Investor Profile: Fifty Years — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Fifty Years is a San Francisco venture firm founded in 2015 by Seth Bannon and Ela Madej, two Y Combinator alumni, that backs founders using deep technology to solve the world's biggest problems. The firm leads pre-seed and seed rounds and specialises in turning scientists and engineers into founders, arguing that the next generation of iconic companies will transform atoms, biology, energy and health rather than merely digitising the world.

Thesis

The firm's belief is that capitalism can be a force for good, and that the most valuable companies will be those solving problems like the climate crisis, disease and malnutrition. It looks for breakthroughs that promise both massive business outcomes and meaningful impact, and it is willing to back science that looks unproven if the team and the technoeconomics are right.

Sectors and stages

Fifty Years invests at pre-seed and seed stages across climate tech, synthetic biology, health and mental health, space tech, connectivity, food tech, energy, materials, bioengineering, transportation, hardware, computation and communication. It is sector-agnostic within deep tech but shows a strong preference for companies whose technology could matter at civilisational scale.

Fund size and cheque size

The firm typically writes cheques of $100,000 to $3 million at pre-seed and seed stages. It has raised multiple funds, including a third fund, but the size of its current fund is not publicly disclosed. Its portfolio companies have gone on to raise more than $4.6 billion in follow-on capital, according to the firm's own programme pages.

Portfolio

Named portfolio companies include Solugen, manufacturing chemicals using biology; Opentrons, lab automation robots; Upside Foods, cultivated meat; Astranis, micro-geostationary satellites; Substack, the publishing platform; and Catalog DNA, DNA-based data storage. The firm says it has backed more than 130 companies from their earliest, jankiest prototypes.

Partners and programmes

Alongside founding partners Seth Bannon and Ela Madej, the firm runs 5050, a free, 12-week company-creation programme for PhDs, scientists and engineers starting startups. 5050 takes no equity and charges no fees, and its alumni number 535 scientists and engineers who have started 116 companies, with a 96% raise-success rate among alumni who fundraise.

How to apply for funding from Fifty Years

Scientists and engineers can apply to 5050 through fiftyyears.com/5050 — no deck, co-founder or polished idea is required, and the programme fits around a research job or PhD until founders gain conviction to go full-time. For direct investment, the firm lists [email protected] as its contact, and programme questions go to [email protected].