Jff Ventures
About Jff Ventures
The firm was announced in October 2022 as a new impact investing arm of Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit, and it grew out of the nonprofit's earlier technology fund, ETF@JFFLabs. Other sources give 2017 or 2018 as the founding year, so the date is not settled. Yigal Kerszenbaum and Rie Raja are named as founding managing partners. Kerszenbaum previously managed impact investing at the Rockefeller Foundation. The fund is now a for-profit entity that operates independently while remaining wholly owned by JFF. Its first fund is reported at a $50 million target and made 55 investments. A second fund, also targeting $50 million, announced a $15 million first close, with Sabari Raja, founder of the edtech company Nepris, joining the fund.
The managers treat AI as both a disruption risk and a tool for workers, and they say they look for products that widen access to training and improve job performance. Pace AI, an AI agent that helps adult learners build English for technical training, is a named portfolio company. Manifest Ed, which offers AI-powered upskilling for small and medium-sized businesses, is another. The firm favors workflow tools that embed training into daily work over tools that replace staff. Public sources do not name which partners lead its AI deals.
The firm invests at pre-seed and seed, with follow-on reserves, and its geographic focus is the United States. A manager interview cites an initial check near $500,000. Startup-intelligence coverage of the second fund reports initial checks from $250,000 to $1 million, aimed at 30 to 35 pre-seed and seed companies. A third-party investor list gives a range of $250,000 to $2 million.
- Pace AI: AI agent for adult English-language learning in technical training; seed round dated May 2024 by PitchBook.
- Manifest Ed: AI-powered upskilling platform for small and medium-sized businesses; round size not public.
- prnewswire.com/news-releases/jobs-for-the-future-launches-new-venture-
- causeartist.com/jff-ventures-aligning-nonprofit-mission-with-venture-c
- impactalpha.com/jff-ventures-aligns-venture-capital-with-a-national-no
- impactalpha.com/how-jff-ventures-is-upskilling-low-wage-workers-and-en
- startupintros.com/orgs/jffventures
- pitchbook.com/profiles/fund/25417-99F
- prnewswire.com/news-releases/early-stage-workforce-venture-fund-announ
- crunchbase.com/hub/jff-ventures-portfolio-companies
Investing activity
Jff Ventures is listed on Lounge as a venture capital investor based in USA. The deals desk records Series A and later AI rounds and seeds over $10M, so smaller checks may not show here yet.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Jff Ventures
Does JFF Ventures invest in AI startups?
Yes, it has backed AI-enabled products such as Pace AI and Manifest Ed. Its broader mandate is early-stage technology that supports economic mobility for workers.
What stage does JFF Ventures invest in?
Public sources describe pre-seed and seed investments, with reserves for follow-on rounds.
How much does JFF Ventures invest in a startup?
Reported initial checks range from $250,000 to $1 million, and one manager interview cites a figure near $500,000. Sources differ, so confirm terms directly with the firm.
Who leads JFF Ventures?
Yigal Kerszenbaum and Rie Raja are named as founding managing partners. Sabari Raja has also joined the fund.
Where does JFF Ventures invest?
The firm is based in Boston and its geographic focus is the United States.
Where is Jff Ventures based?
Jff Ventures is based in USA.
How can founders reach Jff Ventures?
Founders on Lounge can see Jff 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 Jff Ventures to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.