The 81 Collection

www.81collection.com

Investors in boring industries serving the 81% of the U.S. economy ignored by early-stage capital. They focus on early-stage companies that transform boring trades, hard work, and unpleasant spaces through technology and operational excellence.

Check Size

Not specified

Stages

Seed, Series A

Focus Areas

Logistics Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Industrials

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Investment Thesis

The 81 Collection invests in early-stage companies transforming overlooked, offline industries that represent 81% of the U.S. economy but receive less than 50% of venture capital. The firm’s founders built successful companies in ‘boring’ industries and experienced firsthand how venture capitalists dismissed these sectors as too difficult to scale. They now believe exceptional operators can modernize critical industries through technology, cash flow, and long-term thinking, creating sustainable, high-quality businesses with loyal employees and entrenched competitive advantages.

What Sets Them Apart

Founder-operators with direct experience building successful businesses in overlooked industries, having created $40 billion in value and employed 40,000 people
Proven track record: founders built companies that were initially dismissed by VC but became highly valuable with sustainable competitive advantages
Deep operator-investor network (The Collective) of founders and executives from successful companies like GrubHub, Uber, DoorDash, and Farmers Fridge
Focus on industries with real, difficult problems tied to daily customer habits rather than speculative technology trends
Emphasis on creating quality revenue, entrenched assets, and barriers to entry rather than rapid scaling