Gerald Pollak
I rejoined 3VC in 2025 as Principal after my dev tooling startup was acquired. My journey with 3VC began in 2019 as an Associate, where I learned the fundamentals of investing and supporting ambitious founders.
As a founder, I experienced firsthand the challenges of taking an idea from zero to one. Building a team, a product, and a company through periods like the pandemic, war, and recession taught me the immense value of having committed investors as partners. My experience in both the Berlin and San Francisco startup ecosystems also gave me a deep understanding of what it takes to scale globally.
In my role at 3VC, I partner with founders who are down-to-earth but dare to think big. While founders can always expect my honest opinion and accountability, they can count on me as a reliable partner throughout their journey.
Building a company is one of the hardest things you can do. I love working with founders who are truly obsessed with the problem they're solving—that obsession is what overcomes every obstacle along the way. The raw passion I see when talking to an obsessed founding team is the reason I am a VC.
Life is full of ambiguity, and great entrepreneurs embrace it. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school and university. My decision to study abroad was met with confusion. Quitting competitive rowing to pursue a business career was questioned by my friends. Taking the risk to build a company was a move few understood. In the rearview mirror, however, all of these decisions form a perfect, logical path that has shaped who I am today. I encourage founders to take bold, unconventional steps, because in hindsight they will become your most obvious and valuable choices.
A few years ago, a colleague and her husband gave me a sourdough starter. Since then, I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of sourdough baking—from bread to vegan croissants. For me, kneading dough is a way to relax and free my mind. To burn the calories again I love to workout. I believe every founder needs rituals that allows them to mentally wander for at least ten minutes, providing space for clarity and new ideas.