1435 Capital | Garden State Innovation Fund
◆ Fund Size
$25M
◆ Check Size
◆ Location
United States
◆ Portfolio
45 companies
◆ Activity
Statusactively investing
◆ Links
◆ Share this fund
◆ Investment Thesis
Targeting seed and Series A companies across industries to keep talent, boost investment, and grow New Jersey’s innovation economy.
◆ About 1435 Capital
1435 Capital's Garden State Innovation Fund is a $25 million early-stage fund targeting seed and Series A startups based in New Jersey across various industries to fuel the state's innovation economy. The firm manages over $2.5 billion in assets with a primary focus on growth-stage investments but launched this fund to support underfunded NJ innovation and retain local talent. They emphasize companies with strong teams, clear revenue paths, and proprietary technology.
◆ Sectors
◆ Stages
◆ Geography Focus
◆ Team
| Name | Title | Role | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aliea Nallbani | Operations Associate | Associate | |
| Amar Hirani | Venture Partner | Venture Partner | in |
| Ben Jen | Managing Partner | Managing Partner | |
| Caroline Ma | Venture Analyst (Summer 2026 Intern) | Analyst | |
| Christopher Gittings | Head of Community | Head of Community | in |
| Curtis Lee | Senior Partner | Senior Partner | in |
| Ekya Dogra | Venture Analyst (Summer 2026 Intern) | Analyst | |
| Junaid Mian | Venture Partner (BioTech / LifeSci) | — | |
| Lawrence Krampf | Strategic Advisor | Strategic Advisor | in |
| Liam Ott | Venture Analyst (Summer 2026 Intern) | Analyst | in |
| Michael Reagan | Strategic Advisor | Strategic Advisor | |
| Nivas Palaniappan | Venture Analyst (Summer 2026 Intern) | Analyst | in |
◆ Notable Investments
◆ Traits
Co-invests
◆ FAQ
What does Garden State Innovation Fund invest in?
Garden State Innovation Fund invests in Generalist at the seed and series-a stages.
Which geographies does Garden State Innovation Fund focus on?
Garden State Innovation Fund focuses on United States, and is headquartered in United States.
What is Garden State Innovation Fund's typical check size?
Garden State Innovation Fund typically writes checks of $0.3M to $10M.