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Best VC Firms for Startups

The early-stage venture capital ecosystem is buzzing with opportunities, but finding the best VC firms for startups can make all the difference for ambitious founders.
From accelerators and micro-funds to established global players, today’s landscape offers a diverse mix of capital providers—each bringing unique strengths, networks, and areas of focus.
To help founders and investors navigate this world, we’ve compiled a curated list of the best VC firms for startups, complete with their official websites and LinkedIn pages.
Whether you’re building in SaaS, fintech, marketplaces, or frontier technologies, this resource is designed to help you connect with the right investors and build lasting partnerships.
1. Boost VC
Website: https://www.boost.vc/
Profile: Boost VC is an early stage venture capital firm with $200m AUM in San Mateo, CA founded by Adam Draper & Brayton Williams. We lead Pre-Seed rounds for Deep Tech (crypto, space, bio, AI, robotics, VR, Sci-Fi). Founded in 2012, Boost VC is a venture capital firm headquartered in San Mateo, California.
The co-founders of the firm are Adam Draper, the fourth-generation venture capitalist, and Brayton Williams. Both have a dedicated focus on sourcing startups that emerge from sectors that often face regulatory challenges. Boost VC's accelerator program provides housing, office space, and investment in exchange for equity. They typically invest in startups raising $2M or less and focus on "accelerating the Sci-Fi Future."
Key Focus Areas: Blockchain/Crypto, VR/AR, AI, Robotics, Space Tech, Biotech, Deep Tech
Stage: Pre-Seed
Notable: Operates both as VC firm and accelerator program
2. Outside VC
Website: https://outside-vc.com/
Profile: Outside VC is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing outsider founders building fintech infrastructure and products. They aim to create a financial system that serves everyone, not just the top 10%.
Key Focus Areas: Fintech, Financial Infrastructure, Economic Inclusion
Stage: Pre-seed & Seed (first checks).
Notable: Backed by leading VC partners and fintech leaders; positions itself as a “friendvestor” offering hands-on, founder-first support.
3. VU Venture Partners
Website: https://www.vuventurepartners.com/
Profile: A multi-stage global venture capital fund focused on Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, Frontier, Healthcare, & PropTech. VU Venture Partners takes a multi-stage approach to investing across diverse sectors, providing capital from early to growth stages.
Key Focus Areas: Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, Frontier Tech, Healthcare, PropTech
Stage: Multi-stage (early to growth)
Notable: Global investment approach with broad sector coverage
4. Marketplace Capital
Profile: The firm appears to focus on marketplace-related investments based on the name, but specific details about investment thesis, team, or website were not accessible through the search results.
Key Focus Areas: Presumably marketplace/platform businesses (based on name)
Stage: Information not available
5. Gacsym Ventures
Website: https://www.gacsymventures.com/
Profile: Gacsym Ventures is a London-based venture studio founded in 2024 that accelerates startup success through a blend of hands-on development and financial investment. Their six-step process spans feasibility evaluation, MVP development, and fundraising support, positioning them as both developer and investor.
Key Focus Areas: B2B Software, SaaS, Tech Infrastructure, Scalability
Stage: Pre-seed & Seed
Notable: Scaled 50+ businesses, flexible tech-for-equity and sales-for-equity models covering up to 50% of startup costs
6. TreeO VC
Website: https://www.treeo.vc/
Profile: Explore Treeo VC's in-depth investor profile, including leadership team. While the firm appears to be active (mentioned in recent Tracxn reports), specific details about investment focus, website, or detailed profile information were not accessible through the search results.
Key Focus Areas: Information not available
Stage: Information not available
Notable: Active investor per industry databases
7. Baukunst
Website: https://baukunst.co/
Profile: A collective of creative technologists advancing the art of building companies at the frontiers of technology and design. Baukunst positions itself as more than a traditional VC, describing itself as a collective that combines technology and design expertise to help build companies.
Key Focus Areas: Technology and design intersection, frontier technology
Stage: Information not available
Notable: Describes itself as "collective of creative technologists" rather than traditional VC
8. XRC Ventures
Website: https://xrcventures.com
Profile: XRC Ventures is an early-stage venture firm driving innovation at the intersection of consumer and technology. The firm focuses specifically on where consumer needs meet technological innovation, including consumer tech and consumer healthtech investments.
