Pure Ventures is a California based venture capital firm led by seasoned GPs and experienced operators.
In addition to investing in companies, we also invest in the people behind the company by supporting founder wellness and leadership development through our sister program, Pilea.
Learn more about our portfolio here.
About Pure Ventures
Our thesis
We believe that the health of our companies are directly proportional to the health of our founders
Our Team
Howie Diamond
Managing Director / General Partner
Pure Ventures is the third investment fund Howie has co-founded and managed (formerly, Alpha Bridge Ventures and Ranch Ventures) He brings to the table 14+ years of entrepreneurship, investment expertise, operational acumen and has been working intimately with start-ups for the last 10 years. Howie prides himself on being a progressive fund manager by finding new ways to evolve the traditional investor/founder dynamic.
Alicia Zeng
Director of Operations
Alicia contributes 10 years of strategic and operational experience with a focus on consumer brands. Her passion is for building companies from the ground up, applying deep expertise in ads and analytics, scaling teams, and building resilient global supply chains. She was the second employee at L. Fem Care, leading operations and growth for the YC-backed personal care startup. Previously, PM at Google / Mckinsey Consultant / Summa Cum Laude At Princeton.
Douglas Abrams
General Partner
Douglas brings 25 years of investing + operational and managerial expertise to the table - former VP at Credit Suisse First Boston, MD at Axiom Capital and Partner at Galliam Capital. His experience specifically working within CPG / Food and Bev, (Kevita, Core Water) delivers unique value and access into top deals within that sector. Douglas has an MBA from Columbia University and currently sits on the board of Unagi Scooters, Elements, Purity Organic, Sana Foods, and DayTrip.
Jake Chapman
Venture Partner
Jake has been involved in the VC ecosystem for over 10 years. He has been an attorney for venture firms, a two time founder, a corporate executive, the head of a corporate VC firm, founder/managing director of Gelt VC and co-founder/ co-managing director of Alpha Bridge Ventures. Jake loves working with passionate founders trying to create the future imagined by visionary optimists like Gene Roddenberry and Buckminster Fuller, among others.
Lisa Sulenes
Director of Human Experience, Pilea
Lisa has been immersed in integrative and holistic wellbeing for over 7 years. As an integrative health coach and coach matchmaker, Lisa brings a breadth of knowledge on tools, coaches and resources to support the emotional, physical and leadership growth for startup leaders. Her mission is to help founders become informed consumers of their lives through self-understanding and empowered choices.
Kari Sulenes
Head of Platform, Co-Founder, Pilea
Kari contributes 10 years of experience working with organizations and program development and has a doctorate in clinical psychology and organizational behavior. Her passion in this area stems from her doctoral work in holistic wellness and authentic leadership. She is constantly seeking opportunities to catalyze people into their most productive and authentic selves at home and at work. Kari developed the Pilea program in 2018 and has worked with hundreds of founders helping them build without burnout.
