Jean-François “Jeff” Clavier is not just a seasoned venture capitalist — he’s a pioneer of modern seed-stage investing. With a career spanning fintech startups, corporate venture capital, and early backing of tech unicorns, Clavier’s name is synonymous with startup success.
As the Founder and Managing Partner of Uncork Capital (formerly SoftTech VC), Clavier has led one of the most prolific early-stage portfolios in venture capital history, helping launch companies like Fitbit, SendGrid, Postmates, and Poshmark long before their IPOs or acquisitions.
The Birth of Uncork Capital
In 2004, after years in corporate venture at Reuters and tech leadership in France, Jeff Clavier saw a gap: startups in their infancy needed not just capital but hands-on support. That insight led him to launch Uncork Capital, a fund laser-focused on the first 18 months of a company’s journey.
Over the past two decades, Uncork has invested in over 280 companies, including multiple billion-dollar outcomes. Clavier’s thesis: bet on people first, and stay active through product-market fit.
Massive Exits, Massive Impact
Clavier’s portfolio includes some of the most recognized tech exits of the last two decades:
- Fitbit (IPO, NYSE: FIT)
- SendGrid (IPO, later acquired by Twilio)
- Eventbrite (IPO, NYSE: EB)
- Postmates (acquired by Uber)
- Mint (acquired by Intuit)
- DocSend (acquired by Dropbox)
- BrightRoll (acquired by Yahoo)
- Wildfire (acquired by Google)
These early wins solidified Clavier’s reputation as a world-class picker of future category leaders.
Leadership Beyond the Portfolio
- Reuters Venture Capital: Before founding Uncork, Clavier was a General Partner managing a $450 million venture fund for Reuters.
- Effix Systems: As CTO of this French fintech startup (later acquired by Reuters), Clavier began his career at the intersection of finance and technology.
- National Venture Capital Association: He also served on the NVCA board, helping shape the venture industry at large.
Recognition and Thought Leadership
- Forbes Midas List: Acknowledged as one of the world’s top tech investors.
- CB Insights Top 100 VCs: Honored for his role in shaping today’s tech ecosystem.
Medium Essay: In 2024, Clavier published “Twenty Years of Uncorking Innovation,” a powerful retrospective on venture capital’s evolution through the lens of his own journey.
