One Way Ventures Secures $57.5M Fund to Back Immigrant Founders
One Way Ventures, a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting immigrant entrepreneurs, has successfully closed its second fund at $57.5 million. This milestone follows the firm’s debut fund of $28 million in 2018, marking significant growth in its investment capacity.
Expanding Investment Capabilities
With the new fund, One Way Ventures will increase its typical check size from \(500,000 to \)1 million, enabling the firm to lead institutional seed rounds more aggressively. Founding partner Semyon Dukach notes that this expansion aligns with the booming seed-stage investment landscape, where firms must scale to remain competitive.
Why Immigrant Founders?
One Way Ventures stands out as one of the few VC firms explicitly focused on immigrant founders. Its unique value proposition includes:
- Community Building: Creating a network of immigrant entrepreneurs who share the experience of adapting to new cultures.
- Cultural Understanding: Offering founders a “shared language” of navigating unfamiliar environments.
- Competitive Edge: Leveraging this focus to secure access to high-potential deals.
While the pandemic has limited in-person interactions, the firm is innovating with virtual HQs and events to maintain connectivity among its portfolio companies.
Portfolio Highlights
One Way’s investments span high-growth sectors like fintech, edtech, and machine learning, with notable portfolio companies including:
Of its 48 portfolio companies, only two lack an immigrant co-founder, underscoring the firm’s commitment to its mission.
Navigating Political and Economic Challenges
The Trump administration’s immigration policies posed mild challenges, prompting One Way to strategically add Montreal-based venture partner Philippe Kalaf to hedge against regulatory risks. Despite fundraising during a turbulent election year and pandemic, the firm doubled its initial target, reflecting strong investor confidence.
“We had a couple LPs hold off until after the election,” Dukach shared. “They were more comfortable investing once Biden won.”
Team Growth and Diversity Initiatives
One Way is scaling its team alongside its capital, recently adding Eugene Malobrodsky, co-founder of a consumer privacy startup, as a partner in its new San Francisco office. However, the firm acknowledges gaps in diversity among its decision-makers—all current partners are men. Plans are underway to onboard Nadia Asoyan, a former Robinhood executive, as a venture partner, and the team includes platform associate Annie Patyk.
Portfolio Diversity Metrics
- 10 female-founded/co-founded companies (out of 50)
- 19 companies with minority co-founders
- 7 companies with Black or Latinx founders
The “One Way” Founder Profile
Dukach emphasizes that the firm seeks founders who embody resilience and adaptability:
“Someone who emerges through uncertainty—without language, culture, or network—demonstrates the grit to disrupt industries and achieve outsized success.”
This philosophy continues to guide One Way Ventures as it amplifies its impact on immigrant entrepreneurship and innovation.
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