What are the sizes of your investments?    Our average has been about $5M over the life of the company, and as high as $10M. We will invest as little as $100k into a start-up as seed capital, and as much as $5M in a later stage round.

What is your market focus?    We have diverse market interests, but prefer markets where a core technology can make a very valuable difference. Markets addressed by our present portfolio include: communications, cable television infrastructure, cancer diagnostics, life science research, medical devices, research instrumentation, specialized microprocessors, memory devices, and EDA software.

What is your technology focus?    Most of our investments make leverage of some form of core technology. These are usually from the physical sciences or life sciences arenas, but not always, as we have made select software investments. Some technologies in our companies: lasers, semiconductors, high-speed RF, magnetics/spintronics, microprocessor design, optics, fiber-optics, and genomics.

Do you lead investment rounds?    Yes, and we also follow when appropriate. In most cases, we prefer working together in syndication with other strong investors, and we have good relationships with the other top VCs in Silicon Valley. We do carefully consider the partners with whom we work, both the entrepreneurs and the other investors.

Do you make follow-on investments?    Absolutely, that is our intention when we make a first investment. We like investing at the earliest stages to help the company get on the right track, but we intend to support our companies all the way to maturity. This intention influences our very first decision to invest in a new company.

Where does the name Incubic come from?     The name comes from "incubation" and "cubism", which are, the earliest stages of building a company, and the artistic movement characterized by "multiple perspectives at once". We like both aspects of building a new business.

Are you an incubator?     No, we are a venture fund, but of course we do incubate companies periodically and we do like that phase of starting new businesses, and feel we can contribute to it.

What types of teams or businesses attract your interest?    The quality of the entrepreneurs is critical to the success of a new venture, even more so than the specific idea or invention. As answered to previous questions, we are most intrigued by talented entrepreneurs building companies where a core technology can be used for a significant advantage in a good market. The team need not be complete to attract our interest - as a matter of fact we often invest in a single talented individual and help that individual gain critical mass and build a team. Please see our "Portfolio" page for some examples of what we have been working on.

Are there any absolute requirements for an investment?    While we do not have hard and fast rules, we do find that we invest with entrepreneurs with whom we have compatible mindsets. These are teams or individuals that are open-minded to advice, that appreciate the value of the perspectives of others, and appreciate that no one can know everything.

Is location in Northern California a requirement?     More detail is required to answer this question. The short answer is "no", it is not a requirement that a start-up be close to us geographically, but it is generally very helpful when the company is young and in need of frequent interaction. More experienced teams or businesses may not need such frequent hands-on interaction.

How do we meet you?    You can call us at anytime (see "contact us"). We are happy to talk with anyone who calls us with interest in finding funding for a new business, and we make ourselves available for these interactions and always try to provide constructive feedback. Entrepreneurs should appreciate that most VCs, ourselves included, do respond well to inquiries that come with an introduction or reference from someone we respect. This could be another entrepreneur or executive with whom we have previously worked, other investors, or just about anyone that we know. But don't be afraid to call us directly. We work hard to be available to you.

How long is the Incubic review process?    We get back to inquiring entrepreneurs within a few days of a first inquiry. When mutual interest arises, it can be from a few weeks to a few months to completely approve an investment. There is an old adage, "the smaller the check, the faster the decision", meaning that a $100k decision usually takes less time than a $5M decision.

Do we need to have a completed business plan to talk to you?    No, not at all. We are happy to talk with you and provide advice at any stage of development. Our commitment to any entrepreneur that walks through our door is that we will provide as much constructive advice as possible in our interaction. In many cases these conversations have helped entrepreneurs reform their business plans greatly. Traditionally, it is very helpful to have at least a brief summary written down that we can look at. The next level is a more complete presentation of your business. Still the next level is a complete business plan. But again, please call us anytime with any questions you might have about the process (see "contact us").