52 min read
Series - part 3 of 4 The 45 (best) venture capital firms in the USA that literally want startups to pitch them
If you’re looking for the best venture capital firms in the United States, we’ve done the hard work for you. Happy pitching!
This post is part of the Venture Capital Firms series
- 1.Here are the top Venture Capital Firms in Asia that are investing in early-stage startups
- 2.Top Venture Capital Firms in Latin America Investing in Startups
- 3.The 45 (best) venture capital firms in the USA that literally want startups to pitch them
- 4.The Best Venture Capital Firms in Europe Currently Investing in Startups
Table of Content
In 2018 Venture Capital firms in the United States invested over $130.9 billion in up and coming startups.
Are you interested in getting a piece of that action?
If so, we’ve put in the work to create a roundup of the top 44 venture capital firms in the United States, categorized by states.
We’ve included:
- Information on how to apply
- As much information as we could find on how much money they usually invest
- Contact information
- Any other trivia we thought was important for you to know
Good luck pitching!
VCs in California
Sequoia Capital
What you need to know:
- Active since 1972, Sequoia has been the first investor of Google, Yahoo!, LinkedIn, YouTube and WhatsApp. To this day, they continue helping “daring founders” push their boundaries.
- Although they invest in companies at all stages, they prefer to partner at the very beginning.
- Sectors of focus are energy, enterprise, financial, healthcare, internet and mobile.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the US, but they also have a dedicated fund for India and Southeast Asia.
- 263 of the companies Sequoia has invested in have exited (although they don’t like the term “exit”), among them Apple and Uber.
- 75% of the startups Sequoia has backed on a seed-stage level, have gone on to raise Series A financing.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed-round investments average around $4-5M.
- Usually leading seed and early stage rounds, but have participated up to a series F.
- They handle a total fund size of $15.3 B, across 22 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Accel
What you need to know:
- With names such as Facebook, Slack, Atlassian, Dropbox and
- Spotify featuring among their portfolio companies, Accel is one of the most influential VC firms, funding companies through all phases of growth worldwide.
- They have a big focus on SaaS, but their portfolio includes companies in the security, consumer, developer and marketplace sectors.
- They have two hubs in the US, one in London and one in Bangalore, but they’re also funding companies outside these countries.
- 281 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Facebook.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed rounds average $1-4 M.
- Usually leading seed and earlier rounds, but have participated in everything up to a series E.
- Total fund size of $12.3 B, spread across 28 different funds.
How to apply:
- Contact their Bay Area office through this page.
Andreessen Horowitz
What you need to know:
- Also known as “”a16z”, the Silicon Valley based VC firm was founded in 2009 and now utilize a network of experts (from technical and executive talent, top media and marketing resources and Fortune 500/Global 2000 companies) to help their portfolio companies grow.
- They consider themselves “stage agnostic”, investing from seed to late-stage technology companies.
- Sectors of focus are biotech, cryptotech, consumer and enterprise.
- Investing mostly in US companies, with a California focus.
121 of their portfolio companies have exited, including Business Insider and Reddit. - You can also attend one of their regular briefings, to get inside information on the latest technology trends.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed round averages around $4M.
- Have led everything from seed rounds to series F.
- Handling a total fund size of 10,4 B across different funds, including a $650M Bio fund, a $350M Crypto fund and a Cultural Leadership Fund.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
VCs in New York
Union Square Ventures
Why you need to know:
- Launched in 2004, NYC-based Union Square Ventures started with a focus on web apps, investing in companies such as Behance, Etsy, Foursquare, Kickstarter, Tumblr and Twitter. Today, they focus on companies that “broaden access to knowledge”.
- Both early and late-stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are internet services, mobile, web apps and web services although lately, they’re also investing in fintech.
- Geographically flexible: most of the companies they’ve invested in are located in New York, San Francisco, London or Berlin, but they commit to also invest in “most places in between”.
- 39 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Twitter, web security company Cloudfare and cloud com company Twilio.
- They are prolific investors! They have invested in 279 companies so far and make about two investments a month on average.
How much they usually invest:
- Starting ticket at $1M, which can range from $2.5-3M for series A.
- Typically, they invest about $20M per company.
- They invest in everything from seed rounds to series E.
- Total fund size of $1,7B spread across 10 funds.
How to apply:
- Send them your business plan (including a clear description of your operations and progress) at [email protected]
Insight Partners
Why you need to know:
- Around since 1995, Insight Partners have invested in more than 300 companies in the software sector.
- Investing in fast-growing companies, from seed to late stage.
- They call themselves “obsessed with software” and are heavily geared towards SaaS companies.
- Although NYC based, they invest globally.
- 100 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Twitter, Shopify and data science & analytics platform provider Alteryx.
- Recently, they opened their first international office in Israel.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on an initial ticket, but a Series A investment can reach anything from $11-36M.
- Lately, they have led rounds from series A to series C, but also participate in later rounds.
- Insight Partners are handling a total fund size of $16.6B across 8 funds.
How to apply:
- Fill in the contact form on their website or email them at [email protected]
RRE Ventures
What you need to know:
- Helping entrepreneurs build great companies since 1994, RRE Ventures have made 478 investments. BuzzFeed
- Early and mid-stage investors.
