Better Ventures
Better Ventures is an Oakland-based early-stage impact venture capital firm that backs founders building a better world. Better Ventures' climate and planetary-health thesis keeps pulling it into water, where it has funded 3 water companies across 4 deals, from pipe-monitoring sensors to forever-chemical treatment reactors. As of 2026, it manages around $100M.
Compiled by Antoine Walter, (don't) Waste Water, from official filings and direct intelligence in Leviathan.
The take
Better Ventures does not call itself a water fund, and that is the interesting part. The Oakland firm has spent since 2011 backing pre-seed and seed founders under one banner, make money and do good, and water keeps surfacing as a consequence of its climate and planetary-health thesis rather than as the headline.
Look at what Better Ventures actually funds in water and a pattern appears: the digital layer and the hard chemistry. Enzo puts AI sensors on pipes to catch leaks and quality problems, KETOS turns water-quality data into something a utility can act on, and Oxyle goes after forever chemicals with catalytic treatment reactors. Three water companies across four deals, all early stage, all betting that better data and better materials beat more concrete.
The people behind it have been together a long time. Wes Selke and Rick Moss founded Better Ventures out of the Hub Ventures accelerator and have run it as a certified B-Corp ever since, with partner Lyndsey Boucherle sourcing across the sustainable economy. For a generalist impact fund, that is the part I watch: when a climate-first investor keeps writing cheques into pipes, sensors, and treatment, it usually means the category is maturing past the demo stage.
Water Commitment Score
Compiled from official filings, third-party records, and direct intelligence from investors and founders, in Leviathan · recomputed monthly · as of Jun 2026.
How they invest
Portfolio · 3 water companies
Invests alongside
Highlighted = profiled on (don't) Waste Water.
Frequently asked
- What does Better Ventures invest in?
- Better Ventures backs pre-seed and seed founders building a better world, across climate and decarbonization, human health, food and biomanufacturing, and the future of work. Water shows up inside that climate thesis, where the fund has backed companies in water monitoring, water intelligence, and advanced water treatment.
- How many water companies has Better Ventures backed?
- Better Ventures has backed 3 water companies across 4 deals, according to (don't) Waste Water's tracking: Enzo, which monitors pipes with AI sensors; KETOS, a water-intelligence platform; and Oxyle, which destroys forever chemicals with catalytic treatment. (don't) Waste Water rates its water commitment Anchor.
- Who runs Better Ventures?
- Better Ventures was founded in 2011 by Wes Selke and Rick Moss, who still run the Oakland firm as founding partners and lead its pre-seed and seed investing. Partner Lyndsey Boucherle completes the investment team, sourcing across the sustainable consumer economy and workforce.
- Where is Better Ventures based?
- Better Ventures is based in Oakland, California, in the United States, and has invested from there since 2011. It is a certified B-Corp early-stage venture fund managing around $100M, backing founders across North America who build mission-driven technology companies.
- Is Better Ventures a water-only fund?
- No. Better Ventures is a generalist early-stage impact fund, not a water-only investor. Its mandate spans climate, health, food, and the future of work, and water is one expression of its climate and planetary-health thesis rather than its sole focus.