GD1
VC Fund Manager based in Auckland
About GD1
Generalist early-stage technology investor anchored by NZ Government's largest VC investment
Location
Auckland
Established
2014
11 years track record
AIP Approved
Eligible for Active Investor Plus visa
Funds Managed (2)
Investment Opportunities(2)
GD1 Fund 3 LP
Investing$150M generalist fund investing in NZ-originated early-stage technology companies with global aspirations
GD1 Fund 4 LP
FundraisingBuilding on Fund 3 upper quartile global performance, Pre-Seed through Series B investing
Key People (3)
Vignesh Kumar
Co-Managing Partner
Leadership
Joined 2018 from Apple Cupertino. Co-founded Journey Health. Previously led engineering at Apple across US and Asia, design engineer at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
John Kells
Co-Managing Partner
Leadership
Wealth and depth of experience in B2B SaaS, marketplaces, and high growth startups
Chintaka Ranatunga
Former Founding Partner
Leadership
Stepped down after 10+ years. Won INFINZ Emerging Leader Award
Get Started
Quick Info
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a provider is legitimate and trustworthy?
Conduct thorough due diligence before investing with any provider: (1) Check FMA Register - Verify the provider is licensed or registered with the Financial Markets Authority (www.fma.govt.nz/compliance/entities), (2) Review track record - Research past fund performance, years in operation, total funds under management, (3) Check key personnel - Research investment team backgrounds, LinkedIn profiles, previous roles and experience, (4) Request references - Ask to speak with existing investors or portfolio companies, (5) Review documentation - Read Information Memoranda, trust deeds, audited financial statements thoroughly, (6) Understand fee structures - Ensure fees are clear, reasonable, and aligned with industry norms, (7) Check for red flags - Promises of guaranteed returns, pressure to invest quickly, unlicensed operators, lack of transparency. All providers on Wholesale Investor NZ are pre-screened for legitimacy, but always conduct your own due diligence.
What questions should I ask a fund manager before investing?
Ask fund managers these critical questions: Investment Strategy - What is your investment thesis? How do you source deals? What's your competitive advantage? Track Record - What returns have you achieved historically (gross and net)? What percentage of investments succeeded vs failed? Can I speak with investors in prior funds? Team - Who makes investment decisions? What's their background? Have there been recent departures? How is the team compensated? Risk Management - What was your worst investment and what did you learn? How do you handle conflicts of interest? What's your downside protection? Fees - Explain management fees, performance fees, and all other costs? What's the hurdle rate? Process - What's the investment committee process? How often do you report? What voting rights do I have? Exit - What's the expected timeline to liquidity? Have you returned capital to investors before? Get answers in writing and verify claims independently.
What is the difference between a fund manager and a platform?
Fund Managers directly manage pooled investment capital, making investment decisions, conducting due diligence, managing portfolio companies/assets, charging management and performance fees, and carrying fiduciary duty to investors. Examples include private equity firms, credit fund managers, property developers. Platforms provide infrastructure for accessing multiple investment opportunities, do not make direct investment decisions (investors choose from offerings), may conduct initial due diligence on providers, charge platform fees or take commissions from providers, and offer comparison and research tools. Examples include investment platforms, crowdfunding sites, syndication platforms. Some hybrid models exist - platforms with house funds. When investing via platforms, you still need to evaluate the underlying fund manager's capabilities, track record, and terms as if investing directly.