Key Focus Areas: Consumer Tech, Consumer Healthtech, Innovative Brands
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Specializes in consumer-technology intersection
9. Underscore VC
Website: https://underscore.vc/
Profile: Underscore VC is a Boston-based venture capital firm backing bold early-stage B2B software founders at Pre-Seed and Seed. Backing bold entrepreneurs with an aligned community designed to fit each startup's unique needs. The firm emphasizes building a supportive community around their portfolio companies and focuses exclusively on B2B software.
Key Focus Areas: B2B Software
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Boston-based with strong community focus for portfolio support
10. Outlander VC
Website: https://outlander.vc/
Profile: By focusing on founders first, we know how to identify and fund future unicorns at the earliest stages—even before revenue or product! Outlander VC is a venture capital firm founded in 2020. It is primarily based out of Atlanta, United States. As of Jun 2025, Outlander VC is an active investor, having invested in 74 companies, with 5 new investments in the last 12 months. It primarily invests in Seed round in United States. The company's mission is to connect visionary founders to the capital and expertise needed to build and scale their game-changing ventures.
Key Focus Areas: Founder-first investing across sectors
Stage: Primarily Seed, invests pre-revenue/pre-product
Notable: Atlanta-based, founded in 2020, very early-stage focus with 74+ portfolio companies
11. Forum Ventures
Website: https://www.forumvc.com/
Profile: Forum Ventures partners with B2B SaaS startups, extending venture studio services, accelerator programs, and pre-seed funding to propel their growth and success. Founded in 2014 (formerly known as Acceleprise), Forum is the leading early-stage fund, program and community for B2B SaaS startups. As of Apr 2025, Forum Ventures is an active investor, having invested in 216 companies, with 4 new investments in the last 12 months, primarily investing in Seed round in United States based startups. Their step-by-step approach has helped 450 founders of software companies secure funding from well-known investors.
Key Focus Areas: B2B SaaS, Enterprise Applications, FinTech
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed (provides $100k in funding)
Notable: New York-based with accelerator program "Forum For Founders"
12. Hustle Fund
Website: https://www.hustlefund.vc/
Profile: Hustle Fund is a venture capital fund investing in hustlers at the pre-seed and seed stages. Hustle Fund is a VC fund that invests in pre-seed software startups in the US, Canada and Southeast Asia. Beyond the usual criteria that VCs typically look for, they prioritise founders' speed of execution above all else. They know how hard it is to run a company because they've done it themselves, and are taking that operational knowledge and sharing it with their founders.
Key Focus Areas: Pre-seed software startups, prioritizes execution speed
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Geographic focus on US, Canada, and Southeast Asia; offers Angel Squad community
13. Everywhere Ventures
Website: https://everywhere.vc/
Profile: Everywhere is a founder collective and early stage venture fund investing in the future of money, health, and work. They embrace the challenge of investing everywhere despite being told it's crazy, impossible, and way too ambitious for such a small, scrappy team.
Key Focus Areas: Future of money (fintech), health (healthtech), work (future of work)
Stage: Early stage
Notable: Founder collective model, describes itself as "small, scrappy team"
14. FOVC
Website: https://www.farout.vc/
Profile: FOVC is a mentorship-driven venture capital firm that pairs high-conviction capital with hands-on support, seeking to partner with non-consensus founders before they become obvious to others.
Key Focus Areas: B2B software (SaaS, AI, fintech, commerce), process automation, enterprise verticals.
Stage: Pre-seed (typically lead or co-lead), with participation in Seed and follow-on capital reserved for Series A.
Notable: Deep involvement in portfolio companies—offering product, GTM, talent, leadership, and fundraising support; actively seeks founders with unique insights and non-traditional backgrounds (“outsiders welcome”)
15. Geek Ventures
Website: https://geek.vc/
Profile: Geek Ventures targets immigrant founders and provides immigrant-focused networking events so founders have an opportunity to grow their professional network. The firm focuses specifically on supporting immigrant entrepreneurs with both funding and community building.
