DataTribe is a venture capital firm founded in 2016, based in Fulton, Maryland. Often described as a "reverse In-Q-Tel," the firm specializes in helping technologists from the U.S. intelligence and defense communities commercialize cutting-edge cybersecurity and data science innovations.
In June 2025, DataTribe closed Fund III, its third fund, at $41 million. This fund continues the firm’s unique co-building model, which combines early capital with operational resources to help national-security-grade technologies enter the commercial market.
Fund III is expected to support 8–12 companies, with typical investments ranging from $500K to $10 million.
Each selected company receives a combination of cash investment and roughly $1 million in services, including:
Companies are physically incubated at DataTribe’s Fulton headquarters for 12 to 18 months, allowing the firm to maintain deep operational involvement as the startups prepare for Series A funding.
Leadership
The firm is led by co-founders Mike Janke and Bob Ackerman. In January 2025, Rob Joyce, the former Director of Cybersecurity at the NSA with over 34 years of government service, joined as a Venture Partner. Joyce brings particular expertise in identity security, AI, and machine learning applied to national defense and enterprise systems.
Investment Strategy
DataTribe operates more like a startup studio than a traditional VC fund. It works closely with founding teams, often formed around technologists with U.S. intelligence or defense backgrounds, to co-build companies from the ground up.
The firm typically selects just three companies per year, provides hands-on support from day one, and embeds each team at its headquarters to accelerate early product development, customer traction, and fundraising.
Its strategy is enhanced by a “Brain Trust” of Fortune 500 CISOs, national lab experts, and agency veterans who help validate, pilot, and scale the startups’ solutions.
Notable Investments
DataTribe has backed several companies, including:
Notable Exits
The firm has seen notable exits such as:
United States
