with for deal flow and investor mind share.
Broad incumbents
- Carta: Carta is the dominant cap-table and equity management platform serving private companies, investors, and employees. It has expanded into private market liquidity and fund administration, overlapping with KittyHawk's investor and portfolio operations across both strategies.
- AngelList (now AngelList Venture): AngelList operates a fund management and rolling venture fund platform serving both GPs and LPs in early-stage venture. Comparable to KittyHawk Frontier at the infrastructure and syndication layer for emerging managers.
Others
- Nasdaq Private Market: Nasdaq Private Market is KittyHawk's core infrastructure partner and the leading institutional platform for secondary liquidity in late-stage private companies. While not a direct competitor (it is a partner and infrastructure provider), NPM's capabilities materially shape KittyHawk Secondaries' go-to-market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KittyHawk social profiles
Digital presenceKittyHawk financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KittyHawk leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
KittyHawk funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KittyHawk M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments83 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KittyHawk
What does KittyHawk do?
KittyHawk is a multi-stage technology investment firm operating two primary strategies: KittyHawk Frontier (seed and early-stage venture investing in frontier technologies such as AI/Quantum, Healthcare/Bio, Energy, Aerospace, Robotics, and Web3) and KittyHawk Secondaries (late-stage private market exposure through structured secondaries, including the KittyHawk Nasdaq Top 20, a vintage-based private market index fund built in partnership with Nasdaq and Nasdaq Private Market).
Is KittyHawk a public or private company?
KittyHawk is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KittyHawk founded?
KittyHawk was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KittyHawk based?
KittyHawk is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does KittyHawk make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Management.
Who are KittyHawk's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hiive, EquityZen, Republic, Moonfare, Forge Global, OurCrowd and SharesPost. Broad incumbents are Carta and AngelList (now AngelList Venture). Nasdaq Private Market is listed as an others.
Does KittyHawk have an API?
No public API is recorded for KittyHawk.
What industry is KittyHawk in?
KittyHawk's product category is Venture Capital and Private Equity Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAIAD, Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory. Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.