Oliver Libby on the State of VC on CNBC’s Power Lunch
H/L Ventures’ Oliver Libby joined CNBC to break down the venture freeze—and what might finally shake it loose.
Why We Exist
The famous “hockey stick graph” looks mythical and smooth from afar, but look closely, and the true story of entrepreneurship emerges. Throughout the daily mix of ups and downs, we are there with our founders, every step of the way.
Founding Principles
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Integrity, excellence, measurable performance, and hard work underlie everything we accomplish.
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Growing great companies is all about people.
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We believe sustainable companies and diverse founding teams make for more successful investments.
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The structure and model of venture capital itself is changing.
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Companies need more than money, especially in the early stages.
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Core problems facing early stage entrepreneurs are largely the same, regardless of sector.
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Most entrepreneurs – even the most brilliant – are facing challenges for the first time. We’ve been there.
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Unicorns are great, but not every successful company needs to follow this particular narrative.
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Our involvement is designed to help increase the chances of success for our founders
Positive impact makes for stronger companies
- 100% High Impact Companies
- 84% Diverse Founding Teams H/L Studio
- 90% Diverse Founding Teams CityRock Ventures
We invest at the nexus of growth, impact and diversity.
We believe that impactful companies that solve real problems for real people yield better results. We also know that diverse founders build great companies and teams, but often lack ready access to funding and resources. For us, diversity includes underrepresented minority groups in tech, including by gender, ethnicity, economic situation, LGBTQ+, and military service, among others.
H/L Ventures is a Company Building Ecosystem
Since its founding in 2009, H/L Ventures has forged a new way to build companies. H/L Ventures’ unique approach combines Daily Active Engagement with every portfolio company and a focus on investing in growth, impact, and diversity. Today, H/L Ventures manages a family of companies and funds that together comprise a holistic company-building ecosystem.
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Pre-Series A
Learn about H/L Studio -
Series A and Later
Learn about CityRock Ventures
Our Portfolio & Our Founders
Our Portfolio
Our Founders
Press & Media
Vivvi’s CEO named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2025 finalist
Charles Bonello joins a global community of leaders recognized by EY for transforming industries and reimagining the future of business.
Sorcero Among Newsweek’s World’s Best Digital Health Companies 2024
Sorcero has received a very well-deserved ranking as a World's Best Digital Health Company by Newsweek!
For Starters
Daily Active Engagement and Platform with Galina Ozgur
Galina Ozgur, H/L Ventures’ new Managing Director, joins Oliver Libby to discuss H/L’s hands-on approach to venture capital, early alignment strategies, and purpose-driven partnerships.
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Following Smart Money
The Changing Dynamics of AI Funding & 'Following Smart Money' and the key insights from Oliver Libby; Traditional VC Funding for Emerging AI Startups, The Decline of 'Following Smart Money' and Evaluating Opportunities with Care.
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Steps to Prepare for an Exit
5 essential steps for startups preparing for an exit: identify your ideal exit, build a potential buyer list, align KPIs with buyer priorities, clean up corporate structures, and boost exit value. Watch the full episode to learn how to be ready when the opportunity arises
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Reflection on AI Investments and the AI Boom
While AI saw unprecedented investment in 2022 with $123 billion poured into tech startups, that number halved to $66 billion in 2023. What’s even more striking is that over $40 billion of that went to just five companies in the large language model space. The future of AI investments lies in balancing power with purpose—ensuring that transformative technologies are deployed thoughtfully and inclusively to benefit society at large.
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