In a year where many venture capital firms are scaling back, Cambrian Ventures, led by fintech specialist Rex Salisbury, has announced the launch of its second fund, totaling $20 million. This new fund reinforces Cambrian’s long-term commitment to reshaping the financial services landscape with early-stage, AI-native fintech solutions.
A Strategic Bet on Fintech’s Next Chapter
While the global fintech sector has experienced a downturn in funding since 2022, Salisbury remains confident in its long-term trajectory. “We’re still in the early innings,” Salisbury says, pointing out that fintech accounts for just 1% of global financial services revenue.
Cambrian Ventures’ new fund will continue to focus on pre-seed and seed-stage startups that are reimagining financial infrastructure, especially those integrating AI from the ground up. The fund has already backed several promising startups with this mindset.
Fund Performance and Success Rate
Cambrian's first fund supported 33 companies, and over 50% of them have already raised a Series A, a stark contrast to the industry average of 15%–25%. This strong performance not only boosts investor confidence but also validates Cambrian’s founder-first, community-driven approach.
Some notable startups from Fund I include:
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Keep: A Canadian payments and credit card startup offering modern financial tools for businesses.
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Closure: A startup simplifying the process of shutting down companies cleanly and legally.
Who’s Investing in Cambrian?
The second fund features a diverse group of limited partners (LPs), including a national bank, a life insurance company, and individuals from major fintech players like Plaid, NerdWallet, and Betterment. This combination of institutional and industry expertise signals strong faith in Cambrian’s investment thesis.
What Sets Cambrian Apart?
What makes Cambrian different is its deep founder network, built through years of community efforts. Salisbury, a former a16z fintech partner and early Plaid investor, continues to provide hands-on support to founders, not just capital. Cambrian also runs private founder communities with over 1,800 members, giving startups access to talent, insights, and growth opportunities.
Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Fintech
With the rise of AI, Cambrian is particularly excited about startups that treat AI as core to the product, not just an add-on. One such company, Every, is building an end-to-end finance platform using AI for real-time decision-making and workflow automation — a sign of things to come.
Conclusion
At a time when most investors are cautious, Cambrian Ventures is taking bold steps. With a proven track record and a clear focus on AI-powered financial innovation, the firm is poised to identify and support the next generation of fintech disruptors.
Keywords: Cambrian Ventures, Rex Salisbury, fintech startups, AI in fintech, seed stage investment, venture capital 2025, pre-seed funding, financial services innovation, fintech trends, AI-native startups.
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