Multifaceted Capital expands venture model around school networks

Multifaceted Capital founder Smaiyl Makyshov says in a first-person account published by BusinessInsider.com that he leaves Brown University after three semesters to build a venture firm focused on community-based investing. The San Francisco-based investor says the strategy targets founders tied to elite U.S. boarding schools and top startup accelerators, reflecting a niche he viewed as underserved in venture capital. He adds that the firm raised a $225,000 pilot fund in 2023 and has since closed a second fund of $2.1 million.

Boarding school network shapes fund strategy

Makyshov says he grows up in Kazakhstan and later moves to the U.S. to attend Phillips Exeter, a boarding school known for placing students into Ivy League universities. After being admitted to Brown, he says he takes a gap year and interns at his older brother’s venture capital firm, where he becomes interested in community-focused investing. He says that experience leads him to identify the U.S. boarding school system as a founder network that has less formal venture backing than major university alumni circles.While enrolled at Brown, he says he develops the investment thesis further, researches the market, and pitches potential limited partners. He describes Brown as valuable for networking, but says he feels he is already operating at a pace that makes staying in school less compelling. He then decides to leave after three semesters to launch Multifaceted Capital.

Fundraising hurdles and portfolio growth

Makyshov says the firm starts without limited partners, family capital, or a broad investor network, forcing him to rely on cold outreach through hundreds of emails and calls. He says many early rejections focus on his age and lack of track record, a challenge he frames as common in a sector often dominated by more established investors. According to his account, an early commitment from AppLovin cofounder Andrew Karam helps validate the concept and support further fundraising.He says the pilot fund reaches $225,000 in 2023, and that a second fund later grows to $2.1 million. The firm has invested in more than 30 companies, he says, with a focus on founders from top boarding schools and accelerator programs including Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun. He argues that the community angle helps him offer introductions to investors and talent, beyond providing capital alone.

Speed-based approach in early-stage investing

Makyshov says he is now focused on refining the model, deepening coverage in communities he already knows, and exploring adjacent founder networks. He also says he is trying to invest even earlier, before startups enter well-known accelerator programs. That approach, he argues, can improve access to promising deals before competition intensifies.He describes speed as a competitive advantage for a solo general partner, saying founders often need rapid decisions when they enter programs such as Y Combinator. In his view, the ability to respond within days rather than weeks helps the firm stand out in a crowded early-stage market. The strategy also reflects a broader push within venture capital to differentiate through network access and founder services rather than capital alone.

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