Key Focus Areas: Immigrant-founded startups
Stage: Information not available
Notable: Unique focus on immigrant founders, provides networking events
16. The Baobab Network
Website: https://thebaobabnetwork.com/
Profile: The Baobab Network is an accelerator that backs early-stage ventures across Africa, providing founders with $100k in capital and a global platform to scale. They help build and fund Africa's high potential start-ups and accept applications on a rolling basis.
Key Focus Areas: African startups across sectors
Stage: Early-stage (provides $100k in capital)
Notable: Africa-focused accelerator, rolling application basis, next cohort Q4 2025
17. Panache Ventures
Website: https://www.panache.vc/
Profile: Canada's leading nationwide pre-seed venture fund. Panache Ventures is Canada's most active seed stage venture capital fund, led by a team of experienced operators, with a strong angel investor track record, years of institutional VC experience and a strong network in Canada, in Silicon Valley and worldwide. Panache Ventures specializes in pre-seed and seed-stage startup investments in sectors that play to Canada's strengths: artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, digital health, enterprise software, and blockchain.
Key Focus Areas: AI, FinTech, Digital Health, Enterprise Software, Blockchain
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Canada's most active seed stage fund, founders-first philosophy, commitment to diversity
18. Riceberg Ventures
Website: https://riceberg.vc/
Profile: Riceberg Ventures is committed to partnering with entrepreneurs who are passionately working towards solving humanity's most profound problems. They believe that technology has the power to catapult human progress, fostering economic equality and opening new avenues for innovation and growth. Riceberg Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm with a focus on companies building for global markets and deep tech startups across various sectors.
Key Focus Areas: Deep Tech, Global market-focused companies, solutions to humanity's problems
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Mission-driven focus on solving profound human problems
19. Don't Quit Ventures
Website: https://dqv.vc/
Profile: Based on their website messaging "Tired of being ghosted? Tired of da 'Warm Intro' to VCs?", Don't Quit Ventures appears to position itself as an alternative to traditional VC processes that can be frustrating for founders.
Key Focus Areas: Information not available
Stage: Information not available
Notable: Positioning against traditional VC frustrations (ghosting, warm intros)
20. Pear VC
Website: https://pear.vc/
Profile: Pear VC are seed specialists that partner with founders at the earliest stages to turn great ideas into category-defining companies. They focus specifically on pre-seed and seed stage investments with the goal of building category-defining companies.
Key Focus Areas: Broad sector coverage, category-defining companies
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Specialists in earliest-stage investing, focus on category creation.
21. Wonder Ventures
Website: https://wondervc.com/
Profile: Wonder Ventures is a Los Angeles-based venture capital firm deeply rooted in the SoCal tech community. The firm has a portfolio of over 80 companies, supports 200+ founders, and thousands of employees, with more than 70 of LA's top founders and tech executives investing in Wonder Ventures. This creates a strong community network that supports the founders they invest in.
Key Focus Areas: SoCal tech ecosystem, broad technology sectors
Stage: Information not specified in search results
Notable: Strong LA tech community connections with 70+ local tech leaders as investors
22. Precursor Ventures
Website: https://precursorvc.com/
Profile: Precursor Ventures is a classic pre-seed and seed stage venture capital firm investing in long-term relationships with founders they believe in. Since founding in 2015, they have invested in more than 200 companies across software, hardware, consumer and enterprise, focusing on entrepreneurs entering into new markets solving the toughest problems.
Key Focus Areas: Software, Hardware, Consumer, Enterprise
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Focus on long-term relationships and tough problem solving, 200+ portfolio companies
23. Wischoff Ventures
Website: https://www.wischoff.com/
Profile: Wischoff Ventures invests in relentless early stage, high growth technology companies. Founded in 2021 and based in New York, the firm prefers to invest in vertical SaaS, fintech, supply chain, marketplaces, business-to-business SaaS, and infrastructure sectors. Founded by Nichole Wischoff, the firm targets companies transforming offline industries through innovative solutions.
