![\"Ocampo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Blueprint-Equity-2-1.jpg\")
Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo’s office is at 1025 Prospect St. in La Jolla. (Blueprint Equity)<\/p>\nWhile many investment firms are struggling to raise capital, La Jolla-based Blueprint Equity pulled in $333 million in just 12 days by betting where others wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Blueprint Equity \u2014 founded in 2018 by Bobby Ocampo and Sheldon Lewis \u2014 deploys a \u201cGoldilocks strategy\u201d between high-risk venture capital and established growth equity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to have a strong pack of horses,\u201d Ocampo said after announcing the $333 million raise in January.<\/p>\n
Blueprint looks to invest in early-stage companies that have a proven track record and plenty of room to grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like where we play,\u201d Ocampo said. \u201cWe can generate venture-like returns with private equity downside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blueprint has invested in 24 companies and has reported only one loss. Most of the companies return four to five times on the investment, some up to 10 times.<\/p>\n
There is no \u201cspecial sauce,\u201d Ocampo said. \u201cWe just want to be the best at what we\u2019re doing, quietly do our job and raise funds in 12 days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blueprint has garnered a global following for beating the market and paying off investors. It has performed so well that it had to turn investors away, a rarity these days.<\/p>\n
Venture capitalists raised half what they did last year because, on aggregate, investors haven\u2019t turned a profit since 2022, according to PitchBook.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe joke from investors is like \u2018Don\u2019t take more money, but take more of mine,\u2019\u201d Ocampo said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Institutions and individuals alike are vying for room in Blueprint\u2019s fund.\u00a0Today, Blueprint has more than $600 million under management.<\/p>\n
Sheldon Lewis and Bobby Ocampo’s office is at 1025 Prospect St. in La Jolla. (Blueprint Equity)<\/p>\n
In his office at 1025 Prospect St. in La Jolla, Ocampo acknowledged that his investments \u2014 in business-to-business software \u2014 aren\u2019t sexy. But they\u2019re \u201cvery lucrative,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s nothing special about software specifically, but after years of developing contacts in that silo, it\u2019s become Blueprint\u2019s specialty, Ocampo said. \u201cI\u2019m not smart enough to start investing in biotechs,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Though the firm is based in San Diego, it doesn\u2019t have any of its investments here, though Blueprint is looking locally for its next round.<\/p>\n
Blueprint has just under two dozen employees, including eight new hires last year. \u201cThey make a lot of calls\u201d as they hunt for companies to invest in, Ocampo said.<\/p>\n
When investing in a company, Blueprint looks for $1 million to $7 million in annual revenue, over 75% growth year over year, and a founder with \u201ccelebrity status\u201d in the particular industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of our founders look the same,\u201d Ocampo said. \u201cHe or she has been in the industry for five to 20 years. They are solving a problem that they witnessed firsthand in their industry. They tend to be very product-led and they have this unique insight about the category that no one else has.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh, and the company has to be monogamous. Blueprint doesn\u2019t want its companies to have any other investors to answer to.<\/p>\n
Blueprint generates most of its returns through secondary sales \u2014 buying early-stage companies, growing their revenue to $10 million to $15 million, then selling them to larger investment firms.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe later stage of growth equity is very well-traveled,\u201d Ocampo said, making it almost a guaranteed sale once a company hits that revenue range. \u201cIt\u2019s why we exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blueprint\u2019s first fund raised $75 million and has deployed a majority of its capital, producing returns on the north side of 400%. The second fund has yet to deploy much of its capital, and the latest fund just closed $333 million.<\/p>\n