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Alpaca VC unveils two new investment vehicles, including its real estate roots

Reported by Techcrunch
Oct 2, 2023· 3 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Alpaca VC closed $78 million in commitments for its third fund, bringing total capital raised to $194 million across all funds, with deployment expected over three to four years targeting approximately 30 portfolio companies.
  • • The firm launched Alpaca Real Estate (ARE), a new private equity real estate platform that represents a return to the firm's origins as Corigin Ventures, signaling renewed focus on institutional real estate investing.
  • • Alpaca maintains a seed-stage investment strategy with average check sizes of $1 million to $2 million, providing board seats and downstream capital support alongside customer introductions and strategic partnerships.
  • • The firm has diversified its investment thesis since 2020 beyond proptech and construction tech to encompass commerce enablement, blockchain infrastructure, consumer technology, fintech, and the creator economy, while maintaining core focus on the intersection of physical and digital worlds.
  • • Founded in 2013 by Ryan Freedman, Alpaca's multi-stage approach reflects a research-driven methodology targeting foundational industries, positioning the new vehicles within a broader venture capital fundraising cycle that includes Mercury Fund, Enza Capital, and Blockchain Capital.
Summary
Alpaca VC has announced two significant new investment vehicles, securing $78 million in commitments for its third fund while simultaneously launching the Alpaca Real Estate (ARE) platform, a dedicated private equity real estate fund. The third fund closes bring Alpaca's cumulative capital raise to $194 million, with deployment projected across three to four years with an expected portfolio of approximately 30 companies. According to Aubrie Pagano, general partner at Alpaca VC, the firm maintains its core seed-stage investment thesis with average check sizes between $1 million and $2 million, emphasizing board participation and active portfolio support through downstream capital facilitation, customer introductions, and strategic partnership development.

The launch of Alpaca Real Estate represents a strategic pivot back to the firm's institutional roots as Corigin Ventures, acknowledging the firm's 2013 founding by Ryan Freedman with an initial focus on real estate-focused startups. While Alpaca expanded its investment mandate beginning in 2020 to encompass commerce enablement, blockchain infrastructure, consumer technology, fintech, and creator economy sectors, the new ARE platform signals conviction in institutional real estate investing as a distinct opportunity set worthy of dedicated capital deployment.

Alpaca's investment approach reflects a research-driven methodology targeting the intersection of physical and digital worlds, with continued emphasis on proptech and construction technology alongside diversified sector exposure. The firm's positioning within the current venture capital fundraising environment places it alongside other recent fund closures, including Mercury Fund, Enza Capital, Mythos Ventures, Connect Ventures, and Blockchain Capital, suggesting sustained institutional appetite for multi-stage venture strategies despite broader market volatility.

The timing of the dual announcement—Fund III closure and ARE platform launch—underscores Alpaca's strategic diversification of investment vehicles while maintaining disciplined capital deployment patterns characteristic of institutional-grade seed-stage investors. The firm's active board participation model and emphasis on value-add beyond capital provision align with institutional expectations for seed-stage venture partnerships navigating complex market environments.

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Sources

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Techcrunch Alpaca VC unveils two new investment vehicles, including its real estate roots