Daniel Leff

Managing Partner, Waverley Capital

📍 Palo Alto, California, United States🔄 Updated September 2026💼 28 investments📅 29 years investing🗓 Last invested Apr 2022𝕏 @upgrade_to_unlock
VC🌍 United States20+ investments
28
Total investments
8
Early stage
5
Mid stage
4
Late stage
29y
Years active

Portfolio

20 investments · sorted by recency
All investments
Early stage
Mid stage
Late stage
Investor and Board Member
Apr 2022
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) presents MMA for the first time in the sport-season format where individual fighters control their own destiny, competing in a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. PFL’s differentiated format and exciting fights sparked breakout growth for the league. PFL events are broadcast live in primetime on ESPN2 and ESPN+ in the United States and distributed to 160 additional countries around the world on premium sports networks. For more info visit www.PFLmma.com and follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma), Twitter (@ProFightLeague), Facebook (/PFLmma) and PFL MMA on YouTube
Investor and Board Observer
Dec 2021
Volley is the leading creator of voice AI games for smart speakers, connected TVs and mobile platforms. Using conversational AI, Volley reinvented the traditional game night, making games that can be played using only your voice. Some of our top products include: Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Question of the Day, The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune.
Investor
Nov 2019
Shining a light on L.A. startups. Get the #techla & #startupnews headlines in email, daily/weekly: https://dot.la/newsletter/
early stageMedia Production
Investor
Sep 2019
Headspace is your lifelong guide to better mental health. We make mental health support accessible to everyone, no matter their background or experience. Through our flagship Headspace app, we provide mental health coaching in addition to mindfulness and mental health tools for everyday life, like guided meditations, sleepcasts, mindful movement, and focus exercises. Our enterprise offerings combine this experience with EAP and work-life services, as well as therapy and psychiatry services – all in a single destination. Our team of experts ranges from mental health clinicians to Emmy award-winning producers and data scientists, working together as one to help millions of people around the world be healthier and more productive. To learn more, please visit headspace.com.
Investor & Board Member
Jun 2019
Wondery is a network of storytellers and the fastest-growing podcast company in the world, with hit podcasts such as “Business Wars”, “American History Tellers” and “Dr. Death”. Wondery’s mission is to bring a world of entertainment and knowledge to our audiences, wherever they listen. We provide our listeners with high-quality, emotionally immersive podcasts that allow them to feel the story. Find our shows at Wondery.com or ApplePodcasts.com/Wondery. Top 10 publisher on Podtrac.
Investor
Apr 2019
Endel is a technology that creates personalized sound environments to reduce stress, improve sleep, and boost productivity — all backed by neuroscience and the science of circadian rhythms. The soundscapes are algorithm-powered and designed to gently rise and fall in line with immediate internal and external conditions like location, time zone, weather, and heart rate. Endels technology is already presented as an ecosystem of products (iOS, macOS, Android apps, Alexa Skill, a standalone Apple Watch app and AppleTV) and also designed to be integrated into various hardware and platforms in mobility, hospitality, and workspaces. Major Lazers Jillionaire, Amazon Alexa Fund, and Avex are among some of the investors in Endel.
Investor
Jul 2018
Upcomer makes it easy and more engaging to follow eSports. More specifically, we built the worlds most comprehensive companion app for following eSports in real-time together with thousands of fellow fans and rivals.
early stageSpectator Sports
Investor & Board Member
May 2018
Novel Effect is an award-winning mobile app that follows along during story time with interactive music, sound effects, and character voices creating magical moments when you read aloud with your child. Were on a mission to empower educators, parents, and kids to connect and engage with each other and books. Our unique form of storytelling brings the story to life, engaging and capturing the imaginations of children and their grown-ups. We believe every child is full of potential and that more well-read children in the world will create a better future for us all!
Investor & Board Member
Sep 2017
ART19 provides tools for hosting, distribution and monetization of podcasts, bringing enhanced listening metrics and ad serving technologies to publishers and advertisers. Founded by software entrepreneur Sean Carr and podcast producer Matt Belknap with input from top ad agencies, the platform solves problems with ad targeting, ad replacement, and limited measurement in the space. ART19's technologies are helping agencies and brands leverage the increasingly popular medium and its highly engaged audiences.
Investor and Board Member
Oct 2016
The Athletic delivers powerful stories and smart analysis that bring sports fans closer to the heart of the game. From breaking news and live commentary, to deeply-reported long reads and exclusive interviews, subscribers rely on The Athletic for every sports story that matters. Acquired by The New York Times in 2022. Learn more about career opportunities at The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/careers/
early stageOnline Media
Investor & Board Member
Nov 2015
