Non-Recourse Financing
Limited to exit proceeds - no personal liability.
Sourced from ~100 late-stage names, filtered to highly-screened employees, accessed at a discount, and constructed for diversification across 40–50 positions.
Aligned Incentives in Pre-Exit Access
Limited to exit proceeds - no personal liability.
Repaid from exit proceeds, not cash flow.
No out-of-pocket cost to exercise.
Proceeds also cover personal tax bill.
Pre-Exit high-growth technology leaders.
~50–70% discount to latest financing valuations - captured on past trades; the Fund seeks similar.
Liquidation preference + equity kicker.
40–50 late-stage technology leaders.
The Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 invests exclusively in employee option exercise financings. There is NO intermediate scenario in which investors recover capital without a liquidity event. Key risks include: Company Failure: while late-stage companies have lower operational failure rates, they might face extended timelines to exit; Valuation Decline: Company valuation decline prior to exit creates principal loss; No secondary market exit; Counterparty Risk. Returns depend entirely on company success.
Three buckets we underwrite - Marquee, Thriving Off Radar, and Transformational AI Leaders. Illustrative targets, not current holdings.






































































These companies represent ILLUSTRATIVE TARGETS based on Fuel’s investment thesis. Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 makes NO representation it will invest in any of these companies. Investment in specific companies depends on: Employee financing availability, Company participation willingness, Due diligence approval, and Deal economics alignment. Final portfolio may include some, none, or different companies. Past Fuel performance is not indicative of Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 results. All companies listed are survivors (survivorship bias); this list does not represent failed or underperforming portfolio companies. Investors should not rely on company names in making investment decisions. Base decisions on fund structure, management expertise, and risk tolerance for illiquid private investments.
Two layers of defense for every contract: an inbound filter on the employee side and contractual capital protection on the investor side.
Employee underwriting involves proprietary credit analysis and background review. The fund’s ability to extend financing is contingent on successful underwriting and approval by the fund’s Risk Committee. Employees who do not meet underwriting criteria will be denied financing. Past approval by other lenders does not guarantee funding approval through the Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100. Financing terms, including interest rates and equity kickers, are subject to change based on market conditions and individual risk profiles.
Four representative transactions from Fuel’s execution book, recorded through Fuel Innovation Market 100. Company identities are withheld for confidentiality; sectors and figures are as recorded. Full trade details are available to accredited investors and qualified purchasers below.
HISTORICAL data - NOT actual or projected Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 results. The negotiated transactions and valuations shown above were executed and recorded by Fuel Venture Capital through its investment vehicle, Fuel Innovation Market 100. The Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 is a separate, newly formed fund that is designed to pursue the same strategy; however, it has no standalone performance record. Past performance of Fuel Venture Capital and its affiliated funds is not indicative of, and does not guarantee, future results for Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100. Cap-U Fuel Innovation 100 may achieve materially different valuations, discounts, MOICs, exit outcomes, or returns. Discounts to valuation do NOT protect against principal loss. MOIC (Multiple on Invested Capital) represents estimated unrealized value determined using portfolio company 409A valuations at the time of investment and subsequent secondary market indications from platforms such as the Nasdaq Private Markets. Gross = before management fees and carried interest. Source: Fuel Venture Capital (as of March 30, 2026).
Not one fragile path. Cap-U Fuel underwrites companies with multiple liquidity options - any one path is sufficient.
Structured offer to purchase shares directly from employees at a defined price.
Defined PriceStrategic or financial buyer acquires full or majority stake.
Strategic / Financial BuyerShares listed on public exchanges; broadcast liquidity event for investors and employees.
Broadcast LiquidityExisting shares sold to new investors in the private market; provides early liquidity pre-exit.
Early LiquidityNegotiated direct transfer of contract; typically bilateral with defined terms and timeline.
Bilateral TransferThe exit channels described herein are presented for illustrative and informational purposes only and do not constitute a guarantee, prediction, or commitment that any specific liquidity event will occur. Actual exit outcomes will depend on a variety of factors outside the Fund’s control, including but not limited to market conditions, regulatory requirements, company performance, investor appetite, and macroeconomic environment. There is no assurance that any portfolio company will achieve a liquidity event through any of the channels described above, or that such an event will occur within any particular timeframe. Past performance of comparable transactions is not indicative of future results. This material is strictly private and confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. Any reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of the Fund is strictly prohibited.
Sourcing, construction, exit.
The Innovation 100 universe is filtered top-down from ~1,200 US private companies valued at $1B+ (per industry unicorn trackers) to roughly 100 names meeting four criteria: late-stage (Series D+), institutionally-backed, 12–36 months from a credible liquidity path, and accessible via Fuel Venture Capital's existing operator network. Final allocations weight thesis-fit, valuation discipline, and concentration limits.
The fund's exit channels include IPO, tender offer, M&A, secondary sale, and structured contractual exits. A company staying private longer than expected reduces IRR (Internal Rate of Return) but does not zero the position. The most material downside - full loss of capital on a position - occurs if the company fails entirely or the employee counterparty defaults on the financing contract.
Portfolio construction targets diversification across sector (AI infrastructure, fintech, frontier hardware, applied AI), stage (Series D through pre-IPO), and time-to-exit (12–36 month liquidity horizon). Concentration limits cap any single position to keep idiosyncratic exposure bounded. Detailed targets are in the offering memorandum.
Modeled across the five channels - IPO, tender, M&A, secondary sale, structured contract exit - with the mix weighted toward IPO and tender given the late-stage focus. Modeled return ranges per channel are shared with prospective investors in the Fund’s due-diligence materials, not on this website.
Reg D · Rule 506(c) · Accredited
Once verified, we’ll share the current pipeline, a sample subscription package, and the most recent investor update - under an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).