Our team is your team.
Builders, not just backers.
Our Team
![Ben Sun](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/b7dba7c5087ba63d9d1773c00e3ceff87d59d3bd-5896x7230.jpg?rect=56,0,5784,7230&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Brad Svrluga](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/e573ea7415ad604c10c153d4174a90c46e826673-3000x2250.jpg?rect=600,0,1800,2250&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jason Shuman](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/778d2a23c228f0edf31be4837aeb04a9a64de37d-7181x5386.jpg?rect=1530,0,4121,5151&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Cassie Young](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/d55c0a92d1fbd754993647ed5ce22f47a1480545-5876x7604.jpg?rect=0,129,5876,7345&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Brian Schechter](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/4f3b1bf40bff1f7f0b9388f87942353ffe9eb348-5140x6652.jpg?rect=0,113,5140,6425&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Rebecca Price](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/1d6363caa1deec07c48fab9fd9b6bd8e6c2899e4-6050x5850.jpg?rect=972,0,4106,5132&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Sam Toole](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/b23440f212dfc5cd673a778c366113e7fbc3a604-5403x7204.jpg?rect=251,507,4902,6127&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Lisa Lewin](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/87aa9c35fc1f86124b807e7abfaef30b5e478371-2560x3840.jpg?rect=316,226,1590,1987&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Emily Man](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/895fddc6cd01f7c1dc8c8c92c50e8d2babbd7b8d-5499x7332.jpg?rect=739,0,3896,4870&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jason Gelman](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/8e3b4070a50c9ce081bc58544b2cef2012e5430f-5776x7701.jpg?rect=461,0,4854,6067&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Mike Witkowski](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/e3359c8b17d3437e464e3be5bae2be96717f8d15-4001x5334.jpg?rect=103,0,3796,4745&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Tom Seo](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/47dc3628509d011292735bf8c254b89b668b8504-5649x7532.jpg?rect=529,0,4592,5740&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Emma Balin](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/205cbc10f681d00851d92c251bb1660ef4664f19-5272x6148.jpg?rect=177,0,4918,6148&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Marisa Bass](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/7d74f68b797b0fc5b8ab44df461cb3ed4f204e42-5106x6808.jpg?rect=635,0,3703,4629&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Tanmaye Bhatia](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/c055ad01963b0d3ef8e2dabe3ac9687603076659-5163x6884.jpg?rect=555,110,4059,5074&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Amber Braman](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/5cb7467e4bc499115fdabb4c9306b19105115a03-3228x4252.jpg?rect=0,108,3228,4035&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Tobias Citron](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/ea54a26a6117ef23676088bf08122ea58592ac66-5211x6744.jpg?rect=336,228,4540,5675&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Bridget Flaherty](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/45262be2e9b3f9e867ba8819735f85b4c3a9fa26-6014x8019.jpg?rect=751,20,4512,5640&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Zach Fredericks](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/80bdb32c27562de63c7606829b42ed249bee751b-2188x2735.jpg?rect=71,178,2046,2557&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Niamh Gronningsater](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/783d00bd33c81e50a88db57448fc4f58b92a1594-5336x7114.jpg?rect=680,209,3976,4970&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Brian Gwiazdowski](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/14758cc58805c3b94a3c74b117dc78386d1c058d-4054x4784.jpg?rect=113,0,3827,4784&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Charles Holley](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/d24b88fb9f12661ef49cb766f006bed091483b67-5389x7185.jpg?rect=1173,0,3043,3804&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Sarah Housman](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/34ad9a781c91ed006f3176b8cf523e82d58de709-5334x6903.jpg?rect=299,196,4560,5700&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Bryce Johnson](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/745818fc18f7b1b1701621a0bf3b3cb7abf69bda-5641x7521.jpg?rect=1084,387,3731,4664&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Gaby Lorenzi](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/8e3fe317ecde59d027705287f79d1e812d3c8509-4928x6571.jpg?rect=730,483,3324,4155&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Gabriella Monico](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/5d4af8cb02d8c1fbed3586eff06532abec7cde64-5956x7941.jpg?rect=907,0,4142,5177&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Ryan Monk](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/18523dc08e75f86151612ca106cc89cbd09f05a6-4313x5751.jpg?rect=557,0,3198,3998&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Devon Natoni](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/3e27e44065a8f38f3610bb37d8ba64209bad5834-4209x4730.jpg?rect=213,0,3784,4730&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Nour Obeidallah](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/1a6e52e314269f92a94690426334720e9672fefe-6192x8256.jpg?rect=1477,725,3258,4073&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![James Paulk](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/97d596e9729d1f82c3b1e584f6831f86fc14a191-5449x7266.jpg?rect=394,0,4661,5826&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Rachel Pavey](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/eaf0d45e9ca9ec1c6fc9a23bf4addb6eba340519-5273x7031.jpg?rect=824,0,3626,4532&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Gianna Santaniello](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/accb64c89ef83bd60c8e76b7dbcfbbce13a47691-5535x7380.jpg?rect=483,0,4587,5734&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jamie Sterrett](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/47169c6570e7594d314923c393bd44ca6e7f6126-5963x7951.jpg?rect=1049,117,3788,4735&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Katheryn