Variant

About Variant

Variant is a seed-stage crypto fund. We invest at the earliest stage and work alongside founders as they build. Since 2020, we’ve helped projects like Uniswap, Phantom, Morpho, and World become category-defining companies.

We’re known for being hands-on. Founders describe us as their “first call,” a “consistent supporter,” and “day to day” partners who “care deeply.”

From starting blockchain startups ourselves to launching one of the first seed crypto funds, we’ve lived every stage of crypto’s history. That experience taught us founders need true thought partners who understand the unique challenges of this space. We started Variant to be the investors we wished we had.

We back founders not just with capital but with world-class regulatory, legal, marketing, communications, and talent support — plus deep institutional knowledge to help them build an extraordinary team.

Role Overview

We’re hiring across all levels for our investment team. An investor at Variant is expected to demonstrate excellence across all elements of the investment process: thematic development, sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support. 

This is an in-person role based out of our SoHo office in New York. 

• Sourcing – Identify and pursue the best founders building in crypto at the earliest possible stage. Leverage personal connections, parse signals from online platforms (X, etc.), and embed yourself in emergent scenes. Develop a sharp sense for signal versus noise — proactively reach out to interesting builders in the areas we care about. Be relentless.
  
• Research and Thesis Development – Go deep into key categories to understand market dynamics and anticipate where things are heading. Build and refine investment theses — develop strong, defensible arguments and be prepared to challenge and be challenged by the team.
• Public Writing – Externalize what you’ve learned through thoughtful, persuasive writing. Establish yourself as a thought leader by publishing high-quality insights that reflect your research and perspective.
• Portfolio support –  Roll up your sleeves to work 1:1 with founders and functional leads across our portfolio, giving them every advantage possible to successfully go from 0 to 1 and beyond. Prior start up/founder experience often helps to demonstrate this capability but is not required; being technical is a huge plus. 

Ideal Attributes

• High agency and ownership — A no task too small mindset focused on taking charge, making decisions, and driving outcomes. Ability to operate independently at a high level with minimal oversight.
• Relentless work ethic — This job is not for you if you’re looking for a cushy gig. We work relentlessly to provide value to founders and will expect the same from you.
• Deep intellectual curiosity — Deeply passionate about what’s going on onchain. Natively curious to learn more. You will be expected to lean into the investment team’s categories of focus, while also making us interested in new areas.
• Sharp analytical and communication skills — Ability to develop strong arguments and communicate them clearly (both verbally and in writing). Capable of understanding both the big picture and the critical details that matter.
• Relationship / network building – You’ll embed yourself in key communities to build meaningful connections, providing value through thoughtful insights and active participation to become a trusted voice whom people seek out. In doing so, you’ll develop and maintain a strong personal network with high-value builders and operators.
• Alignment with Variant’s core values — Be crypto-native. Pursue excellence. Act with integrity. Commit to personal growth toward becoming a star. Win as a team.

Why This Job is Awesome

• You’ll work with some of the smartest people in the industry and build an incredible network. Through meeting founders, you will get an unparalleled birds-eye view of where the space is and where it’s going.
• We will invest in you. We will expect a lot from you, so you should expect a lot from us.
• You’ll develop the ability to think critically, build conviction, and persuade others.
• You’ll have the autonomy to operate at a high level and take ownership from day one.

APPLY HERE