Collide Capital Secures $95M Fund for Investing in Fintech and Future-of-Work Startups

Collide Capital Announces $95 Million Fund II Close

Collide Capital, co-founded by Brian Hollins and Aaron Samuels, has recently revealed the successful closure of their $95 million Fund II. The firm, established in 2021, specializes in supporting early-stage companies within the fintech, supply chain, and future of work sectors.

Since the inception of Collide Capital, it has provided backing to 75 companies, following the completion of its initial $66 million Fund I back in 2022. Brian Hollins mentioned that the process of raising the latest fund took approximately 13 months, with plans to allocate the funds over the next 3.5 years. Despite the challenges faced by many emerging fund managers, the Collide Capital team boasts a strong track record and impressive background, with Hollins having a decade of experience at Goldman, Lightspeed, and Slow, while Samuels has worked at Bain, Lightspeed, and co-founded AfroTech, a prominent tech conference.

Fund II has attracted limited partners (LPs) such as the University of California Endowment (UC Regents), Accolade Partners, Fairview Capital, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan. The typical investment size ranges between $1 million and $3 million, with a target of supporting at least 30 companies, already having invested in five. Notable companies in the firm’s portfolio include Culina Health and Helios.

Brian Hollins emphasized the firm’s interest in platforms that facilitate automation, real-time collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.

In addition to their focus on technology, Hollins and Samuels are enthusiastic about expanding the Collide Campus program, initiated in 2022 to mentor aspiring founders and venture capitalists. The program comprises an undergraduate initiative that educates students in VC and entrepreneurship, as well as a graduate fellowship program where students work closely with the Collide team as investors and apprentices.

The undergraduate campus program is currently active in over 20 campuses, including prestigious institutions like Harvard and Johns Hopkins. Aaron Samuels revealed that over 50 students have participated in the program, securing roles at leading firms such as General Catalysts and Collide. The program not only serves as a talent pipeline but also aids in deal sourcing for the firm. Samuels highlighted that the program was established to fill a gap they experienced during their own student years.

“We aim to connect driven individuals with venture capital opportunities to empower them in building impactful businesses,” Samuels stated.