Thayer](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/d43e4617c2d3f4e89ee22cb9670619cb7022fe0c-5086x6582.jpg?rect=336,3,4683,5854&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Gina Yocom](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/8dc9a91e659a7db2fcdf8395e84ab63196783205-1142x1472.png?rect=82,0,978,1223&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Anshu Aggarwal](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/cc7f4281be6f3c5664e6bc90b008fb5c81902624-2134x2687.jpg?rect=0,9,2134,2668&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![John Allspaw](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/2450c62bcc53fbad1bb2fb5510c79b7acf3d7b5f-4592x2584.jpg?rect=1262,0,2067,2584&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![David Baiada](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/f1b88723130d815a0ab4088750da49af0e3188ce-5568x3712.jpg?rect=1595,0,2970,3712&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![John Bermel](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/b3887ba7a8f0f17f505e8f2bd9802c33a2f07853-1580x2212.jpg?rect=0,0,1580,1975&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Eric Beyer](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/c60507ba8f1427c20c98074ecad599b4382d2309-6720x4480.jpg?rect=1450,0,3584,4480&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Binoy Bhansali](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/62e1c9e35963db3f004f268d537e0aa08eb8b1b4-320x320.jpg?rect=32,0,256,320&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Pete Chen](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/a183312729cf5340e9d7cb0f1e6eecb5d8736ed4-4563x6084.jpg?rect=452,0,3658,4573&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Carolyn Childers](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/bd9c42420f9c6ead3f5963e4b387f2d40657e58d-479x661.jpg?rect=0,20,427,534&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Irving Fain](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/a47e2881754e7a29aa99c429175e6df46fe67975-1130x1094.png?rect=160,0,773,966&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jason Harinstein](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/02bb9d4057b2fb62d70eb8afd614ef5cc02456ff-500x500.jpg?rect=50,0,400,500&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Brock Heckmann](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/cdd0b63d76e54673087510b8947b81892e95eac4-2937x3543.jpg?rect=51,0,2834,3543&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jenny Ismert](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/4da4b83dbca14df55d4b1f2c8e58dc4731ada20c-8256x5504.jpg?rect=2743,0,4403,5504&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Ronald J. Kuerbitz](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/0574122d157e34242a4c7686178fa48514f55427-3360x5040.jpg?rect=755,876,1900,2375&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Zach Lessem](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/e1d19ee31a56567033112090f0a82876caebf218-1707x2560.jpg?rect=0,75,1578,1973&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Marty Meyer](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/0535447bfa63f5552e25492562c7f64ba0f2c1ad-1371x1719.jpg?rect=0,2,1371,1714&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Steven Miller](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/01e04ec7e2bd9117307ad6de0a0c9b1725bcc699-1280x1795.jpg?rect=270,0,766,958&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Akshay Rathod](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/11268f6084f131ed7cf99d3d3720be49d6761abe-5082x6776.jpg?rect=477,0,4129,5161&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Alex Realmuto](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/97f0172cbdb73e3948ac295837fa6f52f68c8889-5219x6959.jpg?rect=228,0,4762,5953&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Jeff Reekers](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/07514dc2cd703a376702d4ace245f2b95cf26f25-5624x6229.jpg?rect=320,0,4983,6229&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
![Mark Simpson](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/1u6a25i8/production/5053008f831183552b1b899ec12fdcc093b0e71c-5717x7622.jpg?rect=651,0,4415,5519&w=400&h=500&q=75&fit=max&auto=format)
Inspired by a commitment to New York City tech and the founders who bring it to life, Brad Svrluga and Ben Sun launched Primary in 2015 to build a different type of seed firm. With a mission to maximize impact, Primary has steadily built the most experienced and dynamic team in the seed landscape, anchored by the largest portfolio impact staff in the industry.
What unifies us at Primary is that we're all builders, not just backers. We partner intimately on the very hard work of companies’ earliest stages, and we are constantly looking for new ways to expand our impact, build new capabilities, and continue to set the bar for just how impactful an investor can be. When we invest, we invest with all we’ve got.
We've always been exclusively focused on New York City. This market, rich in talent and close with the dozens of industries anchored here, drives an enduring, disruptive startup community. By grounding ourselves here, we are able to build a critical mass of networks and talent for our portfolio and its related orbits. With that in mind, we’ve also worked to build communities beyond our portfolio—from our Founders Fellowship to our Mastermind Networks for Chiefs of Staff and Account Executives. And we’re always building, so stay tuned for more...
WHO WE ARE; HOW WE WORK
These are the values that define how we work with founders.
Dive deep
Go the extra mile and do the hard work to get to data-driven answers and insights.
Work with the best
Expect nothing short of excellence and a hunger to win from colleagues, founders, and operators.
Build a 'we' team
Collaborate meaningfully as a team and share expertise to deliver unparalleled support.
Challenge what's 'possible'
Think creatively and build. We're not in the business of what's been done before, we're redefining what seed investing can be.
Wear the founder's shoes
Trust is paramount. Start with empathy and curiosity, and work collaboratively to solve problems from founders’ perspective.
Play to win
Consider every opportunity through the lens of ultimate success. Winning doesn’t mean squeaking by, it means being 10X better.