- They have a broad range of focus sectors, including fintech, 3D printing, media and robotics.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the US, although they may also invest overseas.
90 of their companies have exited, most notably Business Insider, The Huffington Post, Venmo and Bitly. - When considering investing in your company, they’ll focus primarily on the structure of your team, your product and how competitive the landscape in your niche is.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on initial ticket, but latest seed rounds have been around $4M.
- Investing primarily in seed, as well as in series A and B rounds.
- They’ve raised a total fund size of $1.9B across 9 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
VCs in Florida
The Venture City
What you need to know:
- Newcomer The Venture City Fund is a female-led venture fund that focuses on democratising opportunities and helping diverse founders (they’ve invested in startups from 12 different nationalities) to achieve a global impact.
- Early stage investors.
- Investing in B2B/B2C software companies.
- Focusing mostly in companies in North America, Southern Europe and Latin America.
- No exits yet; they’ve invested in 31 companies so far.
- The Venture City is bilingual; if Spanish is your first language you’ll be in good hands.
How much they usually invest:
- Their investment tickets range from $750K-$3M although some of their series A investments go up to $8M.
- Investing primarily in seed rounds and series A, but they have participated in series B as well.
- They currently operate on a single venture fund of $50M.
How to apply:
- Fill in their questionnaire about your company here.
Rokk3r Fuel EXO
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2017, Rokk3r Fuel aims to “fuel the modern economy” funding exclusively entrepreneurs who are building exponential organizations (ExO).
- Investing in both early and later stage companies.
- Self-described as “industry agnostic” they prefer to focus on finding exceptional founder to invest on than stick to specific sectors.
- Although their HQ is in Miami, Rokk3r Fuel has seven offices across the Americas and Europe so they invest in multiple geographies.
- Portfolio companies include AdMobilize, Hyp3r and Taxfyle. None of their companies have exited yet.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed rounds usually range around $1-2M.
- So far they’ve only invested in seed rounds and series A but they are open to potentially investing in later rounds as well.
- Handling a total fund size of $224M.
How to apply:
- You can email them at [email protected] or register as a founder here.
Ballast Point Ventures
What you need to know:
- Founded in 2001, Ballast Point Ventures take pride in creating long term relationships with their portfolio companies. The VC firm invests in “established but rapidly growing” companies with a strong sense of community and locality.
- Growth stage investors.
- Broad range of industries: from comms to healthcare, consumer and fintech.
- They prefer to invest in companies that have either their HQ or their ops in Florida, Texas and the Southeast.
- 3 of their portfolio companies have exited, namely diagnostic services MolecularMD, mobile services Tower Cloud and online ticketing company TicketBiscuit.
- Usually take minority ownership stakes.
How much they usually invest:
- They invest from $5-12M in companies that meet their criteria. Their series A and B investments usually range around $8-9M.
- Leading and participating in series A to C, as well as in many venture rounds (series undisclosed).
- Handling a total of $360M assets under management.
How to apply:
- They prefer warm introductions and referrals but you are also welcome to email them at [email protected].
VCs in Texas
Austin Ventures
What you need to know:
- Around for three decades now, Austin Ventures is one of the most active VC firms in the state, having invested in 372 companies.
- Equally focusing on early stage and middle market companies.
- Sectors of focus are internet, software and hardware.
- Focusing mostly in Texan companies.
- 100 of Austin Ventures’ portfolio companies have exited, most notably cloud-based Upland Software, access management provider SailPoint Technologies and online marketplace RetailMeNot.
How much they usually invest:
- Typically ranging from $500K (for proof-of-concept projects and seed financings) to $40M (on venture growth rounds).
- Their latest investments have been on anything from a series B to a series F and venture rounds (series undisclosed).
- Handling a total fund of $4.5B across 10 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Silverton Partners
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2006, Austin based Silverton Partners is providing both institutional capital and mentorship to young companies. They’re one of the most active VC firms in Texas, having made 127 investments so far.
- Early stage investors.
- Broad sectors of focus are technology and internet.
- They have a “bias” towards investing in Austin based companies, but they’re not geographically restricted.
- 27 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably digital experience platform for WordPress WP Engine, access management provider SailPoint Technologies and intelligent communications platform TrendKite.
How much they usually invest:
- Their typical initial investment ranges from $500K-$4M.
- Leading and participating in everything from seed rounds to series C.
- Their total fund size is $258M spread across 4 funds.
How to apply:
- Submit your business plan to [email protected]
S3 Ventures
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2007, S3 Ventures is investing on information technology solutions that solve large business problems and “improve the human condition”.
- Early, expansion and growth stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are SaaS, Enterprise software licenses, information technology and medical devices, but they invest outside their focus sectors as well.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the Southwest with a Texas focus.
15 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably delivery service Favor, online magazine Complex, and audience intelligence service Qualia. - Usually looking to partner with companies that to partner with companies that can grow to a scalable model on $10M to $20M of invested capital.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on initial ticket but their latest seed rounds have averaged around $1.5M.