Key Focus Areas: Vertical SaaS, FinTech, Supply Chain, Marketplaces, B2B SaaS, Infrastructure
Stage: Early-stage (pre-seed and seed)
Notable: NYC-based, founded by Nichole Wischoff, focuses on offline-to-online transformation
24. Nido Ventures
Website: https://www.nido.ventures/
Profile: Nido Ventures is a California-based, cross-border venture capital firm founded in 2021, investing in pre-seed B2B technology startups that transform traditional industries across the U.S.–Mexico corridor, combining Silicon Valley tech with Mexico’s industrial strength.
Key Focus Areas: B2B technology startups in legacy industries, with a preference for companies led by at least one technical founder, leveraging nearshoring and foundational sectors.
Stage: Pre-seed (typically first institutional rounds in the U.S. and Mexico).
Notable: Founded by engineers bridging Silicon Valley and Latin America; closed Fund I at around $7M; has invested in approximately 16 startups, with strong female and Hispanic/Latino founder representation.
25. Plug and Play Tech Center
Profile: Plug and Play Tech Center (PNP) is an American venture capital firm headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, focusing on deploying capital to early-stage technology companies. According to CB Insights from 2020 to 2022, it was the most active startup accelerator in the world with an average deal count of 929 per year, followed by Y Combinator and Techstars. Their mission is to build the world's leading innovation platform and make innovation open to anyone, anywhere, connecting entrepreneurs, corporations, and investors worldwide.
Key Focus Areas: Broad technology sectors, corporate innovation
Stage: Early-stage, accelerator model
Notable: World's most active startup accelerator (2020-2022), 929 deals per year average
26. Gaingels
Website: https://gaingels.com/
Profile: Gaingels is a leading venture investment syndicate founded in 2014 (or 2015 in some sources) that champions diversity and inclusion in startup leadership. It co-invests alongside traditional VCs and syndicates to promote underrepresented founders, including LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies.
Key Focus Areas: Diversity and inclusion in leadership, broad sector focus (technology, B2B, healthcare, consumer), board diversity & recruitment.
Stage: Pre-seed through Growth/Pre-IPO (co-invests in rounds led by established institutions).
Notable: Over $900M invested since 2019 across 2,600+ rounds and 2,400+ companies; strong founder support via the Gaingels Letter, board recruitment, jobs portal, and Diversity Term Sheet Rider Initiative.
27. Amplify LA
Website: https://amplify.la/
Profile: Amplify makes early investments in LA's most promising startups, and is a leading institution in the Los Angeles venture capital scene. Amplify provides passionate technology entrepreneurs the funding and guidance they need to grow their startups into strong, scalable & successful companies.
Key Focus Areas: LA-based technology startups
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Leading LA venture institution, focus on guidance and scalability
28. Dorm Room Fund
Website: https://www.dormroomfund.com/
Profile: Built by students and backed by Midas-List winners and some of the best VCs in the country, Dorm Room Fund helps student founders get all the help they need to take their companies to the next level while helping student investors become the next generation of venture capitalists. DRF is the first and only program to give students 100% of the decision making power, allowing partners to build a real investing track record.
Key Focus Areas: Student-founded companies
Stage: Early-stage student ventures
Notable: Original student-run VC fund, students have 100% decision-making power
29. MBA Ventures
Website: https://mba-ventures.com/
Profile: MBA Ventures is a global early-stage venture capital fund and network dedicated to investing in MBA student and alumni founders from top-tier business schools.
Key Focus Areas: MBA-founder startups across all sectors and geographies, co-founder matching, community-building, syndicate funding.
Stage: Pre-seed & seed (with a syndicate for later-stage co-investments)
Notable: Exclusive platform “The Valley” for networking and co-founder discovery; organizes annual Summit; operates an invite-only syndicate on AngelList for follow-on rounds; strongly tied to top MBA programs.
30. Unshackled Ventures
Website: https://www.unshackledvc.com/
Profile: Unshackled Ventures is the first and only early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to backing immigrant founders in the U.S., providing not just capital but also visa sponsorship, immigration support, and a community to help them launch companies from day zero.
Key Focus Areas: Immigrant entrepreneurs, Pre-seed & Seed-stage ventures across sectors like consumer products, communications/IT, and life sciences.
