Maren Thomas Bannon is an engineer-turned-operator-turned-VC who co-founded January Ventures to replace the friends and family round for founders who don't come from capital-rich networks, using a fully open cold-access funnel that requires no deck, revenue, or warm introductions. She invests across both the US and Europe from her base in London, building a curated operator network that's majority women to support founders outside elite schools and legacy hubs.

• A strong commitment to funding underrepresented founders, particularly women and people of color. She frequently highlights the diversity of her portfolio, noting high percentages of female-led companies and diverse teams, and actively participates in community events like breakfasts for women in venture capital to foster more inclusion in the industry.
• Specializes in pre-seed and early-stage investments, viewing them as exciting fresh starts. She connects this investment thesis directly to the name of her firm, explaining that the month of January represents new beginnings and the energy of building something from the ground up, much like the startups she backs.
• Provides tactical, actionable advice for founders navigating the fundraising process and managing investor relationships. For instance, she shares specific strategies on how to leverage existing investors during a push for customers or capital, such as sending updates with clear asks and establishing a sense of urgency to drive engagement.
• Active interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence and traditional sectors like healthcare, climate, and the future of work. She engages with these topics by writing articles on whether AI will replace or enhance human roles and invests in companies using AI to bring transparency to complex data sets, such as carbon offsets.
• Empathy for the personal challenges of entrepreneurship, specifically balancing building a company with parenthood. She shares personal stories to encourage other working parents, such as a moment where her daughter expressed a desire to follow in her footsteps, framing the struggle of the work-life balance as ultimately worthwhile.
• Focus on data-driven insights regarding the founder journey. She promotes annual sentiment reports that survey founders to understand their experiences in the current market, covering topics like fundraising hurdles and mental health to better advocate for the startup community.