Roo Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm, has expanded its senior leadership team with the appointments of Varun Sridhar and Yuriy Dovzhansky as Principals, as the firm looks to deepen its work with founders across Vertical SaaS, AI, healthcare tech, and cybersecurity.
The firm said the hires follow a year of scaling for its platform and reflect a strategy built around pairing flexible early-stage capital with operating support. Founded by Nate DaPore, Roo positions its model as more than a traditional venture check, describing a “Capital + Talent + Growth” framework that combines investment with an in-house executive search capability and a value-creation team focused on go-to-market execution.
Roo said the approach is designed to lead high-conviction rounds from pre-seed through Series A while bringing an “institutional” level of rigor typically associated with later-stage investing.
Sridhar brings nearly a decade of early-stage investing experience, most recently at RTP Global, VMG Technology, and Revel Partners, after starting his career in investment banking at Solomon Partners, where he advised technology and healthcare companies on M&A.
Dovzhansky brings experience across early-stage investing and strategy consulting, including senior investing roles at Visible Ventures, DNA Capital, and SWAT Equity Partners, and previously worked at Monitor Deloitte advising large enterprises on growth strategy and M&A.
Roo also cited portfolio momentum, noting GoTu (formerly TempMee) and its recently announced $45 million growth investment led by Long Ridge Equity Partners, with participation from institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The firm said it has also launched Discovery Fund II to lead investments from pre-seed through Series A.
KEY QUOTES
“I’ve always believed the enduring advantage in venture comes from people. Institutional trust is built by the people doing the work day in and day out with conviction. Varun and Yuriy carry this forward through their collaborative partnerships with founders, adding depth to a platform built to move companies from their first milestones to long-term endurance.”
Nate DaPore, Founding And Managing Partner, Roo Capital
“Founders today are looking for more than a check; they need a partner who understands the high-level discipline required to build a company that endures. Roo’s commitment to collaborating with founders on organizational scaling and building a best-in-class early team is exactly where I believe the most value is created in this market.”
Varun Sridhar, Principal, Roo Capital
“As AI strips away the technical barriers to company creation, human capital becomes the enduring advantage. Industry-defining companies are built on compounding talent from day one, and Roo’s investing approach combines deep conviction and analytical rigor with an integrated executive search capability that gives founders a structural edge.”
Yuriy Dovzhansky, Principal, Roo Capital
