VC Spotlight: Geek Ventures
In New York City, capital flows like water, but conviction is scarce. That is exactly where Geek Ventures operates. Founded in 2021 by Ihar Mahaniok, an immigrant engineer who spent two decades building software and machine learning systems at startups and giants like Google and Meta, the firm was born from firsthand friction. Before Geek Ventures, Ihar placed 150+ angel bets, backing early winners such as Instacart, PandaDoc, People.ai, Airbyte, and Jeeves. These weren’t lucky swings. They were the outcome of resilience and pattern recognition, the same qualities he sees in immigrant founders fighting to break into America’s capital markets.
The leadership bench is global and battle-tested. Alexander Zemlyak, Partner, sharpened his investing lens at LETA Capital as Principal and Head of Israel, driving late-seed and Series A deals. Maksym Strukov, Associate, built diligence muscle at Diligent Capital Partners, where he worked on Preply’s Series C and advised a London family office. Sarah Romanko, Associate, is a startup operator turned community builder with more than thirty speaking credits at SXSW and Texas Venture Forum. And behind the curtain, Dmytro Rohozhynskyi, Executive Assistant and Kyiv School of Economics MBA, ensures the firm runs with precision and speed.
Geek Ventures is unapologetically early. Pre-seed and seed. Checks of $100K that don’t just buy equity, they buy belief. From idea stage to $1.5M ARR, they back immigrant founders who can “geek out” on their category, chasing TAMs of $10B+ with stamina and expertise. The process is structured, application, review, call, diligence, committee. Fast enough to meet momentum, rigorous enough to avoid noise.
The portfolio shows conviction in action. AI startups reshaping logistics, marketing, and due diligence. SaaS platforms automating food safety and fund management. Marketplaces for new construction homes. VR collaboration tools that collapse distance. Many began with a Geek Ventures check, then raised $1M+ in follow-on capital through introductions and mentorship.
What makes Geek Ventures distinct is not only what they fund but how they support. Fundraising coaching for U.S. pitch dynamics. Warm intros to angels, VCs, and corporate partners. Term-sheet advocacy grounded in Ihar’s “battle scars.” Events in New York, San Francisco, and Lisbon that fuse ecosystems. Partner discounts and a diverse LP base that extend founder runway.
Immigrant-led here means inclusive. It means resilience and passion matter more than birthplace. It means building tight-knit cohorts that grow into global networks. It means believing the next generation of global tech leaders may already be in the room, if someone writes the first check.
Geek Ventures’ portfolio companies are hiring. Engineers, product leaders, marketers, operators, the doors are open. The future is being built by immigrant innovators. Geek Ventures is writing the early chapters.
Bowlton / Bowlton Kitchens - https://wellfound.com/company/bowlton
FoodReady (food safety SaaS) - https://foodready.ai/jobs/
Follow this firm. Study their founders. Track their plays.
Let’s connect and keep the momentum going across the tech ecosystem. Whether you’re a founder shaping the future, a leader driving change, a VC backing bold ideas, or an investor spotting the next big thing, together, we’re pushing boundaries. Proud to be building the future with you.
Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Twitter (X), and keep the conversation going.
If engineering peace of mind is what you crave, Vention is your zen.