W Ventures

We Are Rocket Fuel
to power your success

We are the only venture capital firm in the United States that provides full service and integrated marketing communications work for our portfolio companies in exchange for equity – not for cash. Our sister company, Warschawski, has been ranked the #1 U.S. Agency many times and has built countless brands and stewarded them to outstanding success.

The Agency’s incredible strength in digital marketing often serves as a game changer for early stage companies. Between W Ventures and Warschawski, there is a vast amount of experience, expertise, and connections that will directly impact the success of your company.

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Our Thesis

Game Changing or Paradigm
Shifting Ideas Backed by IP

We look for companies that are truly disrupting an industry. They must be changing the game or shifting the paradigm of how things have been done in the past. They should also have IP that backs and protects the concept or have a clear path to getting the IP.

Sector and Location Agnostic

We don’t care what industry you serve and where you are headquartered. Obviously, we’d love to have you HQ in our space, but its not a requirement. Our investment portfolio spans from consumer to health tech to fintech and beyond. We work with B to C, B to B, or B to B to C companies, and our companies are headquartered all over the U.S. and the world.

Pre-Seed to Series A

We strategically invest early because that’s where we believe we can have the greatest impact on a company’s success trajectory. We frequently invest in follow-on rounds if we are excited about the progress a company is making. Besides investing cash and sweat equity through our marketing communications work, we help our portfolio companies by making strategic introductions from our extensive rolodex of connections.

Rocket Fuel for Growth

We look to invest in high-upside potential companies where our significant experience and expertise in marketing communications and building brands can act as rocket fuel to propel the growth and success of the company. We specifically look for companies where the impressive credentials and abilities of our sister marketing communication agency, Warschawski, can quickly add tremendous value.

A True Partner
not simply an investor

We are a one-of-a-kind venture capital firm that offers a unique approach centered around enabling our portfolio companies to scale and succeed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unlike other VCs, we take it personally. We actually want to be an active and true partner that puts its own skin in the game.

Like other VCs, we write investment checks in companies that fit our thesis. However, where we are wholly different than our peers is that we are the only company in the U.S. that will do the integrated marketing communications work for early stage companies in exchange for equity, not cash.

Additionally, for any companies and founders in which we invest, we offer a beautiful workspace that occupies an entire floor in our W Ventures HQ building, as well as living quarters in the W Founders House next door – all free of charge. There is no requirement to locate in our facilities.

How We Work

Build your Business

Our team is composed of business experts and investors from all different sectors to help you create success as quickly as possible. We’ve been there and done that and can help you based on our vast and differentiated experience and expertise.

Great Relationships

We have outstanding relationships with business leaders and investors. If you work with us, we can make the right introductions to get you the expertise and the funding you need.

Growth Marketing Solutions

Through our partner marketing communications agency, we provide you with award-winning marketing expertise and work that can build tremendous value for your businesses. Our partner, Warschawski, has repeatedly been ranked one of the top agencies in the country and is a stake holder in W Ventures, which means everyone has skin in the game.

Space to Grow

We provide you with a brand-new high-tech office space in our HQ and living accommodations in our Founder’s House right next door – all free of charge. We want you to have access to turn-key infrastructure to accelerate growth. However, there is no requirement to use our spaces to join our team.

Tour the Space

Sample Portfolio Companies

The W In Action

Rave Reviews

“W Ventures is incredible – just wow! Their professionalism, expertise and support makes working with the team an absolute pleasure. It has been amazing to have senior team members like David Warschawski actively involved in the day-to-day planning and building of our business. Without W Ventures, we would not be nearly as far along in our growth plan. I’m proud to be part of the W team!”
Tamir Goodman Founder, Aviv Sports

“We are excited to partner with David and his award-winning teams at W Ventures and Warschawski. From the start, they hit the ground running and have already made a positive impact on our company to support our direct-to-consumer user experience and expansion. As one of the nation’s leading full suite marketing agencies, their inputs and support will continue to be invaluable as we scale our unique business.”
Jamie Rooney Chief Growth Officer, Mosie Baby

“W Ventures does great things for emerging companies. They invest themselves into your success and are a strategic partner all the way to the finish line. Their team of world-class experts leave no rock unturned to make sure that your company is the best that it can be — they really get it.”
Sam Diener CEO, Early Light Ventures

