Some exciting news! I’ve joined AlleyCorp, a New York-based venture capital firm, to focus on AI, developer tools, and infrastructure investments.
Back to the early stage
After wrapping up my time at Stripe last year, I have been working closely with founders building for developers through advisory roles and angel investing. This experience has connected me with many aspiring leaders, but above all, it has reaffirmed what I’ve always loved about the early stages of company building: the energy, the vision, the gritty all-nighters before an important launch, and the chance to create something from nothing.
It became clear to me that this is where I want to spend more of my time.
Starting my career in Denmark’s startup scene, I experienced the full spectrum of entrepreneurship—from late nights, failed launches, and breaking production to navigating acquisitions and scaling products with global impact. Later, at Microsoft and Stripe, I gained invaluable insight into operating at true global scale and driving industry-wide impact.
Through it all, one thing has stood out: being part of a vibrant startup ecosystem, with great partners by your side, makes all the difference.
That’s the role I aim to play for founders now.
Falling for NYC’s Startup Scene
When I moved to NYC a few years ago, I immersed myself in the local ecosystem—hosting events, connecting with investors and founders, and soaking up the incredible energy of this city. It quickly became clear that NYC is a gravitational center for ambitious founders who want to build world-class companies while enjoying life in one of the most vibrant cities on Earth.
I’m incredibly bullish on what’s happening here, where NYC’s multi-dimensional ecosystem empowers founders to think bigger and take bold swings. Unlike other regions often caught in insular echo chambers, NYC fosters the creation of true enterprise-grade companies from day one.
Backing founders building for developers
We are in the middle of one of the most unique and fundamental paradigm shifts in our industry, and for the first time in a very long time, we are unlocking new capabilities at a pace that forces us to completely rethink software, platforms, and what it means to build developer tools.
This is the time to back founders building for developers. As an angel investor, I’ve had the privilege to help and support a good number of founders, but I want to do more.
Joining AlleyCorp
So, when I met Kevin Ryan, Marshall Porter, and the team at AlleyCorp, I was struck by how operator-heavy their team is—and how deeply they understand the challenges founders face because the team has done this over and over again. AlleyCorp is a group that knows how to get things done, and I’m thrilled to join them as a Partner.
My focus at AlleyCorp won’t change. I'm doubling down, and will continue to focus on AI, developer tools, and infrastructure investments, while also spending much more time in the ecosystem. And as a fund, we focus on incubating and investing at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages.
If you’re a founder building for developers—whether you’re in NYC, SF, Europe, or anywhere else — I’d love to chat!
Drop me a line at kenneth@alleycorp.com or reach out on X at @auchenberg.
Best,
Kenneth