Firm overview
Conscience VC is a Los Angeles-based early-stage fund pioneering the intersection of consumer technology and science. The firm invests into technical founders building pre-seed and seed-stage consumer companies that embrace deep tech and data. This focus stems from the experience of the firm’s founder and solo GP, Ariana Thacker. Ariana, who has a degree in chemical engineering from UCLA, spent her early career in engineering roles at companies such as Abbott Labs, Phillips 66, and Aera Energy—a joint venture between Exxon and Shell and one of California’s largest oil and gas producers. Later, she served on the founding team of an energy storage company that was spun out of UCLA’s mechanical engineering department and funded by the California Energy Commission. She also founded a platform to advance women in engineering by connecting university students to mentors, job opportunities, and community events. From these experiences, Ariana realized she loved working with founders more than building tech as an engineer, so she began identifying promising founders and working closely with them on projects spanning hardware prototype and design, supply chain sourcing, and marketing. She later joined Rhapsody Venture Partners, a Boston-based fund focused on lab-stage and early-stage “hard sciences” companies solving industrial problems, and served as managing partner of Predictive VC, a microfund focused on data-intensive platforms.
Firm strategy
Ariana’s experience is foundational to the thesis of Conscience VC. Knowing the positive impact that science-backed consumer companies can have on humanity, and identifying a trend of compelling businesses that are consumerizing scientific breakthroughs, Ariana is now applying her technical lens to consumer-focused businesses. While her experience is foundational to the fund’s thesis, Ariana’s tenacity and energy as a manager is foundational to the firm’s value. She uses the strength of her network to help founders raise additional capital and accelerate their businesses.
Why we invested
Ariana embodies many of the operating principles and identity traits we value here at Carta. She is tenacious, as shown by the fact that she is a solo woman GP who—despite not having the traditional Silicon Valley experience—was able to raise a first-time fund (during a pandemic, no less). She builds in the open; she isn’t shy about data on her fund, and she relentlessly promotes the founders she backs. We always appreciate the investment memos she shares as an LP. Ariana is thoughtful about building her brand and showing the steps she’s taking to build the next great venture fund (check out her LinkedIn—it’s all there). She’s also pioneering in a newly defined and underserved area in venture, which gives us great diversification as an LP. We’re thrilled to be backing Ariana on her mission.