Geoff Donaker is the Founder and General Partner of Burst Capital. See sector focus and contact routes.
Geoff Donaker is the Founder and General Partner of Burst Capital, a Palo Alto venture firm he launched in 2017 after serving a decade as Yelp’s COO and helping scale it to a $1B+ IPO. His investment thesis targets early-stage technology companies in the United States, specifically focusing on Seed and Series A rounds across SaaS, marketplaces, fintech, consumer, and healthcare sectors. Burst Capital typically invests between $100,000 and $2 million per company, with the firm often acting as a lead investor by providing operational guidance alongside capital. Notable portfolio companies include Sourcegraph, Handshake, Ada, Lattice, and Newfront, all of which have achieved unicorn status under Burst’s backing. Donaker distinguishes himself by emphasizing deep operational insights, leveraging his experience scaling eBay, Excite, and Yelp to help startups navigate growth complexities. While he has made 24 angel investments personally, his public writing and distinctive point of view center on the value of operator-led venture investing rather than traditional financial analysis.
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