Seed investors
A seed round funds the first real test of a business. There is a product people can use, some evidence that they want it, and a team that can build the next version. The money buys the year or two it takes to find out whether that evidence becomes a repeatable motion.
The firms on this list write seed cheques as a stated part of their strategy. Some lead, some follow, and many do both depending on the round. Each cites its own website as the source for what is written here.
HBAN is an all-island umbrella group responsible for the development of business angel syndicates. HBAN actively works to increase the number of angel investors involved in investing…
Midlothian Angel Network is a financial services organization based in Texas that operates an angel investment network. It connects investors with early-stage companies, focusing on…
Founded in 2022 by Timur Daudpota and Sun Choi, 2080 Ventures operates as a hybrid venture accelerator and early-stage VC firm. The firm focuses on bridging emerging markets (Asia…
6 Degrees Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in startups from Seed to Series B stages across fintech, enterprise software, and artificial intelligence. The firm is…
Founded in 2015 by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and his partners, 8VC emerged from the ashes of Formation 8 to become one of the most prominent contrarian venture capital firms in…
Founded in 2024 by Jason Ma, Athabasca Capital operates as an early-stage investment vehicle focused entirely on the Web3 ecosystem. The firm positions itself as a trusted partner in…
Blackbird Ventures incubates, and invests in, early-stage technology companies, providing operational support along the entire startup trajectory to develop market-transforming…
The Asturian Network of Business Angels (ASBAN) is created upon the initiative of the Asturian Federation of Entrepreneurs and of the European Business Innovation Centre of the…
Cosmic Cat Group is a specialized "strategy boutique" and venture builder founded by Thomas Daiber, the former CEO of Hubject. The firm operates at the intersection of mobility…
Creative Startups is described as the world’s leading accelerator for creative companies. It runs acceleration programs across the USA, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, supporting…
Fishing Accelerator is an acceleration program of Kaleido that aims to find innovative solutions to the problems of the fisheries sector.
Kolektor Ventures is a corporate venture capital fund of the closed type established by Kolektor. The aim is to invest in companies in their early stages of development that are…
Kubide es un estudio de desarrollo e inversión en Startups tecnológicas que nació en 2010 con el propósito de revolucionar el sector del emprendimiento en España, aportando a los…
Mamacrowd is the equity crowdfunding platform.
MundiLab is an innovation and acceleration hub focused on insurtech solutions for the insurance industry. It runs an acceleration program designed to help startups leverage new…
NTT Docomo Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of the NTT Group, established in 2008. It functions as the groups central point of contact for the global startup and venture…
Created in 2020 by the global transport infrastructure operator Globalvia, Openvia serves as its dedicated innovation and technology platform. The firm operates as a Corporate Venture…
Paul Wurth InCub is devoted to develop successful entrepreneurs in the Industrial Technologies sector, by providing Paul Wurth’s international expertise and exploring new market…
PCH International is a global company that brings new products to market, providing services across the entire product journey from product development to manufacturing, fulfillment…
PKA is a Danish pension company that manages and invests pension savings on behalf of its members. It positions itself as the pension provider for employees and their colleagues…
Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Holzland is a regional savings bank providing banking and financial services to private customers and business clients. Its offering includes current accounts…
Springboard’s mission is to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurial companies led by women through access to essential resources and a global community of experts. We are a leading…
Founded in Q2 2023 by Taranveer Sabharwal, STIX operates a privacy-first, data-driven OTC platform for trading illiquid digital assets, locked tokens, and crypto equities. Beyond its…
What seed investors look for
Early evidence of demand.
Paying customers, usage that grows without paid acquisition, or a waitlist that converted. Less is needed than at Series A, and something is needed.
A team that has already shipped.
Seed investors back people more than plans, and the question is whether this team can build the next thing, given what it built with the last money.
A market that can carry a fund-returning outcome.
A firm's fund size sets the outcome it needs from every company, and a seed investor is modelling the exit before the first call.
A wedge.
One narrow problem the company solves better than anyone, with a credible route from there to something larger.
A round that makes sense.
Size, price and use of funds that get the company to a Series A story, with room for the plan being wrong.
How a seed raise usually runs
Most seed rounds have a lead investor who sets the terms, and several others who fill the round on those terms. Finding the lead is most of the work, and a firm that leads at seed will usually say so on its own site.
Have ready before the first conversation: a short deck, a data room with the numbers behind every claim in it, a clear use of funds, and a view of what the company looks like at Series A. A raise with a lead in hand closes faster than one still looking for one.
From first meeting to a signed term sheet commonly takes weeks, and longer without a lead. Partners meet the founders, the firm checks the market and the customers itself, and the partnership votes.
Questions
What is the difference between pre-seed and seed?
Pre-seed money funds building the first version. Seed money funds proving that people want it. The line is set by evidence, and the same firm can write both cheques.
Do I need revenue to raise a seed round?
Not always. Revenue is the clearest evidence of demand, and firms accept other evidence, especially where the product takes years to build. Every seed investor wants proof the problem is real and that this team is the one to solve it.
How many investors should I contact?
Enough to reach the few whose stated thesis matches the company. A shortlist built on stage, sector and geography is the useful size, and the filters on this page are for building it.
What is a lead investor?
The firm that sets the price and terms of the round and usually takes the largest share of it. Other investors join on those terms. Most seed rounds do not close without one.
Should I raise from angels or funds at seed?
Many seed rounds have both. Angels move quickly and bring operating experience. Funds bring larger cheques and a reserve for the next round. The mix depends on the round size and on who you can reach.
Seed investors by city
Seed investors by sector