Flying Fish collects $27.8 mln for first close on debut fund

Flying Fish held a first close for its first venture fund, Flying Fish Partners I, on $27.8 million. The firm seeks to make investments of $500,000 to $5 million in software companies. Flying Fish is targeting $80 million for Fund I.

Press release

Flying Fish Partners (“Flying Fish”) today announced the first closing of its debut venture fund, Flying Fish Partners I, L.P., with $27.8 million in committed capital, more than one-third of its targeted final close of $80M. Flying Fish is a regionally focused early stage technology investor, capitalizing particularly on the rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) opportunities in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.

Flying Fish seeks to make investments of $500 thousand to $5 million in software companies headquartered in the region, with a heavy emphasis on companies that use AI or ML as foundations to their business or who provide AI and ML products and services to others. Flying Fish has already made seven investments.  

Flying Fish is founded by Geoff Harris, Heather Redman and Frank Chang, who have deep and complementary technical and investing expertise. Prior to founding the firm, Frank Chang held technical and business line leader roles at Amazon, Audible, Microsoft and Reef Technologies. Frank has extensive experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Heather Redman has held multiple executive start up roles, including at Getty Images, Indix and Atom Entertainment in roles ranging from product, business development, strategy, general counsel and operations. Geoff Harris spent his corporate career at Microsoft in engineering and executive leadership positions, including GM of speech recognition and natural language processing–a key area of machine learning. All of the partners are heavily involved in the local early stage ecosystem, and Geoff and Heather hold leadership roles in several community organizations.  

“We are focused on providing start-up capital and adding value to fast growing software companies in the Pacific Northwest. The concentration of high quality artificial intelligence and machine learning talent and opportunities in this region rivals that of any region,” said Ms. Redman. “We’re proud to be building a diverse team of investors, advisors and limited partners and a robust ability to help our companies with important aspects of their business such as building a world class technical team and finding the right exit sponsors.”  

About Flying Fish Partners
Flying Fish Partners, based in Seattle, is an early stage venture firm focused on providing capital
and value-added support to fast-growing, high potential technology companies in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. The firm invests capital, expertise and relationships in early stage startups with big ideas. Flying Fish seeks to make investments of $500 thousand to $5 million.