Damian Langere

Damian Langere is a Los Angeles–based real estate operator turned technology investor. In 2008 he co-founded Gelt, Inc. (Gelt Venture Partners) alongside Keith Wasserman, growing the firm's real estate portfolio from a single $150,000 fourplex into a book of value-add multifamily and self-storage assets — reported at more than $3 billion in assets (and over $850M in transactions) across the Western U.S. At Gelt he focuses on deal structuring, investment strategy, and risk management. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2004 with dual degrees in Environmental Science and Geography, where he was a Division 1 athlete.

Working closely with onsite property managers, Langere identified an opportunity to modernize how renters pay and finance rent, which led him to co-found Domuso — a Los Angeles payments-and-financing platform for property managers and renters (offering flexible payments and move-in financing). He serves as Domuso's CFO/COO. Domuso raised $3.1M in 2017, largely from rental-property owner/operators.

Around 2016 Langere launched Gelt Venture Capital (Gelt VC) with Keith Wasserman as an early-stage venture arm, extending the Gelt brand from real estate into startups. The firm writes first checks and stays involved "from prototype through scale," and has more recently repositioned around "backing the next round of AI builders." Langere is also a member of Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) and Tiger 21.

Beyond investing, Langere and Keith Wasserman co-founded the Resident Relief Foundation in 2017, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides emergency financial assistance to help renters avoid eviction during unexpected hardships.

• Stage: First-check pre-seed and seed investor; will occasionally go through Series A. Historically targeted companies valued under ~$25M.
• Check size: Roughly $25K–$250K per deal (angel/early-stage sizing), sometimes participating in larger syndicated rounds.
• Sectors: "From AI and deep tech to gaming and social commerce — we invest in markets with breakout potential." Broad coverage including software/apps, proptech, consumer, fintech, and marketplaces; the firm has historically avoided biotech, blockchain, and cannabis.
• What makes them say yes: "Exceptional founders before the rest of the market catches on." The firm emphasizes backing founders early and staying hands-on from prototype to scale.
• Geography: Global reach with strong U.S. networks (LA, SF, NYC, Ann Arbor) and portfolio companies in the UK, Canada, Brazil, and Australia.