01 · Invest
An early, simple check
We invest when the idea is still forming or the first customers are just arriving, on standard terms, without a pile of conditions.
Sidecountry · Venture investing by Daniel Kaufman
Backing what others ski past.
Sidecountry is where Daniel Kaufman makes his venture investments. We write early checks to founders building real things in technology, food science, robotics, 3D printing, AI, consumer products and the built world. It starts with an investment. When it works, we go further and become partners.
- Stage
- Pre-seed and seed, sometimes later
- We back
- AI, robotics, 3D printing, food science, consumer products, construction tech and more
- Who decides
- Daniel Kaufman, with no committee
- Reply
- Every pitch gets an answer within two weeks
First check. Then the climb.
Sidecountry is the terrain just past the resort boundary: close to everything, skipped by most, and where the best lines are. That's where we invest. And we don't write a check and disappear.
02 · Build together
More than money
Introductions, sites, manufacturing, capital advice and operating help from across Dan Ventures, whenever you want it.
03 · Partner
When it fits, we go all in
Our best investments became full partnerships: shared ventures, joint companies and projects we build side by side.
Started as an investment. Became a partnership.
Every company here began with a check from Dan Ventures and grew into a full partnership.
Factory-built housing
Mr. Good Container Homes
Turnkey container homes and park model duplexes, founded in 2023.
- Investment
- Partnership
Now a joint venture, DV MGCH Texas Holdings, and the RevPad brand.
See the partnershipWorkforce housing
Oldivai
Factory-built homes for the missing middle, working with employers and towns.
- Investment
- Partnership
Now a development partner on workforce housing.
See the partnershipLand development
Prophesy Capital
A land development investment firm.
- Investment
- Partnership
Now a partner on land and development deals.
Visit prophesycapital.comAdvisory
The First Chair Company
An advisory firm for builders and operators.
- Investment
- Partnership
Now a partner on Dan Ventures advisory engagements.
Visit thefirstchaircompany.comReal estate platform
Dissonant Capital
A vertically integrated real estate platform, behind Cadence Fund I.
- Investment
- Partnership
Now a partner across development and capital.
Visit dissonantcapital.comWhat we look for
Founders who build
People who ship, sell and fix things themselves, and who understand their customer better than anyone.
Overlooked markets
Problems most investors ski past: unglamorous industries, smaller cities, physical products, real-world operations.
Proof, not polish
A working prototype, a pilot or a few paying customers beats a perfect deck. Tell us what you've learned.
Capital that goes far
Businesses that can reach real milestones on early money, without needing hundreds of millions to work.
Somewhere we can help
We're most useful where manufacturing, housing, land, distribution or capital matter. Tell us where you'd use us.
Room to partner
Companies where a deeper partnership could make sense later, if both sides want it.
Where we help beyond a check
- Factory-built housing and manufacturing through our partners
- Land, sites and development through Trailhead and Fall Line
- Raising the rest of your round through Switchback
- Founder stories on the Groundwork podcast
- Introductions to customers, operators and investors we know
What we pass on
- Token sales and crypto trading
- Gambling and payday lending
- Drug development that needs years of clinical trials
- Companies that want a loan, not a partner
- Founders who aren't working on it yet
How a pitch moves
- 01
Pitch
About five minutes on the form below. A deck helps but isn't required.
- 02
Daniel reads it
Every pitch, personally. You hear back within two weeks: yes, no or not yet.
- 03
A 30-minute call
Your story, your customers and what you need. No slides required.
- 04
A closer look
A few customer calls, the product and the numbers. Usually two to four weeks.
- 05
A decision
Daniel decides. If it's yes, we agree terms and get to work.
Pitch Sidecountry
Tell us what you're building. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.
Founder questions
How much do you invest?
It depends on the company and the stage. First checks are sized to help you hit the next milestone, and we'll talk real numbers on the first call. Where it fits, we invest again as the company grows.
Do you lead rounds?
Sometimes. Often we join a round someone else is leading, and we're happy to help you find the rest of it through Switchback, our capital advisory.
Who decides?
Daniel Kaufman. There's no committee and no partner meeting to win over. If he's in, you'll know.
Do I need a warm introduction?
No. Every pitch through this page gets read. An introduction from someone we know helps us move faster, so mention it if you have one.
Will you sign an NDA?
No, and almost no investor does at this stage. Share what you're comfortable sharing. We don't pass your deck around outside the people helping us evaluate it.
What does "partnership" mean?
Some investments stay investments. When there's a real fit, we go further: co-ventures, shared projects, distribution, manufacturing, sites or capital. Every company on this page started with a check.
What if you pass?
We'll tell you, briefly and honestly. Many great companies were passed on early. Pitch us again when something meaningful changes.
Do you invest outside the US?
We focus on US companies, and we look at others case by case.
I have a real estate or housing idea, not a company yet.
Try the Idea Lab. It scores ideas in real estate, housing and building in about a minute.
Can I invest alongside you?
Sidecountry invests Daniel's own capital, and this page doesn't offer investments to anyone. If you'd like to hear about Dan Ventures real estate projects, introduce yourself on the Investors page.
Not a startup? Idea Lab scores real estate and housing ideas, Switchback helps you raise, and Partner with us is for companies that want to build with Dan Ventures.
Sidecountry is Daniel Kaufman's venture investing practice and invests his own capital. Nothing on this page is an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Submitting a pitch creates no obligation for either side, and any investment would be agreed in writing. Company descriptions summarize our relationships and may change.