Eric Bahn

Co-founder & GM, Hustle Fund

Eric Bahn is the Co-Founder and General Partner at Hustle Fund, a pre-seed venture capital firm with over $100 million in assets under management, focused on investing in “hilariously early” startups around the world. He began his entrepreneurial journey by founding Beat The GMAT, a leading MBA prep platform that was later acquired. He went on to lead product teams at Facebook and Instagram, and in 2016, co-founded Read Your Story, a personalized children’s book company with his sister that was acquired by JibJab in 2022. Eric holds both a BA and MA from Stanford University.

He got his first taste of venture as a Venture Partner and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at 500 Startups, where he unexpectedly fell in love with the VC game and saw countless ways to improve it for founders. Today, he’s known not only for his sharp insights and founder-first investing approach, but also for his deep loyalty to Costco’s rotisserie chicken, his love of minivans, and his commitment to making venture capital more human, accessible, and fun.

A Funders’ Fishbowl

At Responsive Conference, Eric brings his no-fluff, founder-first perspective to a live, unscripted conversation on the evolving world of work and startups. Known for saying what others are thinking (but won't say out loud), Eric will share real stories from both sides of the fundraising table – what’s broken, what’s changing, and where the next wave of disruption might come from. Expect a mix of sharp insights, practical advice, and the kind of candor that only someone who’s actually built companies and funded hundreds more can offer.