Collide Capital Defies VC Market, Closes $95M Fund for Next-Gen Tech

BROOKLYN, NY – April 09, 2026 – In a venture capital landscape marked by capital concentration and significant hurdles for new firms, Collide Capital has announced a major success: the closing of an oversubscribed $95 million Fund II. The new fund brings the early-stage firm’s total assets under management (AUM) to over $170 million, signaling strong investor confidence in its distinct approach to backing the next generation of companies in fintech, supply chain, and the future of work.

Founded in 2021 by Brian Hollins and Aaron Samuels, Collide Capital has rapidly distinguished itself in a crowded market. While many venture firms have struggled amidst a fundraising environment described as the most challenging in a decade for emerging managers, Collide's success underscores the resonance of its unique, hands-on model that extends far beyond writing checks.

Navigating a Challenging Venture Climate

The past few years have reshaped the venture industry. A massive influx of capital into a handful of late-stage AI giants has created a "barbell" effect, leaving many early-stage and emerging firms competing for a smaller slice of the pie. Data from 2024 and 2025 showed that emerging managers were capturing a decade-low percentage of total fund value, with limited partners (LPs) becoming more selective and concentrating their capital with established players.

Against this backdrop, Collide’s achievement is particularly noteworthy. The firm’s ability to not only meet but exceed its fundraising target for a second institutional fund validates its performance and strategy. “With a portfolio of over 75 companies, including 5 exits and top quartile Total Value to Paid-In capital (TVPI) for both our exploratory Fund Zero and Fund I, Collide is proud to be one of the few emerging firms to successfully scale from a proof of concept fund to an institutional-grade firm,” said co-founder Brian Hollins. This track record provided the concrete results necessary to attract and secure institutional backing in a risk-averse climate.

More Than Capital: Building Ecosystems and Talent

At the heart of Collide's strategy is a deeply integrated approach to ecosystem and talent development. The firm’s philosophy is built on the premise that the most valuable startups thrive when connected to a rich network of talent, customers, and resources. This is most visibly demonstrated through its flagship Collide Campus initiative.

Uniquely active at top-tier universities such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford, Collide Campus is more than a simple student scout program. It functions as a multi-layered talent pipeline and training ground. An undergraduate program equips engineering students with the fundamentals of sourcing and evaluating companies, while a competitive MBA fellowship offers hands-on experience with real deal sourcing, due diligence, and direct mentorship from Collide’s investors.

In just three years, the program has graduated over 50 students and has become a powerful engine for the firm and the broader tech ecosystem. Its successes are tangible: one undergraduate team participating in the program was accepted into the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator, two MBA fellows have become full-time employees at Collide, and dozens of alumni have matriculated to prominent roles at firms like General Catalyst and BEA Venture Fund. This network has also become a significant source of new deals and co-investment opportunities for the firm.

“Not only do we invest in the ecosystems we ourselves have built, we also stay close to the institutions that trained us,” explained co-founder Aaron Samuels. “With Fund II, we’ll continue our MBA Fellowship program and expand our undergraduate scout offering, because ultimately, Collide’s mission is to usher in a new era of venture capital where resources and opportunities are directed toward the most deserving, not just the most privileged.”

A Direct Bridge to the Fortune 500

For an early-stage startup, gaining a foothold with large enterprise customers can be a monumental challenge. Collide Capital has systematically engineered a solution by providing its portfolio companies with actionable entry points to the Fortune 500. This is not a vague promise of networking but a structured platform of tangible benefits.

Portfolio founders receive direct connectivity for cloud and compute credits from tech giants including Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Anthropic. The firm facilitates direct introductions for lines of credit and financing solutions from financial institutions like Stifel, Silicon Valley Bank, and JPMorgan. Perhaps most critically, Collide provides access to the procurement and revenue teams at multiple Fortune 500 companies, helping startups navigate complex sales cycles and land transformative contracts.

This level of access is a direct result of the firm’s strategic network and the credibility of its founders. Hollins, a Kauffman Fellow, brings a decade of experience from Goldman Sachs, Lightspeed, and Slow Ventures, alongside his work founding The Takeoff Institute and BLCK VC. Samuels draws on 15 years of operating and investing experience at Blavity Inc., Bain & Company, and Lightspeed, and is the founder of AfroTech, one of the world's largest technology conferences for Black innovators.

“Fund II allows us to double down on our commitment to supporting relentless, tactical, generational founders building enterprise software, and leveraging our hard-won ecosystem-building experience to transition our portfolio companies from early-stage to growth,” Hollins stated.

With its new capital, Collide will continue to write checks ranging from $1 million to $3 million in companies from pre-seed through Series A. The firm applies a “Gen-Z buyer lens” to its future of work vertical, targeting innovations in AI and automation that resonate with the next generation of consumers and employees. Fund II has already begun its deployment, making five new investments in companies including Art Lab, Jelou, Ocho, Prefix, and Sytrex, putting its proven model to work for a new cohort of ambitious founders.