Naritiv’s analytics solution has been acquired by Hootsuite! We're thrilled to be joining the Hootsuite family, and look forward to contributing to Hootsuite's continued momentum in developing a best in class social marketing solution.
Investor
Jun 2015
At Matterport, were on a mission to unlock the full potential of properties for our customers. With our state-of-the-art 3D digital twin solutions and AI-powered property insights, we revolutionize every phase of the building lifecycle.
Investor and Board Member
May 2015
With a mission to build the world’s leading global live TV streaming platform with the greatest breadth of premium content and interactivity, FuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO) aims to transcend the industry’s current TV model. Fubo operates in the U.S., Canada, France and Spain. The company also has a growing technology center in Bangalore, India that is developing strategic product and technology features for the global Fubo platform. We’re rapidly growing in employees, subscribers, and content offerings! Which means we need your help taking us to the next level. Fubo is committed to excellence through diversity, which involves attracting talented people from diverse backgrounds and traditions. We encourage everyone to apply.
Investor and Board Member
Jul 2014
TAPP is building online video channels around popular personalities, allowing super-fans close-up access to the people they adore. Fan-supported subscription channels you can watch on any device – your phone, tablet, pc, or TV. The TAPP team has disruption in our DNA. We’ve been creating radical new ways of doing things for years, from within the walls of major media companies, and outside them at scrappy startups. We were pioneers of reality television, before the word was even invented. Online video visionaries, since the bad old days of buffering delays. Social media evangelists from the earliest tweet. We see around corners and turn what’s next into what’s now.
early stageMedia Production
Investor
Jun 2014
Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, is the leading free streaming television service delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand to a global audience. The Emmy ® award-winning service curates a diverse lineup of channels, in partnership with over 400 international media companies, offering a wide array of genres, languages and categories featuring movies, television series, sports, news, lifestyle, kids and much more. Pluto TV can be easily accessed and streamed across mobile, web and connected TV devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV’s growing international footprint extends across three continents and over 35 markets. We are always looking for the brightest new talent to join us on our mission of entertaining the planet. Check out the Pluto TV careers section for currently open roles.
Show all 20 investments ↓
Experience · 35 entries
All (35)
Investments (28)
Founder (3)
Board (17)
2022
Investor and Board Member
Apr 2022
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) presents MMA for the first time in the sport-season format where individual fighters control their own destiny, competing in a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship. PFL’s differentiated format and exciting fights sparked breakout growth for the league. PFL events are broadcast live in primetime on ESPN2 and ESPN+ in the United States and distributed to 160 additional countries around the world on premium sports networks. For more info visit www.PFLmma.com and follow PFL on Instagram (@PFLmma), Twitter (@ProFightLeague), Facebook (/PFLmma) and PFL MMA on YouTube
2021
Investor and Board Observer
Dec 2021
Volley is the leading creator of voice AI games for smart speakers, connected TVs and mobile platforms. Using conversational AI, Volley reinvented the traditional game night, making games that can be played using only your voice. Some of our top products include: Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Question of the Day, The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune.
2019
Investor
Nov 2019
Shining a light on L.A. startups. Get the #techla & #startupnews headlines in email, daily/weekly: https://dot.la/newsletter/
early stageMedia Production
Investor
Sep 2019
Headspace is your lifelong guide to better mental health. We make mental health support accessible to everyone, no matter their background or experience. Through our flagship Headspace app, we provide mental health coaching in addition to mindfulness and mental health tools for everyday life, like guided meditations, sleepcasts, mindful movement, and focus exercises. Our enterprise offerings combine this experience with EAP and work-life services, as well as therapy and psychiatry services – all in a single destination. Our team of experts ranges from mental health clinicians to Emmy award-winning producers and data scientists, working together as one to help millions of people around the world be healthier and more productive. To learn more, please visit headspace.com.
Investor & Board Member
Jun 2019
Wondery is a network of storytellers and the fastest-growing podcast company in the world, with hit podcasts such as “Business Wars”, “American History Tellers” and “Dr. Death”. Wondery’s mission is to bring a world of entertainment and knowledge to our audiences, wherever they listen. We provide our listeners with high-quality, emotionally immersive podcasts that allow them to feel the story. Find our shows at Wondery.com or ApplePodcasts.com/Wondery. Top 10 publisher on Podtrac.
Show all 35 entries ↓
Investment activity
1997–2022 · 28 investments
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