Essence Venture Capital (Essence VC) is a Seattle-based venture capital firm established in 2019 by Timothy Chen. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in deeply technical infrastructure startups, focusing on tools such as software development kits, databases, and developer platforms. Essence VC emphasizes hands-on support for engineering challenges, aiming to foster transformative infrastructure development. The firm typically invests between $100K and $250K in early-stage rounds, prioritizing sectors like infrastructure, enterprise software, developer tools, AI, and cybersecurity. Notable portfolio companies include Jasper.ai, Warp.dev, and Flatfile, which serve developers and enterprises in need of advanced infrastructure solutions. Essence VC is dedicated to supporting technical founders across the U.S., contributing to the growth of innovative technologies in the software development landscape.