It's a small world

Small World Capital (SWC) is a collection of vehicles that aims to accelerate the growth of humanity by investing in startups. I believe this world is a magical place. One where we can create magic by catalyzing serendipity in the small world of people passionate about solving meaningful problems. moreI have been fortunate enough to have the support to chase problems I find meaningful. We want to extend the same support to other passionate individuals who are curious and keen enough to look at the world differently.

Is this letter worth everyone’s time? No. It’s for those who truly believe they are on a mission to contribute to what is a magical world. SWC is neither rare nor unique in the tactility of what we offer our founders or LPs. For our founders, we trust and support them with everything at our disposal. For our LPs, we find the best opportunities through our asymmetric access and strive to generate alpha. Our biases, induced by our mission and values, make us a delight for some and a pain for others.

I have been angel investing, directly and through SPVs, since 2019. I have invested alongside a16z, Craft Ventures, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, In-Q-Tel, Initialized Capital, Lachy Groom, Naval Ravikant, Peter Thiel, Ribbit, Sequoia, and more. We have included some of those investments in the list that follows.

Small World Capital resonates with me because of where I got my start in startups. I grew up in a village in India and was fortunate to land at a school that is known for its supportive alumni community built over 278 years. In our quaint little college town, there is a coffeehouse called Small World Coffee. It found a way of making it into almost every single email thread in my early days - “it’s a small world”. It encapsulates humble beginnings yet endless possibilities. It symbolizes empathy, support, and a desire to see everyone succeed.

For me, this is the beginning of a very exciting chapter. I will continue to invest the majority of my energy in trying to build things people want. We are not trying to be conventional venture capitalists even though we share similar capital objectives.

Our focus is building better by building together. We are builders supporting other builders. We tend to stick to the industries we are building in and understand. If we write a check in an area outside our wheelhouse, it’s relatively small and ‘dumb money’.

Everything we do embodies the spirit of offering support, catalyzing serendipity, and creating magic. If we end up working together, we will send you some Small World Coffee. It is special.

ARSH SHAH DILBAGI