Launchpad Capital, a new early-stage venture capital firm led by long-time San Francisco-based fintech investor and entrepreneur Ryan Gilbert, will be investing in early-stage Lithuanian startups targeting North America.

The firm plans to target 5 early-stage investments in 2021 ranging in size from US$100,000 to US$2 million.

Launchpad Capital has appointed former Invest Lithuania‘s fintech advisor Dominykas Stankevičius as its Lead Investment Associate in the Baltic region, based in Vilnius.

US market entry is among the more difficult challenges facing Baltic startups that seek global expansion.

Only 15% of Lithuanian-based fintech startups consider the US market as a viable target according to Invest Lithuania’s Fintech Landscape in Lithuania 2020-2021 report, despite the US’s large addressable market.

Ryan Gilbert, Founder of Launchpad Capital said,

“We bring our network of advisors, institutional knowledge, and durable capital to our startups, and are well-positioned to open the massive US market to bold and ambitious Baltic startups as their fintech investment partner of choice.

 

We focus on fintech and believe it’s never too early to invest in the future of finance.”

Launchpad Capital’s Baltic expansion builds on founder Ryan Gilbert’s 20-year plus track record in the Silicon Valley fintech community. Gilbert was most recently General Partner of Propel Venture Partners Fund 1.

He serves on the boards of fast-growing US fintech startups including Guideline and Ease, Bangladesh’s leading money transfer company, bKash, and is co-sponsor of two special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) focusing on fintech.

Featured image credit: edited from Pexels