Genius Ventures

Genius Ventures is a Woodside, California-based venture capital firm focused on pre-seed and seed-stage investments in early-stage technology companies. The firm allocates capital across North America and Europe, targeting diverse sectors such as artificial intelligence, financial technology, mobility, health, and consumer applications. Operating with a traditional venture capital model, the fund typically writes pre-seed checks in the $100,000 range and has backed more than 40 companies to date. In September 2025, the organization successfully closed its first dedicated fund to continue scaling its early-stage investment operations. The firm leverages its leadership's prior experience with the Sequoia Scout Program and connections to institutions like Apple, which acquired the augmented reality company Mira, alongside specialized academic programs at USC. Genius Ventures was founded by Ben Taft following his four-year tenure as an early-stage technology investor and entrepreneur.