Ihar Mahaniok is the Founder and Managing Partner of Geek Ventures, a New York–based venture capital firm investing in visionary immigrant founders building globally scalable technology companies. An immigrant engineering leader turned investor, Ihar brings more than 20 years of experience building software, machine learning models, and engineering teams across startups and large technology organizations.
Ihar founded Geek Ventures in 2021 with a mission to help talented immigrant entrepreneurs access capital, networks, and opportunities in the U.S. venture ecosystem. The firm focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage technology startups, supporting founders as they build, scale, and expand their businesses in global markets.
Prior to launching Geek Ventures, Ihar built an extensive track record as an angel investor, backing more than 150 startups at the earliest stages. His early investments include several notable unicorn companies such as Instacart, PandaDoc, People.ai, Airbyte, and Jeeves. Through his investing and mentorship, he has helped founders refine their strategies, raise capital, and accelerate growth in the U.S. market.
Before transitioning into venture capital, Ihar spent over two decades as a technology and engineering leader, developing software systems and machine learning technologies for startups and global companies, including roles at major technology organizations such as Google and Meta. His technical background enables him to evaluate startups with a deep understanding of engineering, AI, and scalable technology infrastructure.
Originally from Belarus, Ihar studied computer science before moving to the United States in 2013. His own immigrant journey inspired him to create a venture platform dedicated to helping global founders overcome barriers to funding and connections within the U.S. startup ecosystem.
Today, Ihar is recognized for his work supporting immigrant entrepreneurs, investing in innovative startups, and helping founders transform bold ideas into high-growth companies that shape the future of technology.
