Joshua Ferdman has built his reputation not just on smart investments, but on smarter relationships. As the founder of a boutique investment firm that quietly oversees a diverse portfolio from sustainable architecture firms to emerging health tech startups, Ferdman’s strategy is anything but traditional.
“I don’t believe in chasing trends,” he says. “I believe in backing people who can create value, regardless of the market cycle.”
After spending nearly a decade advising ultra-high-net-worth individuals, Ferdman launched Havenhill Partners in 2017, a private firm focused on long-term capital allocation with a human-first lens. His methodology blends classic business fundamentals with psychological profiling and founder alignment.
“We vet leadership harder than we vet balance sheets,” says Ferdman. “I want to know how a founder reacts when everything’s burning.”
This approach has led to outsized success in underhyped verticals. One of Havenhill’s most profitable investments was a Series A round in a mental health AI startup that other firms passed over due to regulatory complexity. Under Ferdman’s guidance, the company scaled into over 3,500 care facilities within 24 months.
But Ferdman’s impact extends beyond returns. He mentors founders weekly, offers mental health stipends to portfolio company CEOs, and has pioneered a founder-readiness framework now used by two major VC funds.
When asked about future plans, he’s characteristically focused on depth, not scale. “I don’t want a $10 billion fund,” he says. “I want a portfolio where I know every founder’s kid’s name.”
Written in partnership with Tom White
