Launching BuyBack Ventures

A Reverse Venture Model

Today, we are launching BuyBack Ventures, an initiative born out of countless hours of collaboration between Keshif and Crescent Ridge, two early-stage VC firms based in San Diego.

The Problem: The Traditional VC Model is Broken for Most

Over the years, we’ve all seen it too many times:

A founder with a great business, profitable or nearly there, capital-efficient, growing steadily, raises venture capital because it seems like the only option. And then, the stakes are higher, the expectations to grow faster increases, and the company starts to drift away from its original vision.

Sometimes the pressure to scale fast at all costs breaks the business. Sometimes the founder ends up owning so little that even a great outcome doesn’t feel like a win. And sometimes, a company that could’ve been a fantastic long-term success simply burns out too early, misaligned with the venture path it was never meant to be on.

This isn’t just a problem for founders, it also affects early investors. We’ve been burned many times alongside angels, friends, and family who backed companies that could have had strong outcomes for everyone involved, but were ultimately derailed by the traditional venture model. That’s why we (Keshif and Crescent Ridge) are launching BuyBack Ventures.

A New Funding Option for Startups

Traditional VC works for a specific type of business, one built to raise multiple rounds and chase hyper growth, with the hope of becoming a unicorn but often ending in a bust.

But there are thousands of businesses that don’t fit that mold and shouldn’t have to. We built BuyBack Ventures to support those companies with an investment model that gives founders capital now with the ability to buy back most of our equity over time.

The result? Founders can own up to 98% of their company as they grow.

We’re calling it a Reverse Venture Model. It's simple:

• We invest $50K–$500K

• We expect a return of 5x our investment and 5% residual equity over 5+ years

• You can buy us out early at a lower multiple (e.g. as low as 2x for 2% in 2 years)

There are no SAFEs, no notes, no waterfalls, no collateral. Just a direct, aligned structure that rewards performance. Founders are incentivized to succeed for themselves.

Who It’s For

BuyBack Ventures isn’t for everyone. It’s not for companies chasing the classic VC path or for capital-intensive ideas with long R&D timelines. Instead, it’s for:

• Bootstrapped or lightly funded companies with steady revenue

• Founders who want to stay in control

• Businesses with high revenue per employee

• Consulting businesses ready to become product companies

• Niche AI agents, plugins, tools, or marketplaces

• Teams post friends & family who want to grow intentionally
  

If you’re building something real and revenue-generating but haven’t found the right funding model yet, this might be what you’ve been looking for.

Who Are We?

BuyBack Ventures is not a new fund, it’s a collaboration between Keshif and Crescent Ridge. We are hoping to find 10-20 companies to co-invest in together over the next 12-24 months with this new investment structure.

We are investors and operators who have been collaborating and co-investing in San Diego for almost two decades. We’ve seen too many strong businesses get ruined and derailed by misaligned funding. We’ve also seen the rise of a new wave of entrepreneurs: long-term builders who want sustainable companies, real ownership, and strategic optionality.

Why We Are Doing This

After so many months brainstorming and many hours on the whiteboard, BuyBack Ventures is our answer to that. A capital structure built for fairness, freedom, and founder-first alignment.

Our deals will not be limited to this type of structure;  most of our deals will be funded through our usual strategy. But, we believe there is a need in the market for this type of structure, and we are joining forces to create a pool of capital to fund companies who desire a new type of startup capital.

Join the First Cohort

We’re now reviewing a small number of founders for our first round of BuyBack Ventures funding. If you're running an almost-profitable business and want capital without giving up control, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more, apply below.

Apply Now →