Hummingbird Ventures Overview
Hummingbird bets on founders when it is not obvious. Founded by Barend Sears, the firm operates with no geographic or sector constraints. The portfolio reflects a contrarian approach: early backer of Deliveroo (when food delivery was considered low-margin), Kraken (when crypto was considered niche), and Lovable (AI coding, unicorn in 2025). Mario Gabriele — founder of The Generalist newsletter — joined as a partner in 2023.
Hummingbird Key People
- Barend SearsFounder
- Mario GabrielePartner & Founder of The Generalist
Hummingbird Portfolio
6 unicorns.
Hummingbird Interview Process
Relationship-driven. No formal case study or rigid sequence. Multiple conversations with different partners exploring how you think about founders, markets, and non-consensus opportunities. If you can only evaluate companies through conventional frameworks, this is not the right firm.
Hummingbird Careers
No publicly marketed positions. The team is small and hires through the network. Engage with The Generalist, reach out to partners, and build a point of view on outlier founders.