Defy Partners announces the close of their $262 million oversubscribed second fund. The focus of the firm remains the same, recognizing the relative scarcity of capital around the early series A with many of the traditional firms investing more capital at later stages. The strategy of the firm is to lead investments where it commits $3-10…

Our strategy is exactly the same as when we founded the firm. We invest in compelling, authentic early stage entrepreneurs and partner closely with them to help them scale their businesses. Entrepreneurs choose to work with Defy because we help them raise the right amount of capital, build the right consortium of coinvestors, and because…

We’re proud to announce two long-time friends of the firm who have joined us as Sages: Brian Lee and Sujal Patel. We have known and worked with both over the years and are excited to work even more closely with them as we build our portfolio.

Defy, the early-stage venture investment firm founded by Neil Sequeira and Trae Vassallo, is putting a new twist on the venture partner model as it brings Brian Lee and Sujal Patel on board to help out with investing and guiding companies in the firm’s portfolio. Just don’t call them venture partners. Vassallo and Sequeira prefer…

Patel told GeekWire that he joined Defy in part to get exposure to a set of early-stage startups in the Bay Area.