“Having Oceans as a lead is like having another high-functioning co-founder. The level of engagement and authentic, intimate, no-BS conversations about the business is something I don’t believe can be expected from a large multi-stage firm, for whom we would be “just another check”. It’s why we chose Oceans to lead our pre-seed, and the team has certainly not disappointed.”

“We went with Oceans because of the team and relationship. Relationships matter.  Oceans GPs are the type of people you hang onto for life.  We did actually have several other big name investors that wanted to invest, but our relationship with the team and their persistence in closing (denoting they got it and were pumped to work on this with us) were difference makers for me.  I also felt like they were trustworthy folks like I wanted to be a part of their growth story as well.  It all just made sense to me.”

“Oceans is actually helpful. They are thoughtful operators who are approachable and knowledgeable. They had a clearly structured set of materials when we joined. Oceans works as a team not as a collection of partners.”

“The early stages are nearly impossible, but also awesome. It makes me realize how terrible many key decisions and hires must be at this stage. Oceans has continually helped us avoid the common major mistakes that founders make, while still giving us the freedom to learn and grow in the ways that are necessary to build a truly great business. They are in my corner, not just from a business development standpoint, but also personal.

They do God’s work.”

“I’ve described it as ‘not warm intros, but hot intros.’  Josh has sold us hard to people who then are dying to meet.  I think the vibe is that Oceans has your back and it’s so clear that my team even senses it.”

“Oceans partners and their backgrounds uniquely position them to add significant value during the early stages. Their complementary skillset has helped us accelerate in all area of the business. Most importantly, they invest with high conviction in teams that they believe in. I have found this to be extremely beneficial as they know when to be present and when to let founders just do their thing.”

“Having Oceans as a lead is like having another high-functioning co-founder. The level of engagement and authentic, intimate, no-BS conversations about the business is something I don’t believe can be expected from a large multi-stage firm, for whom we would be “just another check”. It’s why we chose Oceans to lead our pre-seed, and the team has certainly not disappointed.”

“Personalities and dedication of the team to our success. Always available, always helpful. Chock full of personality and good advice”.

“Every partner at the Oceans team is a former operator so they can empathize with the founder.  Each partner has their area of speciality that they operated in covering the full areas of a startup….Sara – operations, Steven – sales, Glenn – recruiting, Josh – product marketing, Brian – finance.  I don’t think you can find another fund that has 5 people leading it that all have complimentary skills.  If you’re building in NYC it’s a no brainer.  The deep connections and network they have in NYC since they are all based in NY is unparalleled.”

“Choosing Oceans as your lead investor provides access to partners who’ve personally navigated the entrepreneurial journey. Their firsthand experience enables them to offer tailored, hands-on support that can drive meaningful impact from day one, in ways that larger multi-stage firms may not.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Oceans’ key differentiator? Once invested, they’re fully committed. These former founders dive deep into your business, grasp your strategic challenges, and provide targeted advice from their own entrepreneurial experiences.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​”

“Oceans truly cares about their founders, and are always available to help. They are neither overbearing, nor aloof. Exactly what I’d look for in an investor.”

“The Oceans team truly invests in people first and looks to build a helpful relationship with founders.   Good communication comes to mind as a key differentiator of the Oceans team: they communicate frequently and try to be as helpful as possible via advice,  intros, and even sanity checkins to accelerate and smoothen your journey.  Their background and network in both consumer and enterprise have also been helpful.  I highly recommend Oceans to any entrepreneur who wants a backing team that truly cares for their founders.”

“What truly sets Oceans apart is their Ocean’s Eleven approach—each team member brings their own unique superpower to the table, making them an incredibly dynamic and resourceful partner. They’re not just investors; they’re part of the team, working alongside us to achieve our vision.”

“Oceans rolls up their sleeves to help founders in any way possible. The level of proactive and personal touch makes a founder feel like a priority and you’re one getting help from many, not like you’re one of many.”

“I remember our first call with Oceans. We thought it would just be a few folks and it ended up being the entire team.  We were blown away at how down-to-earth and sincere everyone was.  Zak and I left that meeting really excited and knew we wanted to partner up with them.  Oceans has been a true partner to us from day one!  From helping us build pipeline to talking about long-term strategy, they have been a huge value add for us.  Most of all, they are all great humans and we are fortunate to have them in our corner!”

“It’s a team of former operators who genuinely want to see you succeed and will follow through.”

“The amount of involvement and dedication that you get from the partners, I would be surprised if other firms are able to dedicate the same amount of time and resources. To be honest, as a founder it’s a lonely place sometimes and to be able to have an investor that is more of a partner than anything else is refreshing.”

“Oceans started making an impact on meeting one. Their diverse set of skills is exactly what our startup needed, particularly on the tech recruiting side.

We decided to work with them for a few reasons: First of all, Steven and I clicked – he’s a true entrepreneur who has actually “been there, done that” before, so I immediately wanted to be mentored by him. Second, Josh is the exact kind of crazy product visionary that I need in my life. Third, the fact that Glenn hired so many early employees across both Eng and Sales/Marketing at Google and FB – and helped open distributed offices around the world was like a gift from the goddesses. I also love Brian’s collaborative spirit and look forward to scaling our model with him. Finally….the icing on the cake is that Oceans has Sara, a female partner! This sealed the deal for iFundWomen.

I see Oceans as an extension of my executive team. It’s a totally different model than traditional seed investors where you get a check (which is amazing) and some advice but it’s more hands off. With Oceans, it’s all hands on deck, and that’s what iFW needs right now as we hire tech talent and scale the business. There are 2 things they’ve been helpful with so far: 1) Glenn hiring a growth marketer and a head of engineering for us and 2) Brian cleaning up our financial model. I would describe them to another founder as ‘A dream come true’. ”

“High involvement, ongoing support with the skills we’re lacking, having a “phone a friend” destination at all times. Oceans is able to support us on our day to day, to an extent that no other VC who’s just a wallet can do.”