The Mini Fund Research
The Mini Fund is an advisory-focused seed fund founded by Eros Resmini (former VP at Discord, HP Tech Ventures, and GREE) that invests in early-stage founders building transformative companies across entertainment, gaming, and creative industries. The fund's core philosophy centers on providing not just capital, but deep operational guidance and network access through a structured advisory model.
Mission Statement: "The Mini Fund is an advisory focused seed fund designed to support founders in creating lasting foundations for their vision. We've assembled a group of advisors and angels with industry and company building experience to help founding teams along the way."
The fund explicitly positions itself as a hands-on partner with founder-focused values. Unlike traditional seed investors who may take passive roles, The Mini Fund embeds experienced advisors directly into portfolio companies to accelerate company building fundamentals.
Fund Evolution & Current Status
Fund Size & Structure:
- The Mini Fund operates as a partnership-based advisory fund with mixed capital and advisory stake arrangements
- Recent activity (CB Insights, February 2025): Latest investment in Meeple Corp ($630K pre-seed)
- Portfolio size: 27 investments as of February 2025
- Number of portfolio exits: 2 (RTFKT acquired by Nike in 2021, one additional undisclosed exit in 2021)
Fund Status: Actively deploying
- Recent investments show consistent activity through 2024-2025
- Latest deployment: February 19, 2025 (Meeple Corp pre-seed)
- September 18, 2024: Gamebeast pre-seed ($3.7M with A16z Speedrun, J2 Ventures, Le Zhang)
- June 27, 2024: Moon Beast Productions convertible note ($4.5M)
- Maximum portfolio size target: 10 companies at a time (over fund lifetime, 40+ investments)
Investment Stage & Check Size
Stage Preferences:
- Primary: Friends & Family, Pre-Seed, Seed rounds
- Secondary: Small Series A (selective follow-ons)
- Occasional: Follow-on rounds in existing portfolio companies
Typical Check Size:
- Range: $250K - $3.7M+ observed in portfolio
- Recent data shows variety: Meeple Corp ($630K), Gamebeast ($3.7M), Moon Beast Productions ($4.5M convertible note)
- Explicit portfolio guidance: Up to $250K in current or future round via Investment Rights
Team & Decision Making
Core Team:
- Eros Resmini - Founder, Managing Partner. Former VP at Discord, HP Tech Ventures, GREE, RealNetworks, OpenFeint, YouWeb. 15+ years in technology product and business development.
- Rachel Chai - Investor & Advisor. Noted for exceptional product expertise and constructive feedback on product, process, and pitch refinement.
- Nick Dor - Partner & Advisor. Technical background, serves as engineering/CTO advisor to portfolio companies. Known for tactful, actionable guidance on technical management.
- Nainan Shah - Investor & Advisor. Market strategy and fundraising specialist, experienced in investor relations and round structuring.
Decision Process:
- Fast decision-making focused on founder chemistry testing
- Typical timeline: 2-3 weeks
- Process: 30-minute intro meeting + two 1-hour advisory sessions (free) to test cultural fit and demonstrate advisory approach
- Decision based on partnership model, not purely financial metrics
Portfolio Sector Focus & Investment Philosophy
Primary Sectors (Based on Portfolio):
- Gaming - Largest concentration (Gamebeast, Moon Beast Productions, RTFKT, Voicemod in adjacent audio)
- Media & Entertainment - Music, audio, streaming adjacent
- Consumer Applications - Creative, community, entertainment-first
- Emerging: Fintech/Payments (limited presence)
Founder Selection Criteria: The Mini Fund explicitly states they look for:
- Founder-market fit with unique insights and abilities
- Big market vision with durable company potential
- Learning-oriented founders with grit and humility
- Receptiveness to advisory feedback
Anti-Positions: The Mini Fund does not invest in:
- Silent/traditional angel investments (advisory model is core)
- Niche specialist tools without broad appeal
- Pure infrastructure/deep tech plays
- Markets viewed as too small to build enduring companies
Advisory Services & Post-Investment Support
The Mini Fund provides substantial advisory support across multiple functional areas:
Fundraising Support:
- Pipeline development to minimize wasted time