Stage: Pre-seed and Seed — typically lead or co-lead investments, with check sizes ranging from $100K to $500K.
Notable: Unique “friend and family” capital model offering full immigration services; has supported 200+ founders, with 72% securing follow-on funding; raised a $35M Fund III; created 1,100+ jobs across 80 portfolio companies.
31. Torch Capital
Website: https://www.torchcapital.vc/
Profile: Torch Capital is a brand-focused investment firm built to shepherd the next generation of industry-changing mission-driven consumer companies. Founded in 2018 and based in New York, they invest in consumer platforms, products and services from healthcare, fintech, and food & beverage, to digital media, e-commerce and marketplaces. The firm focuses on investing in visionary founders using technology to revolutionize how consumers and businesses operate.
Key Focus Areas: Consumer healthcare, FinTech, Food & Beverage, Digital Media, E-commerce, Marketplaces
Stage: Early-stage (consumer-focused)
Notable: Brand-focused with mission-driven approach, 124+ investments since 2018
32. Rally Cap VC
Website: https://rallycap.vc/
Profile: Rally Cap VC invests in early-stage fintech across emerging markets and climatetech globally. Founded in 2020 and based in San Francisco, the firm combines capital, operating expertise and networks into a collaborative community. Rally Cap empowers a portfolio of top-tier founders building the next generation of emerging market financial services and climate technology solutions.
Key Focus Areas: FinTech (emerging markets), Climate Technology
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Dual focus on fintech and climate, emerging markets expertise, 93+ investments
33. Cortado Ventures
Website: https://cortado.ventures/
Profile: Cortado invests in seed-stage frontier tech companies transforming legacy industries in America's Midcontinent Region with innovative solutions. The firm focuses specifically on supporting startups that are modernizing traditional industries through technology adoption.
Key Focus Areas: Frontier tech transforming legacy industries
Stage: Seed-stage
Notable: Geographic focus on America's Midcontinent Region, legacy industry transformation
34. LvlUp Ventures
Website: https://www.lvlup.vc/
Profile: LvlUp Ventures is one of the most active multi-stage venture capital firms globally, backing and supporting over 500 startups annually across 6 continents. Founded in 2019 and based in Los Angeles, LvlUp is an early-stage value-add fund and hybrid accelerator-venture studio, investing in teams with strong initial market validation. They don't just "accelerate" - they "upcelerate" businesses and help startups with investor pitch decks and capital raising.
Key Focus Areas: Multi-stage investing across various sectors
Stage: Early-stage (multi-stage capability)
Notable: 500+ startups annually, hybrid accelerator-venture studio model, global reach
35. Ganas Ventures
Website: https://www.ganas.vc/
Profile: Ganas Ventures is a Latina-led VC fund investing in pre-seed and seed-stage, community-driven startups across the US and Latin America. They back underestimated founders with tools like their startup-investor matching platform, fundraising guides, LP and scout resources, and ecosystem insights. Their goal is to support founders with big visions and a passion for addressing big problems in growing markets.
Key Focus Areas: Community-driven startups, broad sectors
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Latina-led fund, US and Latin America focus, comprehensive founder support tools
36. Symphonic Capital
Website: https://www.symphoniccapital.com/
Profile: Symphonic Capital is a mission-driven early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2022 by Sydney Thomas, committed to supporting underserved founders building healthcare and fintech solutions. The firm offers both capital and hands-on operational support, aiming to bridge access gaps and build lasting businesses.
Key Focus Areas: Healthcare, FinTech, Financial Access, Digital Health, Underserved & Overlooked Communities
Stage: Pre-seed and Seed (investing in post-product launch startups with MVP and first customer, rounds of $1–3M on valuations under $10M)
Notable: Closed a $13.5M inaugural Fund I in 2025; deep, founder-first support model; focused on equity and impact; backed by prominent institutional and founder LPs; headquartered in Oakland, CA.
37. Alpaca VC
Website: https://alpaca.vc/
Profile: Alpaca VC brings deep real estate expertise to their portfolio companies. Based on testimonials, they are recognized as strong advisors to management teams, particularly with deal structuring and introductions to tech leaders. The firm appears to focus on real estate technology and related sectors.
