Primary Venture Partners is a New York based venture capital firm founded in 2015. The firm focuses on early-stage technology startups and has become one of the most active seed and Series A investors in New York City. Primary built its brand around deep operational support, especially in recruiting, go-to-market and customer acquisition. The firm positions itself as a hands-on partner from day one, with a strong footprint in the NYC tech ecosystem.
In 2026, Primary announced its fifth fund, raising $625 million. This marks the firm’s largest fund to date and signals continued LP confidence in its early-stage strategy. The new vehicle allows Primary to maintain its core Seed and Series A focus while increasing its ability to support breakout companies with follow-on capital.
The $625 million fund comes at a time when AI-driven software innovation is accelerating and early-stage valuations are recalibrating. Primary is positioning this fund to back founders building through this platform shift, particularly in applied AI and vertical software. With a larger capital base, the firm can write meaningful first checks and double down on its highest-performing companies as they scale into later stages. The fund reflects a long-term commitment to the New York market while keeping flexibility to invest nationally.
Leadership
Primary was co-founded by Ben Sun, Brad Svrluga and Jason Shuman. The partnership has expanded over time, including partners such as Brian Schechter. The leadership team combines operator experience with venture investing, and the firm has built internal platform teams focused on talent, customer introductions and community building across its portfolio.
Investment Strategy
Primary leads Seed and Series A rounds and typically seeks to be the first institutional investor. The firm emphasizes concentrated portfolios, strong board engagement and active operational support. It has built internal recruiting and talent functions to help portfolio companies hire key early employees. Primary also leverages its network across the NYC ecosystem to drive early revenue and partnerships for founders. The strategy is built around high conviction investing and long-term company building rather than high-volume deployment.
Notable Investments
Primary has backed a range of breakout companies including:
The portfolio reflects a mix of enterprise software, fintech and consumer-enabled businesses with strong New York roots.
Notable Exits
Primary has seen exits including Latch, which went public via SPAC, as well as multiple strategic acquisitions across its enterprise and fintech portfolio.
The firm has produced several late-stage companies that have reached unicorn status, reinforcing its position as a leading early-stage investor in New York.
Other
Primary is known for its Talent team, which supports recruiting from the earliest hires through executive builds. The firm is deeply embedded in the New York startup ecosystem and often acts as a connector between founders, later-stage capital and enterprise customers. Founders seeking a high-engagement, NYC-centric early partner often view Primary as a first call fund. The new $625 million fund gives the firm more flexibility to support companies beyond the initial check while maintaining its early-stage DNA.
United States
