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Brightmind Partners

General contacts

Investor type

Founded

2024

AUM

$251 M

Location

Westfield, New Jersey, United States

Investment Ticket

$5-10 m

Investment Stage

Seed Series A

Region of investment

North America Middle East Asia

Investor profile last updated: 07 November, 2026

Profile

Brightmind Partners is a venture capital firm based in New York, founded in 2024 by Stephen Ward, a former Secret Service agent and CISO. The firm operates with Ward as the sole General Partner and a team of four, including COO Iva Messy and CTO Jamie Mneimneh. Brightmind is distinguished by its strong operator background, focusing on cybersecurity and AI infrastructure, and leveraging custom automation to support founders.

The firm invests primarily in early-stage companies, focusing on sectors such as cybersecurity and AI. Brightmind typically participates in Seed and Series A rounds, with a check size that aligns with early-stage investments. The firm has a total AUM of $251 million, with Fund I dedicated to the earliest stages of investment. Brightmind's approach is characterized by deep practitioner diligence and a network of CISO contacts.

Notable portfolio companies include Origin - endpoint security, Vijil - AI trust infrastructure, Artemis - AI-native SIEM, Aryon - network management software, and Wiz - cloud security. These investments highlight Brightmind's commitment to supporting innovative solutions in cybersecurity and AI.

Industry

Cybersecurity AI

Brightmind Partners Funds

Name	Type	Industry	Stage	Region	Size	AUM	Launch date
Brightmind Partners Fund II	Venture Capital (VC)	AI Cybersecurity	Seed Series A	North America Middle East	$5-10 m	$250 M	November 2026
Brightmind Partners Fund I	Venture Capital (VC)	Cybersecurity AI	Seed Series A	North America Middle East Asia	$5-10 m	$251 M	November 2026

Contacts

Name

Title

Social Networks

Stephen Ward Managing Partner

Managing Partner

s•••@•••

Sven Wollschlaeger Principal

Principal

s•••@•••

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Investment-team contacts for Brightmind Partners — including verified work emails and LinkedIn profiles — are available to Private Equity List subscribers.
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Contacts sourced from the firm's website and LinkedIn, re-verified on a rolling cycle. Spot a stale contact, or none at all? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.

FAQs about Brightmind Partners

Is Brightmind Partners a venture capital or private equity firm?

Brightmind Partners is a venture capital firm. It backs companies at Seed and Series A, writing tickets of $5-10 m.

Where is Brightmind Partners located?

Brightmind Partners is located in Westfield, New Jersey, United States.

When was Brightmind Partners founded?

Brightmind Partners was founded in 2024.

What sectors and industries does Brightmind Partners invest in?

Brightmind Partners invests in companies and startups in Cybersecurity, AI.

What is Brightmind Partners geographical focus of investments?

Brightmind Partners invests in companies and startups in North America, Middle East, Asia.

At what stages of companies and startups does Brightmind Partners typically invest in?

Brightmind Partners invests in companies and startups at Seed, Series A.

What is the usual amount of Brightmind Partners investment?

Brightmind Partners usually invests $5-10 m on average.

What is the amount of assets of under management (AUM) for Brightmind Partners?

Brightmind Partners has around $251m assets under management.

When was Brightmind Partners last fund created?

Brightmind Partners last fund was created/launched in 2026-11-06

What are the contacts of Brightmind Partners?

Brightmind Partners can be reached through its website brightmindpartners.com and its LinkedIn page. Cold-mailing a general inbox rarely reaches a partner, so Private Equity List also lists the investment-team contacts for Brightmind Partners — names, roles, verified work emails and LinkedIn profiles — available on a Pro plan from $129/month (see pricing). Contacts are sourced from the firm's website and LinkedIn and re-verified on a rolling cycle. Spot a stale contact, or none at all? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.

Can I access Brightmind Partners data via API or MCP?

Yes. Every field on this page — profile, funds, investment criteria, portfolio and investment-team contacts — is available programmatically through the Private Equity List REST API and MCP server, so AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT can query Brightmind Partners directly instead of scraping this page. One subscription covers both the web app and machine access — see API & MCP.

When was the Brightmind Partners profile last updated?

Private Equity List re-verifies investor profiles on a rolling cycle, pulling from the firm's own website and LinkedIn rather than a one-off import. This profile was last updated on 07 November, 2026. Something out of date here? Report it — we re-run that firm within 48h and get back to you.