embedded private equity
FOCUS
Whistle Ventures is a private investment fund, diversified around early-stage B2B tech startups, market investing and commercial real estate.
What further differentiates WV is its principal’s operational contributions — including taking interim or even long-term operational roles in its backed ventures. Consequently, WV will only commit to one or two active ventures at any given time.
STRATEGIC DIFFERENCE
Call us Embedded Private Equity.
Whistle Ventures is equally committed to investing its time as it is to committing its liquidity. How so?
To begin with, the WV fund is closed to third-party investors, which fundamentally changes everything. There are no outside investors, whose priorities and timelines are often misaligned with founders.
Moreover, WV selects its initiatives very carefully and contributes equal parts funding and hands-on operational assistance. This commitment goes well beyond the occasional opinion or introduction. WV may take on interim or long-term operational roles, as is needed by the business.
This unique model places WV in near-perfect alignment with its portfolio founders and results in value-add contributions well beyond liquidity.
FOUNDER
Whistle Ventures is the work product of Brendan Cohen. In a nutshell, Brendan is a born entrepreneur who thrives on the intellectual and creative challenges of building businesses that are embraced.
His experience is heavily focussed on technology & data startups, where his expertise is rooted in business idiation, product management, marketing, sales and client services, amongst other disciplines. At his core, Brendan is an operator first, investor second. It is the work and creative challenge that motivate him.
Brendan began his career in marketing services, with a focus in crisis management. Other career highlights include being a part of a small management team that took an e-commerce company public, as well as founding his own venture-backed BPO company, which supported one of the earliest forays into video on demand. More recently, Brendan joined and helped lead a young family-run startup, which ultimately grew to become the market leader in the provisioning of risk-related intelligence to the financial community.
Brendan's current active initiatives and investments include a diversified retail investment portfolio, a regulatory technology startup, a fast-casual restaurant chain, and a significant limited partner position in a retail property portfolio that extends to over 10 developments, covering over 300,000 square feet, as well as another 1-2 entrepreneurial pursuits currently in stealth mode.
The nuts & bolts of Brendan’s career can be found in his LinkedIn profile.
Brendan also commits a portion of his funds and time to his Family Foundation, which serves charitable initiatives in his community.
On the personal side, Brendan was born in South Africa. His family immigrated to the United States when he was a child. He met the love of his life Joanna shortly after college, and their joint ventures include two beautiful children.
If Brendan were to pretend that he had free time, he would tell you that he enjoys anything outdoors: ultralight backpacking, car camping, RVing, cycling, mountain biking, skiing, and fly fishing. The truth is he steals some time here and there to burn a few calories and get some fresh air, and commits all his time to his wife, children, community and business interests.
Contact
Whistle Ventures is a closed fund, and is therefore not seeking outside investment. Investment opportunities, on the other hand, are welcomed and considered in earnest.
Please provide us with some detail on the nature of your interest. We will be in contact shortly. Thanks.
