Former NEA Partner Vanessa Larco Launches Premise VC to Focus on Early-Stage Founders

New Venture Capital Firm Launched

Vanessa Larco, a former partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), co-founded Premise VC in early 2025 alongside Mercedes Bent. The firm is dedicated to backing early-stage technical founders who are building durable, high-growth software companies. This move follows Larco's nearly eight-year tenure at NEA, where she was part of the investment committee and led investments in enterprise software, developer tools, and consumer technology.

Addressing a Market Gap

Larco's decision to launch Premise VC was driven by a perceived gap in the venture capital market, particularly concerning the prioritization of early-stage founders by larger, multi-billion-dollar funds. She noted that for funds deploying significant capital, smaller checks for pre-seed and seed rounds often do not receive the same level of focus, leading to founders feeling less prioritized. Premise VC aims to make early-stage founders a top priority.

Investment Philosophy and AI Focus

Premise VC evaluates startups based on founder potential and looks for teams that utilize AI to make products faster, cheaper, or easier to use. The firm seeks to avoid investments in rigid, single-model AI wrappers, preferring more integrated and impactful applications of artificial intelligence. Larco's background includes a degree in computer science and experience as a product leader at companies like Microsoft, Twilio, and Box, as well as founding and selling an app development startup.