- Network activation leveraging investor relationships
- Pitch refinement and positioning guidance
- Investor relations strategy for multi-round fundraising
Company Building & Operations:
- Hiring frameworks and team building strategy
- Culture and values establishment and scaling
- Operations transition planning (10 to 100+ person scaling)
- Technical leadership and CTO mentorship
Strategic Frameworks:
- Business development and ecosystem partnerships
- Marketing strategy and brand positioning
- Product development and problem-solving frameworks
Typical Investment Terms:
- Up to 1% advisory stake for committed advisors
- 2-year fixed hour commitment from assigned advisor
- Up to $250K in current or future round via Investment Rights Agreement
- One advisor per company assignment
Recent Activity & Fund Performance
Latest Investments:
- February 19, 2025: Meeple Corp pre-seed ($630K with Hiro Capital)
- September 18, 2024: Gamebeast pre-seed ($3.7M with A16z Speedrun, J2 Ventures, Le Zhang)
- June 27, 2024: Moon Beast Productions convertible note ($4.5M with 1AM Gaming, 1Up Ventures, and others)
Exit Outcomes:
- RTFKT - Acquired by Nike (December 2021) - significant exit for digital collectibles/metaverse play
- Second exit (August 2021) - Undisclosed company
- Two exits from 27 investments
Portfolio Health:
- Multiple founders cite Mini Fund advisory impact on successful fundraising rounds
- Voicemod's $14.5M Series B (Feb 2023) included Mini Fund alongside K Fund and Bitkraft
- No reported failed investments or troubled portfolio companies in public record
Founder Testimonials & Value Realization
Strong pattern of founder satisfaction and tangible advisory impact:
-
Voicemod (Jaime Bosch) - "Eros's impact on our startup has been crucial for our success, especially in company building, people management, and values. His insightful feedback and practical frameworks have significantly improved our strategies."
-
Chaotic Works (Lawrence Grabowski) - "Nainan's been instrumental in supercharging our venture, from challenging our plans on market, team and product, through to optimising our funding round and strategising future rounds."
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Kudos (Tikue Anazodo) - Hiring framework became foundational to recruiting process
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Wicked Saints Studios (Jessica Murrey) - "Rachel's superpower is giving constructive, actionable feedback. She applies this superpower to your product, process, and pitch—anything you need feedback on."
Key Investment Positions & Competitive Differentiation
The Mini Fund differentiates through:
- Advisory-First Model - Unique 1% stake + 2-year commitment vs. pure capital provision
- Experienced Operator Team - Discord, GREE, top-tier product, technical, and fundraising expertise
- Founder Chemistry Focus - 2-hour free advisory sessions to prove value before investment
- Fast Decisions - 2-3 week timeline vs. traditional 1-2 month fund cycles
- Entertainment/Gaming Expertise - Deep domain specialization unusual for seed funds
Geographic & Market Focus
Primary: United States (San Francisco-based, established network) Secondary: Global (portfolio includes international companies, but less proactive outreach) Approach: Opportunity-driven rather than geographically limited
Notable Portfolio Companies (27 Total Investments)
Gaming & Interactive: Gamebeast, Moon Beast Productions, RTFKT (Nike acquisition), Meeple Corp, Odyssey Interactive, Wicked Saints Studios, Chaotic Works, Flick, PlayDeo
Audio & Media: Voicemod ($14.5M Series B 2023), Melismatic, Zygomedia, Talkalytics, GGWP
Creative & Entertainment: Kudos, Bounce Life, Passionfroot, ViralMoment, Instreamly, AudioMob, Volta Create
Infrastructure & Developer Tools: Parsec, Eterlast, Solsten, Clockwork Labs, Giide, RapTech, ShapesXR, Magma Studio
Other: Imera, Vali Health, Kontend Legal
Conclusion
The Mini Fund represents a hybrid advisory-focused seed model that differentiates through operational depth, fast decision-making, and deep entertainment/gaming expertise. Their 2-3 week decision timeline, advisory-first approach, and founder-centric philosophy position them as a unique partner for early-stage founders building lasting companies in gaming, media, and creative sectors.