Cayuga Venture Fund is an Ithaca, New York-based venture capital firm founded in 1994 to support early-stage technology ventures. The firm has raised eight funds, including a fifth fund that closed at $38.26 million in 2018 and set sights on a $100 million commitment for its sixth vehicle. Led by managing partners Albert J. Edwards, Philip Proujansky, and Zachary Shulman, CVF cultivates companies emerging from Cornell Tech’s Jacobs Technion–Cornell Institute and other regional innovators. To date, the firm has backed 93 ventures and realized exits with Cheribundi, SocialFlow, GiveGab and others, leveraging local insight to guide national-scale growth.
Cayuga Venture Fund focuses on pre-seed through expansion stages, seeking technology-driven companies that address specific market gaps. While it maintains an open industry view, the firm favors enterprises with strong growth prospects in fintech platforms, blockchain and crypto services, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things solutions. CVF commits capital and operational resources to ventures situated in undercapitalized regions such as upstate New York, balancing regional uplift with a broader national strategy. Recent highlights include a $2.14 million Series D investment in EkoStinger and a $3 million Series A in POM Partners.
In addition to its software and platform investments, CVF supports hardware-oriented companies in advanced materials and energy storage, reflecting an interest in system-level power solutions. Ioxus, a provider of ultracapacitor-based storage systems, exemplifies the fund’s selective involvement in energy management technologies that enhance device performance and lifespan. While not a core vertical, these investments complement CVF’s broader technology portfolio and demonstrate its willingness to engage with hardware ventures that intersect with digital innovation.