“W Ventures has created a fantastic new model and approach in the early-stage growth-company ecosystem. They invest with thoughtful mentorship, creating business relationships across the region, providing a high-productivity workspace, and world-class marketing from their partner, Warschawski. I’ve seen the results firsthand in a co-investment we’ve done with them!”
Quentin Smith Partner, Old Line Capital

“I am thrilled about our partnership with W Ventures and the excellent work that the Warschawski team has done for Robomart. From strategic branding, design, PR and social media, their team hit the ground running from the start, with fresh and exciting ideas that have delivered outstanding results. Our partnership has been invaluable and a crucial aspect of the success of our launch in California. I feel privileged to work alongside their team and to have found more than an investor, but a true business partner.”
Ali Ahmed Co-Founder & CEO, Robomart

“W Ventures has been fantastic to work with — 5 out 4 stars. The professionalism shown by their team and their brand building has been highly encouraging as we continue to work together. Being brought into the W portfolio has helped take our venture to the next level, and we are excited to see where it takes us.”
Max Wieder Co-Founder, Celcy

“We are excited to partner with David and his award-winning teams at W Ventures and Warschawski. Their knowledge of the eCommerce landscape, industry-wide relationships and extensive experience scaling eCommerce businesses is off-the-charts. The team has already had a massive impact on Gallop Growth, supporting everything from branding and thought leadership positioning to content development, user experience, audience development and journey mapping. As one of the world’s leading growth marketing agencies, their experience, expertise and know-how will be invaluable to us as we introduce Gallop Growth to the hundreds of thousands of eCommerce operators and leaders who can benefit from our revolutionary platform.”
Shane Feldberg Co-Founder, Gallop Growth

Leadership Team

David Warschawski

Managing Director

David has been a business owner-operator and investor for more than 20 years. Today, he serves as both the CEO & Founder of Warschawski, the #1 rated U.S. marketing communications agency, and the Managing Director & Founder of W Ventures.

Warschawski has been named “U.S. Small Agency of the Year” three years in a row and has won more than 200 industry awards for its work. For 10 consecutive years, Warschawski has been ranked as one of the top 30 “Best U.S. Agencies To Work For” and one of the top 10 “Best U.S. Small Agencies To Work For,” including being named the #1 “Small U.S. Agency To Work For.” Recently, Warschawski was granted the prestigious Google Certified Agency Partner designation, and now has more than 10 certified Google Certified Analysts on staff.

W Ventures is a one-of-a-kind accelerator that combines three elements: the ability to do marketing communications work in exchange for equity, the financial backing to write large checks coupled with the connections of a VC firm, and a beautiful incubator workspace and living quarters for its founders.

In addition to being an avid entrepreneur and business owner, David has been an investor in numerous deals spanning early and mid-stage start-ups, real estate deals, founding completely new brands and companies, investing in publicly traded companies. He has invested in a wide range of different companies ranging from Nanotechnology, HealthTech, Defense and Cybersecurity, Sports and Fitness, Fintech, and Consumer Products among others.

Over the course of his career, David has worked with many of the leading brands in the world including: Adidas, Black & Decker, Under Armour, Verizon Wireless, USA Swimming, DEWALT, The Country of Norway, The Country of Switzerland, Dole Foods, The Athlete’s Foot, Hair Cuttery, New Balance, Topps, Century 21, Fila, Medifast, GORE-TEX, The United Way, Microsoft, Ripken Baseball, Sylvan Learning, SunTrust, The International Olympic Committee, Penguin Books, Robert Talbot, 180s, KMS, New York University’s Stern School of Business, NikeTown, Boeing, MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream, Marble Slab Creamery, IDT, Federated, UPS, Hogan Lovells, GlaxoSmithKline, Chase Manhattan Bank and Credit Suisse.

David is a published author whose works have appeared in numerous publications and who has been asked to provide expert commentary for media outlets ranging from CNBC to National Public Radio (NPR), from PBS to Germany’s highly regarded Der Spiegel to New Zealand’s biggest radio station, Newstalk ZB.

He serves as a professor for the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, and he co-authored the book, “Building Customer Relationships Through Public Relations,” published by Aspatore Books. David has been named a “Most Admired CEO” by The Daily Record and also has been named to numerous “40 Under 40” lists.

David is a Board Member of many of the companies that W Ventures invests in and sometimes serves in the capacity of an Advisory Board Member to W Venture portfolio companies. He also serves as a Member and Advisor to NexGen Ventures. Additionally, David has served as a judge for many VC pitch competitions in the U.S. and Canada.

