McCoy Ventures: Powering the Future of Innovation
McCoy Ventures is a private family office, innovation lab, and philanthropic donor investing in technologies and initiatives that make the future more accessible to everyone.
What is McCoy Ventures?
- Mission: We believe opportunity should be available to the many, not just the few. We back founders building transformative companies that expand economic participation
- Type: Private family office, innovation lab, and philanthropic organization
- Investment Stage: Pre-seed and seed technology companies
- Founders: Chris McCoy (Systems architect, STORE Protocol creator) and Ciara McCoy (Community builder, small business advocate)
- Philosophy: Combining systems architecture expertise with community-focused values
Investment Philosophy and Approach
- Data-Driven Investments: Unique quantitative data analytics for investment decisions including dozens of portfolio investments
- Focus Areas: Web3, AI, decentralized systems, creator economy, energy innovation
- Investment Thesis: Technologies that distribute rather than concentrate power through mathematical governance frameworks
- Support Model: Long-term partnerships providing mentorship and strategic guidance beyond capital
Portfolio Categories
- Breakthrough Technologies: STORE Protocol, Ethereum, Lightcell energy generators
- Creator Economy: Encore, Zestworld, YourSports
- Web3 & Crypto: ZenLedger, Strix Leviathan, Zcash
- Community Projects: Rain or Shyne, local initiatives
- Decentralized Systems: Footprint Ventures, democratically governed infrastructure
Beyond Investment - McCoy Ventures Ecosystem
- Studios: Innovation lab and startup incubator for emerging technologies
- Sports Initiatives: Athletic investments and charitable programs
- Entertainment Ventures: Film production, books, and media projects
- Philanthropic Work: Human rights, economic improvement, education initiatives
- Political Engagement: Supporting democratic participation and governance innovation
Key Statistics and Impact
- Portfolio spans dozens of investments across multiple sectors
- Investments from 2006 to present, demonstrating long-term commitment
- STORE Protocol operates 450+ AI endpoints across 5 global data centers
- Focus on founders who make the future happen faster, in an equitable way
About McCoy Ventures - Founders and Philosophy
Chris McCoy - Co-Founder
- Role: Systems architect, investor, and community builder
- Key Achievement: Created STORE Protocol, addressing AI governance and democratic participation
- Background: Grew up in rural Washington on food stamps, became successful systems architect
- Notable Heritage: Second cousin twice removed from Linus Pauling (only two-time solo Nobel Prize winner)
- Philosophy: Combines scientific excellence with social conscience
- Track Record: Two-decade history of anticipating technological shifts from social platforms to blockchain to AI
- Previous Ventures: Founder of Data4America, YourSports, Footprint Ventures
- Education: University of Washington alumnus
- Leadership: Former Washington DECA State President and National DECA President
Ciara McCoy - Co-Founder
- Role: Small business advocate, program developer, community builder
- Current Position: Head of SMB Advocacy at Meta
- Key Achievement: Created Meta's Global SMB Advocacy Program
- Background: San Francisco native, former UCLA track and field athlete
- Athletic Career: Competed in cross-country and steeplechase at UCLA
- Creative Work: Executive produced documentary "They Came From All Over"
- Focus: Initiatives that strengthen social and economic connections
Our Investment Approach
- Structure: Private family office for flexible, patient capital
- Innovation Lab: Incubating breakthrough technologies and ideas
- Philanthropic Integration: Combining investments with social impact initiatives
- Core Belief: Opportunity should be available to the many, not just the few
- Method: Mathematical governance frameworks that distribute power
- Experience: Building democratically governed infrastructure at scale
Investment Philosophy
- Focus on technologies that make the future more accessible to everyone
- Back founders who distribute rather than concentrate power
- Support breakthrough technologies, creator platforms, and decentralized systems
- Invest in pre-seed and seed stages for maximum impact
- Combine systems architecture expertise with community-focused values
McCoy Ventures Portfolio - Innovative Companies We Back
Explore McCoy VC's diverse portfolio of innovative startups across fintech, health-tech, AI, and enterprise software that are redefining their industries.
Notable Investments
- STORE Protocol: Decentralized cloud platform with democratic governance, 450+ AI endpoints (Co-creator, Founder's round)
- Ethereum: Revolutionary blockchain platform enabling smart contracts (First pre-sale participant)
- Lightcell: Ultra-dense electric generators using light technology, portable 'dyson spheres' (Early seed round)
- ZenLedger: TurboTax-like platform for crypto taxes (2018 seed round)
- Encore: Financial services infrastructure for creator economy (2022 pre-seed)
- Zestworld: Patreon-like platform for comic book creators (2022 Series A)
- Strix Leviathan: Institutional crypto investment platform (2018 seed round)
- Rain or Shyne: Technology-enabled social experiences in Seattle (2021 seed round)
- YourSports: Social network for sports history (2006 founder's round, Chris McCoy founder)
- Footprint Ventures: Web3, cloud computing, and media innovation (2015 founder's round, Chris McCoy founder)
- Zcash: Privacy-focused cryptocurrency (Pre-sale round)
Investment Categories
- Web3 & Decentralized Systems: STORE, Ethereum, Zcash, Footprint
- Creator Economy: Encore, Zestworld, YourSports
- Energy Innovation: Lightcell revolutionary generators
- Financial Technology: ZenLedger, Strix Leviathan
- Social & Community: Rain or Shyne, community projects
Portfolio Impact
- Dozens of portfolio investments across multiple sectors
- Supporting founders from pre-seed to Series A
- Focus on transformative technologies that expand access
- Long-term partnerships beyond capital investment
Investment at McCoy Ventures - Apply for Funding
Hello! We're McCoy Ventures (Chris and Ciara). We invest in pre-seed and seed technology companies that help make the future happen faster, in an equitable way.
What We Look For
- Stage: Pre-seed and seed stage technology companies
- Founders: Visionaries building equitable solutions that expand access
- Technologies: Platforms that democratize resources and opportunity
- Impact: Solutions that distribute rather than concentrate power
- Sectors: Web3, AI, creator economy, energy, community platforms
Investment Criteria
- Strong founder-market fit with technical expertise
- Scalable solutions addressing real problems
- Alignment with our philosophy of expanding economic participation
- Potential for democratic governance or community ownership
- Data-driven approach to growth and impact
How to Apply
Submit your pitch at https://www.mccoy.vc/investment. Our application form helps us understand your business, invention, and idea. If we think your invention is a good fit, one of us will reach out to schedule time to learn more. All data remains confidential with McCoy Ventures, LLC.
What Happens Next
- Review of submission within 2-3 weeks
- Initial conversation if there's alignment
- Due diligence process using our data-driven approach
- Partnership terms discussion
- Long-term support beyond capital investment