Key Focus Areas: Real Estate Technology, PropTech
Stage: Information not specified
Notable: Deep real estate expertise, strong advisory capabilities, deal structuring focus
38. Deciens Capital
Website: https://deciens.com/
Profile: Deciens Capital backs early-stage founders redefining how financial services are created, distributed, and consumed. The firm has a specific focus on the financial services sector and works with founders who are fundamentally changing the fintech landscape.
Key Focus Areas: Financial Services, FinTech
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Specialized focus on redefining financial services ecosystem
39. Afore VC (Afore Capital)
Website: https://www.afore.vc/
Profile: Afore Capital is a Pre-Seed VC with $300 million in AUM co-founded by Anamitra Banerji & Gaurav Jain. They support product-oriented founders building software companies at the very earliest stages, with their sweet spot being investing $1-2M+ into founders' first institutional round. Founded in 2016 and based in San Francisco, they focus on business services, consumer services, fintech, SaaS, marketplace, and information technology sectors. They offer a Founder in Residence program providing at least $100K in capital.
Key Focus Areas: Business Services, Consumer Services, FinTech, SaaS, Marketplaces, Information Technology
Stage: Pre-Seed (first institutional round focus)
Notable: $300M AUM, Founder in Residence program, product-oriented focus, 101+ investments
40. The Council
Website: https://www.wearethecouncil.com/
Profile: The Council Fund is a pre-seed venture capital fund and angel community rooted in San Francisco, investing in founders transforming legacy industries (such as manufacturing, education, fintech, logistics, and healthcare). It combines capital with curated operator support through its network of operator-angels and strategic introductions.
Key Focus Areas: Enterprise, Education, Fintech, Future of Work, Defense/Government/Legal, Logistics, Healthcare & Life Sciences.
Stage: Pre-seed and Seed, with check sizes up to $100K; facilitated via angel syndicates and SPVs.
Notable: Operates a highly curated community of over 200 operator-angels, hosts weekly live pitch calls and deal flow newsletters, and connects founders to both operators and multi-stage VCs. Location: San Francisco, CA.
41. GoAhead Ventures
Website: https://www.goaheadvc.com/
Profile: GoAhead Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital fund managing over $175M in AUM, founded in 2015. The firm has created a streamlined investment process featuring a 1-way video pitch system where all 3 managing partners review every submission, with decisions made within ~6 days. They focus on seed-stage investments in software, AI, and healthcare industries, primarily in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and New York. As of February 2024, they have invested in 105 companies across all technology sectors and geographies globally.
Key Focus Areas: Software, AI, Healthcare (but invests in all tech sectors and geographies)
Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed
Notable: Streamlined 6-day decision process, 1-way video pitch system, 105+ investments, Venture Scout program for students
42. Barrel Ventures
Website: https://www.barrelvc.com/
Profile: Barrel Ventures is a seed-stage fund founded in 2019 and based in Evanston, Illinois, focused on fixing the broken food ecosystem. The firm addresses massive market inefficiencies that are harming the planet, investing in innovative companies working on supply chain solutions, resource optimization, and food system adaptation. As of September 2024, they have invested in 22 companies, primarily in Series A rounds for US-based startups.
Key Focus Areas: Food ecosystem, supply chain innovation, sustainability, resource optimization
Stage: Seed to Series A
Notable: Illinois-based with specific focus on food system transformation, 22+ investments
43. Enzo Ventures
Website: https://www.enzoventures.eu/
Profile: Enzo Ventures is an early-stage VC fund founded in 2019, investing in tech companies that meet future generation needs. Based in Madrid/Barcelona, Spain, the firm focuses on disruptive digital solutions across Southern Europe. Led by Gen Z entrepreneurs, Enzo empowers disruptive ventures and has invested in 31+ companies since founding, targeting technology sector companies across the region.