David, a dual U.S. and Swiss citizen, was born in Basel, Switzerland and speaks English, German and Swiss German. He is a Dean’s List graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Studio Arts.

Shana Harris

Managing Member

Shana has more than 25 years of marketing communications experience working with many of the world’s leading brands. She plays an integral role in W Ventures, meeting with startups, evaluating their market and growth potential from pre-seed to series A, and then leading them through all stages of brand building and marcomm campaign development.

Shana is also the COO of Warschawski and oversees every aspect of the agency. While managing the agency’s operations, she also plays an active role in account management, leading strategic direction for clients. She leads account teams through all phases of branding, marketing, PR, digital and advertising — from launch conceptualization, to planning, to implementation, to generation of results. For the agency, she oversees operations, long-term strategic planning and implementation, HR, and plays an integral role in new business development.

She has successfully delivered results for a broad scope of clients including: Black & Decker, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, Under Armour, DEWALT, Adidas, MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream, Marble Slab Creamery, Century 21, Medifast, Hair Cuttery, Weller Development, CFG Bank, Alex Cooper, STX, WSP, LifeBridge Health and CCBC — Maryland’s largest institution of higher education

Shana is a mother of three, grandmother and enjoys spending time with her family. She teaches boot camp-style classes and enjoys running 10Ks in her spare time.

Sam Tomlinson

Managing Member

Sam brings a unique background spanning finance, technology, marketing, analytics & operations to both Warschawski and W Ventures. As a member of the W Ventures leadership team, Sam leads due diligence and valuation efforts, along with providing ongoing strategic growth and operational support to W Ventures portfolio companies. He also serves as a board member and advisor to multiple portfolio companies, providing ongoing leadership and guidance.

In his role as EVP, Sam leads Warschawski’s award-winning Digital, Web & Analytics teams in the development, execution and optimization of integrated marketing campaigns and measurement strategies. Sam has established a data-driven culture throughout the agency while delivering exceptional bottom-line growth for clients through the fusion of innovative digital strategies with robust, multi-channel marketing campaigns.

Sam has led successful initiatives for many of the agency’s global, national and regional clients, including Dole Packaged Foods, Biologics Consulting, Hogan Lovells, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (NYSE: CPK), KeyW (NASDAQ: KEYW), Janet, Janet & Suggs, Kabateck LLP, JMT Engineering, WSP (OTCMKTS: WSP), Sagamore Ventures, Mosie Baby, PlayerMaker, The Ridge, CFG Bank, Capital Funding Group, Impruvon Health, Maplewood Senior Living, Rose Health (acquired), Johns Hopkins University, The Catholic University of America, Franklin & Marshall College, Pella, Sagamore Spirit and numerous others.

A digital native, deep generalist, and passionate innovator, Sam has a unique ability to connect seemingly disparate concepts in novel ways. He brings an unparalleled understanding of the digital ecosystem and how each component within that ecosystem can work together to create an exceptional outcome. His experience with specific platforms, including Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Quora, Reddit, YouTube, Programmatic/DSPs, and Amazon, and knowledge of strategic and tactical methods give him the ability to craft comprehensive strategies, execute them flawlessly and optimize them relentlessly across dozens of channels. This approach has led to successful outcomes for clients with a wide variety of industries and business models, including, B2B, B2C, B2G, DTC, SaaS, lead generation, and more.

As a thought leader and pioneer in the direct to consumer, digital and data spaces, Sam is frequently sought out for comment and expertise. He is regularly invited to speak at major regional, national and international conferences, including ShopTalk, Grocery Shop, SMASH, SMX, PRSA ICON, Search Marketing Summit (AU), AMEC, Friends of Search, BrightonSEO & The Digital Analytics Association, among others. He is regularly quoted by prominent national, regional and industry publications.

Sam is a member of the Executive Education faculty at the renowned Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, an adjunct instructor at Georgetown University, and a guest lecturer at New York University. Sam is a member of the Paid Search Association Board, a Foxwell Founder Expert, and an advisor to numerous startups and technology platforms.

Sam was named one of the “Marketers of Tomorrow” by Target Marketing, a Maryland Daily Record 2020 VIP List winner one of the Top 50 Most Influential PPC Experts by PPC Hero.

Sam completed his undergraduate degree at Franklin & Marshall College, and received his MBA with Honors from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. Outside of work, Sam maintains a 7-handicap, is a die-hard Flyers fan and travel enthusiast.