Why Afore Capital: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Afore Capital Overview

Afore Capital is a pre-seed venture capital firm that primarily supports founders who are product-oriented and are building software companies at the earliest stages.

The firm’s investment sweet spot is $1M to $2M into the founder’s initial institutional funding round. They can also lead rounds together with angel investors.

One of the beliefs of Afore Capital is that before a business is born, there’s a product-oriented founder who has rough concepts. The firm was established to support those types of founders.

Afore Capital has over 16 years of product experience and seven years of experience in institutional investing.

Gaurav Jain and Anamitra Banerji founded Afore Capital in 2016, which is currently based in San Francisco, California.

Afore Capital AUM

According to Afore Capital’s official website and LinkedIn page, the firm has $300 million in assets under management.

Afore Capital Interview Process & Questions

Investment firms don’t usually stick to a rigid interview process. They often modify the process with each candidate. But if you interview at Afore Capital or other similar firms, the general mechanics stay the same.

You’ll go through a series of 4 to 6 rounds of interview. For the initial rounds, the junior investment professionals or the HR team will be the interviewers, while the more senior folks take over in the later part.

Get ready to answer a mixture of behavioral, fit, and investing-related questions. Expect the whole process to end after several weeks – unless it’s “on-campus” or “on-cycle” recruitment.

To make sure you stand out during interviews, check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide course.

Why Afore Capital

One of the questions that candidates need to answer properly is “Why this firm?”

Your answer to this question will give the interviewers an idea whether you’re really interested in joining their firm, or you’re simply looking to get a job regardless of the firm.

To avoid generic answers, it’s best to mention whoever you’ve connected with at the firm during your networking efforts. Tell the interviewer that the stories of professional growth and exciting experience you’ve heard compelled you to join their team.

It’s also a good practice to do some research about the firm. One of the best ways to do this is to listen to interviews with its founders, investors, or any key personnels.

Here’s an interview with Gaurav Jain, Afore Capital Co-Founder, to help you get started:

Afore Capital Case Study

Case studies are almost always part of interviews at investment firms like Afore Capital. Firms use case studies to check if the candidate has good communication skills and deep technical knowledge.

Most case studies revolve around two exercises: investment recommendations and financial modeling. But if you’re applying for a junior role, you may also have to do a cold calling case study.

Get ready for case study interviews with my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Afore Capital Salary & Compensation

There is no recent salary data for investment analysts and associates at Afore Capital. However, according to Salary.com, the estimated average salary of professionals working at the firm is around $111K per year. Figures will vary depending on several factors – location, experience, education, and more.

Afore Capital Careers, Jobs, & Internships

To check what roles are currently open at Afore Capital, go to our job board where we feature great opportunities for them and other investment firms.

Afore Capital Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Afore Capital has made 136 investments across three funds. Some of their notable deals include Keragon, Thoughtly, and Baselayer.

Notable Transaction: The New Club

The New Club aims to solve the problem of women in engineering who often lack the sense of professional belonging that male counterparts get to experience.

The Company wants to provide a professional network and support to women in engineering so they can find fulfillment in their career and achieve their goals faster.

Since launching, The New Club gained significant traction and attracted over 1,000 founding members including some of the renowned female figures in the industry.

In March 2024, The New Club secured a $3.1 million investment from a funding round led by Afore Capital and Sierra Ventures.

With the new capital, The New Club will keep on helping women in engineering build a strong professional network with the help of AI and proprietary data.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in joining Afore Capital’s investment team, you can find my Growth Equity Interview Guide definitely helpful.

The Growth Equity Interview Guide was created for professionals who are looking to master interview topics like valuation, case studies, and financial modeling, so they can stand out during interviews and increase their chances of getting hired for the role.

Start learning today!