Wisdom Ventures Closes $16M Fund for Emotional Intelligence Tech

Wisdom Ventures just secured $16 million for its second fund, doubling down on a contrarian bet that emotional intelligence can deliver venture-scale returns. The San Francisco firm plans to back 35 early-stage companies building technology that prioritizes human wellbeing over pure performance metrics.

The fund represents a sharp pivot from traditional Silicon Valley investment themes. While most VCs chase productivity gains and efficiency optimization, Wisdom targets startups developing emotional intelligence tools, mindfulness platforms, and human resilience technology. Their first $10 million fund backed notable companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Function Health, and mindfulness app Opal.

General partner Cecily Mak frames this as strategic timing rather than idealistic investing. With AI rapidly reshaping human interaction, she argues technology must actively support humanity rather than replace it. The fund targets $1 million to $5 million investments in companies addressing mental, physical, and spiritual health through tech.

High-profile backers validate this thesis. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp, and Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield anchor the investor list alongside other prominent wellness-focused founders. Their participation signals growing institutional recognition that wellbeing technology represents a legitimate investment category rather than philanthropic venture capital.