Principal at SMOK Ventures
Check size: $100K-$1M published initial investment range.
The official roster identifies Oleksandr Yatsenko as Principal. This profile applies SMOK Ventures's published strategy and does not infer undisclosed personal signing authority or a narrower individual mandate. Relevant founder fit follows the firm's thesis: Back globally ambitious CEE and diaspora founders building software, developer tools and AI companies, with a preference for repeat entrepreneurs.
Lead with founder-market fit, the specific problem, differentiated product or technology, evidence of demand, market size, round stage and why the opportunity matches SMOK Ventures's published focus. Address the role of Principal without assuming individual check authority.
At firm level, SMOK Ventures is aligned with back globally ambitious CEE and diaspora founders building software, developer tools and AI companies, with a preference for repeat entrepreneurs. This is firm-level guidance, not an invented personal preference.
No personal pass list is public. Opportunities outside SMOK Ventures's stated stages, sectors, geography or team criteria should be treated as lower fit rather than a confirmed personal rejection rule.