Behind the Deal: Our Latest Investments in BOND and Vessel
Layss Majed, Angel Investing Lead at Viaka
September 2025
It’s only been a couple of months since we announced our first investment through the Viaka Angel Network. And this time, we’re coming with not one, but two incredible startups we’re proud to back. Meet Chloe Samaha and Rene Sultan from BOND, and Thierry Ajaltouni and Thomas Terrats from Vessel. With BOND and Vessel, we’re adding two very different — but equally ambitious — plays to our portfolio, setting the tone for the kind of MENA-aligned ventures we’re backing with conviction.
So, why did we back BOND?
This story once again shows the power of Viaka and its community. About a year and a half ago, long-time supporter and network member Fadi Boulos, founder of Supportful, introduced us to Chloe. At the time, she was in her final year at Babson and working on the first iteration of BOND, a talent management platform that would eventually pivot into something entirely new. Even then, her sharpness stood out.
We made a few intros to support her, but left it there. Fast forward a few months, and Chloe — now joined by Rene — had been accepted into Y Combinator, where they started building a new BOND: an AI productivity company behind Donna, an enterprise-ready AI Chief of Staff designed to collapse management layers and supercharge operational velocity.
Our co-founder, Hani Azzam, attended YC’s Demo Day in San Francisco, caught up with Chloe, met Rene, and was blown away by their progress. What impressed us most was Chloe’s relentless customer obsession. She was constantly speaking with Chiefs of Staff to refine Donna.
With $25K in MRR from 10 pilot customers, a waitlist of over 1,000 companies (including executives from Google), and backing from YC and leading funds, BOND was showing strong early validation.
Within weeks, we closed an oversubscribed allocation into BOND through our angel network. We also helped Chloe onboard additional angels she had sourced herself — giving them the chance to participate by joining our SPV, simplifying the investment process, and ensuring she could bring the right people around the table.
We couldn’t be prouder to back Chloe and Rene as they build a new category of intelligent internal operations infrastructure for modern companies.
Equally exciting was Vessel.
We met Thierry Ajaltouni through our investment associate Layss Majed. Both are McGill alumni, though they never overlapped there. A professor in Layss’ Venture Capital class suggested they connect — both Lebanese, both raised in Dubai, and both entrepreneurial. When the Viaka Angel Network launched, Layss reached out to Thierry, and the connection deepened when they discovered they had even gone to the same high school.
Thierry shared that he had just closed a $7.5M seed round led by Inovia Capital (one of Canada’s largest VCs), alongside MENA-based funds like BY Venture Partners. He and Thomas Terrats were building Vessel: a vertically integrated platform that powers the GP–LP experience by centralizing investor relations and fundraising workflows. The result is a tool that helps funds streamline operations, enhance the LP experience, and raise capital more efficiently.
What impressed us most was the team’s founder–market fit. Between experience at top-tier fund-of-funds (Teralys Capital), consulting firms (Oliver Wyman), and VCs (Inovia Capital), they deeply understood the pain points of private markets — a space often overlooked — and were on a mission to modernize it. Their credibility fueled real traction: customers turned into investors and advocates, helping drive nearly $500K ARR in less than a year.
We also knew Viaka could add value. Before even signing a term sheet, we introduced Thierry to more than 10 potential customers. Recognizing the benefit of having the Viaka Angel Network as a strategic partner, Thierry extended the seed round to bring us on board.
In just two weeks, we ran diligence, hosted a pitch to our angels, collected commitments, signed, and wired. This deal proved how quickly we can move when we have conviction and we’re excited to back a team modernizing the very ecosystem we operate in.
Join Us on the Journey
At Viaka, we’re on a mission to back the best MENA and diaspora founders. With three investments under our belt in just five months, we’re just getting started, one deal at a time. Exciting companies are already in our pipeline, from SF to NYC, Toronto, London and Dubai, and we’re quietly working on many initiatives behind the scenes.
If you know Chiefs of Staff or VCs/PEs looking to modernize GP–LP workflows, we’d love to introduce them to BOND and Vessel. If you’re interested in joining our angel network and accessing world-class dealflow, or if you’re building something bold, reach out. We welcome any conversation, and this is exactly how Viaka thrives. By prioritizing meaningful connections that create lasting impact.
📩 hello@viaka.net