About Novva
17 years of entrepreneurial conviction.
Where dreams transform into reality through dedication, innovation, and an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit.
Founded
17 years ago
Structure
Permanent capital
Backing
PNC Bank · Hennepin
Focus
AI SaaS · Marketplace · PropTech
Our story
From a modest office to a permanent platform.
Our journey began 17 years ago as We Capital Investments — with limited resources but an expansive vision. What we lacked in financial backing, we made up for with relentless drive, passion, and a deep-seated belief in the power of hard work.
In the early days, our office was a modest space filled with ambitious ideas and a team willing to go the extra mile. The road wasn't easy, but every challenge was met with resilience and a steadfast commitment to our goals. Each step forward was fueled by our desire to create opportunities — not just for ourselves, but for everyone who believed in our vision.
Over the years, we faced obstacles that tested our resolve, but each hurdle strengthened our foundation and sharpened our focus. We embraced innovation, adapted to change, and remained true to our core values. This perseverance transformed WE Capital Investments into a trusted name in the investment world, and as we evolved, we rebranded to Novva Platforms — a permanent-capital holding company built to back intelligent software across AI, marketplaces, and proptech.
Today, Novva Platforms stands as a testament to what can be achieved with determination and hard work. Our portfolio reflects diverse interests and a commitment to fostering growth across sectors — built on a reputation for integrity, excellence, and a client-centric approach that creates value for every stakeholder.
Our mission
Build, back, and operate the companies defining the next era of intelligent software.
We exist to provide patient capital and operating muscle to founders building category-defining platforms — across applied AI, network-effect marketplaces, and proptech. One permanent home. Many compounding bets.
Partners
The institutions and icons backing our platform.
From institutional capital to category-defining endorsements — partnerships that compound trust across the portfolio.
With institutional funding from PNC Bank, we're driving new advancements in real estate and property management, pushing the industry forward.
Hennepin Partners' senior professionals have amassed hundreds of years of collective investment banking experience. Together the team has executed hundreds of transactions across multiple industries with aggregate transaction values exceeding $50 billion.
Brand Partner · Livily
Brett FavreNFL LegendNovva has partnered with NFL legend Brett Favre to bring greater visibility and trust to our corporate housing platform. As a respected icon, Favre endorses Livily's innovative approach to short-term rentals, helping professionals and travelers find high-quality, hassle-free accommodations. His partnership strengthens Livily's credibility and reinforces our commitment to convenience, reliability, and excellence in corporate housing.
Brand Partner · Ethur
Kevin O'LearyInvestorNovva has partnered with renowned investor and entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary to revolutionize the rental screening process. As a trusted business leader, O'Leary supports Checke's mission to make tenant screening faster, more secure, and more reliable with instant pre-approvals, biometric ID verification, and direct payroll income checks. This partnership enhances Checke's credibility and solidifies its role in transforming how landlords and tenants connect in the modern rental market.
The team
Operators behind the platform.
A small team of investors, builders, and operators — backed by an extended network of advisors and portfolio leaders.
Anthony L. Leonardo
Visionary leader of Novva Platforms Inc. Over 17 years dedicated to fostering innovation, empowering entrepreneurship, and driving sustainable growth. Under his guidance, Novva has become a trusted name in real estate technology, strategic partnerships, and property investments.
Jeff Stein
Over 20 years of financial leadership experience. Jeff brings deep expertise in financial strategy, risk management, and operational efficiency — driving the group's growth and ensuring robust financial health.
Rakesh Dhiman
Seasoned technology executive with 24+ years building and scaling enterprise-grade platforms across travel, SaaS, IoT, and mobile ecosystems. Prior senior engineering and product leadership at Samsung R&D and Safeview — shipping production systems handling millions of monthly transactions and apps with 500,000+ downloads.
Anders Olson
Hennepin Partners
Managing Director at Hennepin Partners. Trusted M&A and capital markets advisor to Novva on strategic transactions.
Matt Klingbeil
PNC Bank
Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at PNC Bank. Leads the institutional funding relationship with Novva — a cornerstone of our capital base.
What we stand for
Values that have compounded for 17 years.
Conviction over consensus
We back fewer companies, deeper. Judgment compounds; spray-and-pray does not.
Operators, not spectators
We sit on the same side of the table as founders — building, hiring, shipping.
Long horizons
Permanent capital. We hold for decades, not quarters or fund timelines.
Integrity at the core
Every commitment is honored. Every stakeholder is respected. No shortcuts.
How we partner
Build. Back. Operate.
Three ways we work with founders — one underlying belief: capital is the easy part, operating leverage is the moat.
Build
StudioWe incubate companies from zero — design, engineering, and go-to-market from day one.
- Founding team alongside our operators
- Shared design + engineering pod
- Capital from day one through Series A
- Brand, infra, and recruiting on tap
Back
InvestWe lead or co-lead investments in founders building intelligent software at the platform layer.
- Seed to Series B leads
- $1M–$15M initial checks
- Reserves through later rounds
- Permanent capital — no fund clock
Operate
PlatformWe bring shared services, recruiting, and operating leverage across the portfolio.
- Executive recruiting + GTM hires
- Shared AI + data infrastructure
- Finance, legal, and security ops
- Cross-portfolio customer intros
Responsible AI
Principles every Novva company is built on.
AI is the substrate of our portfolio — which makes how we deploy it a question of trust, not just engineering. These principles guide every product decision we make.
Human in the loop
AI augments operators, customers, and decisions — it does not replace human judgment in consequential moments.
Privacy by default
Customer data is never used to train shared models without explicit consent. Tenancy and isolation are first-class.
Transparency
We disclose where AI is involved, what data it touches, and how to override it. No hidden agents acting on a user's behalf.
Safety & evaluation
Every model-driven feature ships with evals, guardrails, and a measurable quality bar — not vibes.
Bias & fairness
We test for disparate impact, document known limitations, and design escalation paths for edge cases.
Accountability
A named human owns every AI system in our portfolio — for incidents, audits, and customer trust.
These principles are living — reviewed quarterly with our portfolio CTOs and updated as the technology and the regulatory landscape evolve.
Our success is a collective achievement — made possible by our clients, partners, and an incredible team. As we look to the future, we remain committed to pushing boundaries and continuing the journey of growth, driven by the same entrepreneurial spirit that set us on this path 17 years ago.
Let's talk.
Whether you're a founder, partner, or future Novva team member — we'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch →