North Island Ventures
About North Island Ventures
North Island Ventures was founded in 2020 and is based in New York. Third-party profiles name Travis Scher, James Hutchins and Glenn Hutchins as its founders. James Hutchins is listed as co-founder and managing partner, and his earlier work includes Coatue. PitchBook counts seven professionals at the firm. Estimates of assets under management are close to $300 million, though no official figure was found.
The firm is usually described as crypto-focused, with AI sitting alongside fintech and blockchain themes. Its AI-linked deals include Venice AI, a privacy-focused AI platform, where North Island took part in a $65 million Series A in 2026 that Dragonfly led. It also joined MNX, an AI-focused decentralized futures exchange, in a $6.4 million pre-seed round in June 2026 led by Village Global. Antseed, a peer-to-peer marketplace for AI inference, appears in a tracker with a $2.4 million public token sale in October 2026. The firm's portfolio page also lists companies described as AI copilots for investors, AI forecasting systems and an AI agent adjudication platform, without naming them. No public detail was found on which partners lead the AI work.
The firm's website says it invests $500,000 to $5 million per check in early-stage companies. A 2022 description of its second fund, NIV Fund II, put initial checks between $250,000 and $3 million. That fund was reported at $125 million and targeted 30 to 40 early-stage investments. Trackers also list seed and early-stage rounds, with pre-seed and Series A appearing on one profile. The sources do not agree on check size, so the firm's own stated range is the one to rely on.
- Venice AI: privacy-focused AI platform; participated in a $65 million Series A in 2026, led by Dragonfly
- MNX: AI-focused decentralized futures exchange built on MegaETH; $6.4 million pre-seed in June 2026, led by Village Global
- Antseed: peer-to-peer marketplace for AI inference; $2.4 million public token sale listed for October 2026
- cbinsights.com/investor/north-island-ventures
- pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/179946-46
- hub.waveup.com/funds/north-island-ventures
- linkedin.com/company/north-island-ventures
- northisland.ventures/portfolio
- theblock.co/post/169738/north-island-ventures-launches-125-million-inv
- superscout.co/investor/north-island-ventures
- startupintros.com/orgs/north-island-ventures
Investing activity
North Island Ventures has made 78 investments according to Crunchbase across 64 portfolio companies, and has led 21 rounds and seen 3 exits, 1 of them by IPO.
North Island Ventures appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the AI Lounge deals desk. The rounds are mostly Pre-seed, with a median round size of $6M. The most recent is MNX (Pre-seed, $6.4M, Jun 2026).
North Island Ventures most often invests alongside Village Global and Cambrian Ventures, and the companies it backs on AI Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about North Island Ventures
Does North Island Ventures invest in AI startups?
Yes, the firm has AI-linked deals, including Venice AI, MNX and Antseed, all dated 2026 in public trackers. The firm is still mainly described as crypto-focused.
How much does North Island Ventures invest per company?
The firm's website states checks of $500,000 to $5 million for early-stage companies. A 2022 fund description cited initial checks of $250,000 to $3 million, so founders should confirm the current range.
Which funds has North Island Ventures raised?
Its second fund, NIV Fund II, was reported at $125 million in 2022. No public fund size for its first fund was found in the sources reviewed.
Who founded North Island Ventures and when?
The firm was founded in 2020 by Travis Scher, James Hutchins and Glenn Hutchins, according to third-party profiles. It is based in New York, New York.
Where can founders find North Island Ventures' portfolio?
The firm lists its portfolio on its own website at northisland.ventures/portfolio. Trackers such as DefiLlama and Crunchbase-style profiles also list its rounds.
What AI companies has North Island Ventures invested in?
North Island Ventures's AI investments include MNX. The 1 round on AI Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
Where is North Island Ventures based?
North Island Ventures is based in New York, New York, United States.
What stage does North Island Ventures invest at?
In the rounds tracked on AI Lounge, North Island Ventures has invested at Pre-seed, with a median round of $6M.
Who does North Island Ventures co-invest with?
North Island Ventures's most frequent co-investors on AI Lounge are Village Global (1 deal) and Cambrian Ventures (1 deal).
How can founders reach North Island Ventures?
Founders on AI Lounge can see North Island Ventures's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with the firm under Warm Paths, and add North Island Ventures to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.