• Aarthi Ramamurthy has launched Schema Ventures, a $20 million early-stage VC fund focused on outsider founders.
  • Schema Ventures will invest in sectors like industrial software, robotics, workflow automation, and developer tools.

Technologist and entrepreneur Aarthi Ramamurthy has unveiled Schema Ventures, a new $20 million early-stage venture capital fund aimed at supporting “exceptional outsider founders” building from conviction and lived experience rather than traditional credentials.

Announced via LinkedIn and X, Schema Ventures is positioned to support startups in their infancy, sometimes before pitch decks or co-founders even exist.

Sectors of interest include industrial software, robotics, factory intelligence, construction tech, workflow automation, and developer tools.

“I grew up an outsider. I moved to San Francisco, built two startups. My story—figuring it out without a roadmap—is the blueprint for Schema,”

Ramamurthy shared in her public announcement, reflecting on the fund’s mission.

Schema’s investment thesis draws from Ramamurthy’s own unconventional path in tech.

With a background in product and engineering leadership at Microsoft, Netflix, and Meta, she brings a wealth of operating experience to the table, along with the perspective of someone who has launched and exited her own startups.

“Sometimes there’s no pitch deck yet, no co-founder, no capital—just conviction and technical insight. That’s where we come in,” she added.

From Clubhouse to Capital

Ramamurthy gained public prominence in 2020 as co-creator of The Good Time Show on Clubhouse, which she launched with husband Sriram Krishnan.

Featuring guests like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the show marked a new moment in tech-media culture during the pandemic. It has since evolved into The Aarthi and Sriram Show, now backed by iHeartMedia and boasting over one million downloads.

Schema Ventures enters the VC landscape during a rising trend of solo general partners, funds led by a single investor leveraging operational depth, niche networks, and sharp theses.

Ramamurthy’s blend of founder, operator, and media presence uniquely positions her to support overlooked founders with technical talent and vision.

Edited by Annette George