Key Focus Areas: Future generation tech needs, disruptive digital solutions
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Gen Z-led fund, Southern Europe focus, Madrid/Barcelona based, 31+ investments
44. Redbud VC
Website: https://www.redbud.vc/
Profile: Redbud VC is an early-stage venture capital fund and studio that invests monetary and social capital in tech founders who are "strengthened by struggle." Led by the Schlacks brothers (Willy and Jabbok), who founded EquipmentShare, and Brett Calhoun, the firm combines traditional venture capital with studio services to support founders facing significant challenges.
Key Focus Areas: Early-stage tech across sectors
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Founded by EquipmentShare founders, focus on founders "strengthened by struggle," venture capital + studio model
45. Next Wave NYC
Website: https://www.nextwave.nyc/
Profile: Next Wave NYC is a pre-seed venture fund launched in 2024 by Flybridge, run by some of the best and brightest founders and operators from the last decade of the New York City startup scene. The investment team includes leaders from Bowery Farming, Casper, Chief, Flatiron School, Foursquare, Google, Major League Hacking, and other notable NYC companies. The fund is dedicated to supporting the next chapter of NYC's tech scene in an AI-driven world.
Key Focus Areas: NYC-based startups, AI-driven tech
Stage: Pre-Seed
Notable: Backed by Flybridge, team of proven NYC operators, launched in 2024, AI focus
46. F7 Ventures
Website: https://www.f7ventures.com/
Profile: F7 Ventures is positioned as a hands-on partner for scaling companies, with deep expertise as former operators and executives. Based on portfolio company testimonials, F7 is known for being one of the most operational partners, helping companies achieve key milestones including Series A fundraising. The firm appears to focus on being the "go-to call for operational questions" for their portfolio companies.
Key Focus Areas: Information not specified in search results
Stage: Early-stage (supports through Series A)
Notable: Former operators/executives, highly operational support, hands-on scaling expertise
47. Recall Capital
Website: https://www.recall.capital/
Profile: Recall Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders building next-generation companies across technology and innovation-driven industries. They focus on early-stage investments, supporting startups with capital, strategy, and long-term partnership.
Key Focus Areas: Technology, Innovation, Early-Stage Startups
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Provides hands-on support and strategic guidance to founders, focusing on transformative ideas with long-term growth potential.
48. Launch Factory
Website: http://www.launchfactory.com.au/
Profile: Launch Factory is a San Diego–based startup studio and venture capital firm dedicated to building and investing in innovative early-stage companies. They support founders through strategic guidance, capital, and a deep operational lens to drive growth.
Key Focus Areas: Startups with early product-market fit; enterprise and B2B technology ventures across diverse sectors.
Stage: Post-product-momentum early-stage—typically when startups demonstrate initial traction and are ready to scale.
Notable: Combines venture capital with hands-on venture studio support, offering founders both funding and strategy from a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts.
49. Ethos Fund
Website: https://www.ethosfund.vc/
Profile: Ethos Fund invests in early-stage, globally ambitious tech startups in Southeast Asia and the US. The firm empowers visionary entrepreneurs to bring their transformative ideas to life, fueling innovation and pushing society forward. Ethos focuses on supporting companies with global ambitions from their early stages.
Key Focus Areas: Early-stage tech with global ambitions
Stage: Early-stage
Notable: Dual geographic focus on Southeast Asia and US, mission to fuel transformative innovation
50. Better Tomorrow Ventures
Website: https://www.btv.vc/
Profile: Better Tomorrow Ventures focuses specifically on Financial Technology with the belief that fintech will create a better tomorrow. The firm is dedicated to building and investing to create that future, with a specialized focus on the financial technology sector and its potential to improve financial systems and accessibility.
Key Focus Areas: Financial Technology (FinTech)
Stage: Information not specified
Notable: Specialized FinTech focus, mission-driven approach to improving financial systems
Conclusion
Securing funding is more than raising money—it’s about choosing the right partners who believe in your vision and bring strategic value beyond capital.
The best VC firms for startups don’t just invest; they mentor, connect, and help founders scale in competitive markets.
As you explore these firms, treat this list as a roadmap to find investors whose values, networks, and expertise align with your goals.
The right partnership can fuel growth, unlock opportunities, and set your startup on the path to lasting success.
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