An accelerator built by an entrepreneur for entrepreneurs.
Hassan, our Managing Partner, launched his first product at age 12. His journey as a self-taught entrepreneur led to the creation of this accelerator—designed to help founders skip the struggles he once faced.
Hassan's Story
Hassan was born to a Pakistani father and a British mother. He was inspired to become an entrepreneur after reading Steve Jobs’ biography in middle school. By the time he graduated high school, he had already launched several products, including a browser toolbar, a gaming website, and a website creation service. He went on to double major in Politics and Economics at Ohio’s renowned liberal arts college, Oberlin, where he was deeply involved in entrepreneurship throughout all four years. By his senior year, Hassan had validated demand for his startup with an MVP and secured funding to launch it.
Hassan receiving funding from Oberlin College’s incubator program during his senior year.
Hassan on Stanford University's campus during a visit to San Francisco to meet with VCs.
VC-Backed Founder
Hassan’s journey into venture capital began when he raised over $100,000 from angel investors for his first institutionally backed startup, uPage—a DIY no-code website creation tool for emerging markets. His early backers included former Deutsche Bank alumni, C-suite executives from leading American companies like Amtrak and BBDO, as well as successful entrepreneurs who had previously exited their businesses. Building on that momentum, Hassan went on to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars from institutional venture capital firms in New York and San Francisco, including Hustle Fund—one of the most respected names in pre-seed investing, known for early bets on breakout startups like Webflow and Deel.
Helping Founders
After exiting his venture-backed startup in late 2023, Hassan launched HBF Capital—a firm focused on building profitable remote businesses at the intersection of technology and exceptional global talent. Drawing on his experience, he now helps founders succeed through the HBF Venture Accelerator. He has also embraced a global lifestyle, spending extended periods in Brazil, France, Croatia, Turkey, and Malaysia, while regularly splitting time between London, Islamabad, and New York.
Hassan with a prospective founder in Paris during his two-month stay in France.