DVC Closes $75M AI Fund While Replacing Analysts with AI

San Francisco-based DVC has launched DVC AI Fund I, securing $75 million to invest in Series A and B stage AI startups.

The husband-wife founding team of Marina and Nick Davidov made headlines by eliminating their entire analyst team and replacing them with proprietary AI agents.

The firm now relies on a network of 170 limited partners from tech giants like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to power deal flow and due diligence.

DVC Founders Rewriting Venture Rules

Marina Davidovs and Nick Davidovs established DVC four years ago with a radical vision to democratize access to top-tier deals.

Both are repeat entrepreneurs who immigrated from Russia to Silicon Valley.

Their solution was to flip the script by building a community-powered investment machine that favors founders over traditional VC bureaucracy.

How AI Replaced the Analyst Team?

DVC fired all five of its full-time and part-time analysts over a year ago. Instead, they built AI agents that automate sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio monitoring.

These systems compile deal memos in minutes for under 30 cents—work that previously took analysts a full day.

The firm's 170 limited partners actively source deals, mentor founders, and provide strategic connections in exchange for carried interest.

About 30-40% of the carried interest from each deal goes to the community members who contribute.

Portfolio Winners Proving the Model

DVC's seed fund has backed 120 AI startups with standout winners. Perplexity AI reached decacorn status as an AI search platform competing with Google. Etched is pioneering next-generation AI chips for inference workloads.

Thinking Machines Lab, founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, joined the portfolio recently. Higgsfield scaled from zero to $50 million in annual recurring revenue in under 12 months.

The new $75 million fund has already deployed capital into five companies, with two receiving substantial valuation markups shortly after investment.

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Executive Expansion Signals Scale

DVC brought heavyweight operators into leadership roles to support the new fund. Mel Guymon, a former Google and Yahoo executive, joined as General Partner to lead enterprise go-to-market strategies.

Charles Ferguson, creator of Microsoft FrontPage and an Oscar-winning filmmaker, will head deal origination. Alexey Rybak from Meta AI and Perplexity AI joined as VP of Product and Technical Strategy.

Notable LPs include TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington, Perplexity CTO Denis Yarats, Wrike founder Andrew Filev, and Semrush founder Oleg Shchegolev.

What does this Means for AI Founders?

DVC's AI-powered decision engine tracks over 120 real-time signals across traction, team strength, investor activity, and market sentiment.

When the system detects breakout indicators, DVC can issue $1 million+ SAFEs before formal fundraising rounds begin.

This gives founders fast capital while maintaining leverage for future rounds. The firm is currently accepting additional institutional investors, family offices, and accredited individuals for the new fund.

DVC Funding Overview

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