- Leading and participating in anything from a series A to a series E.
- They have a total of $500M assets under management.
How to apply:
- Submit your business plan via email to [email protected]
VCs in Illinois
JK&B Capital
What you need to know:
- Around since 1996, JK&B is an eclectic, Chicago based VC firm that has made 104 investments so far. They focus on supporting information technology companies and believe that the future of VC firms “will be leaner, technically astute, and highly focused”.
- Self proclaimed stage agnostic, they invest on anything from seed to later rounds.
- Sectors of focus are software, communications and healthcare.
- Investing in companies located in both the West and East Coast of the US.
31 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably internal communications platform Actiance. financial management software Sage Intacct and software-based security enhancement service Verimatrix. - They only invest in a very few select companies each year, so make sure you have a strong case!
How much they usually invest:
- No information on initial ticket. Their latest investments range from $2.7M-$39M.
- Lately they have mostly been participating in venture rounds (series undisclosed) and anything from a series B to a series H.
- JK&B Capital are handling a total size of $1.1B capital under management.
How to apply:
- Give them a call at (312) 946-1200.
Adam Street Partners
What you need to know:
- Since 1972, Adams Street Partners is somewhat of a Chicago VC legend. With 177 investments under their belt and approximately a new investment every month, the VC firm is handling primary, secondary, growth equity, credit and co-investment strategies (they can invest in your startup themselves or connect you with one of their investor clients).
- Sectors of focus are software, mobile, healthcare, security and fintech.
- They have 4 offices in the US, 4 in Asia and 2 in Europe, so they invest in many different geographies.
- 56 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably cross-platform measurement company comScore, Field Service Management Software ServiceMax and banking application design tool Q2ebanking.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on an initial ticket. Their latest investments range anywhere from $10-100M.
- This year, they’ve participated in anything from a series A to a series E (but only led a series E).
- They have a total of $38B of assets under management.
How to apply:
Apex Ventures Partners
What you need to know:
- With over 130 investments in technology companies since their launch in 1987, Apex is another Chicago VC staple. They like to work closely with the startups they invest in, and are serving (or have served) on the boards of more than 75% of their portfolio companies.
- Seed to growth stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are IT infrastructure, software applications, technology-enabled services and telecom.
- Investing in companies “regardless of geography”, although maintaining a US focus.
- 22 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably power generation system Bloom Energy, clothing service TrunkClub, and weight management program Retrofit.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges from $200K to $6M.
- Lately they’ve participated in everything from a series A to a series D and debt financing.
- They have a total of $600M under management across 6 funds.
How to apply:
- Send them your business plan via email at [email protected]
VCs in North Carolina
Hatteras Ventures Partners
Why you need to know:
- If your startup is healthcare oriented, Hatteras Venture Partners may be a great fit for you. Based in Durham, the VC firm has over two decades of experience in investing in cutting-edge healthcare companies.
- Early stage investors.
- With healthcare as the main focus, Hatteras is looking for companies in biopharma, diagnostics, healthcare IT and medical devices sectors.
- Although they have a strong focus on the Southeast, they invest nationally.
- 11 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably G1 Therapeutics, Inc., Medfusion and PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on an initial ticket, but their latest series A investments range from $8-30M.
- Usually participating in anything from seed up to a series D.
- Their total fund size is $369M across 3 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Intersouth Partners
What you need to know:
- With investments in over 100 companies, Intersouth Partners is one of the most experienced VC firms in the Southeast. Currently very eclectic (they’re only making one investment per year or so you need to make sure you’ve crossed all your t’s and dotted all your i’s to get their attention).
- Seed to late stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are technology and life sciences.
- Focusing in North Carolina companies but investing all over the US.
- 35 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Alimera Sciences, Argos Therapeutics and TransEnterix.
How much they usually invest:
- No information on initial ticket, but their latest early series rounds investments start at $9M.
- Participating in series A to C and venture rounds (undisclosed series).
- Handling a total fund size of $780M across 7 venture capital limited partnerships.
How to apply:
- Send them an email at [email protected]
River Cities Capital Funds
What you need to know:
- With offices both in North Carolina and Ohio, River Cities Capital Funds has a 24-year history of investing with 125 investments so far.
- Late stage investors and private equity.
- Sectors of focus are healthcare, IT and “the intersection of these two sectors”: SaaS, medical devices and tech-enabled services.
- Investing in companies all over the US.
- 35 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably EndoChoice, GoCanvas and Lattice Engines.
- They usually target companies generating $5M+ in revenue
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges from $5M – $15M.
- Leading mostly series B and C.
- Total fund size of $800M across 6 funds.
How to apply:
- Fill in their questionnaire and submit your business plan here.
VCs in Georgia
Kinetic Ventures
What you need to know:
- With offices in Georgia and Maryland, Kinetic Ventures has been partnering with entrepreneurs for about 30 years. Among their portfolio companies feature names such as Ciena, VerticalOne and Corvis. One of their portfolio companies became the most highly valued venture-backed IPO in history.
- Primarily early stage investors but will selectively invest in seed and growth as well.
- Sectors of focus are communications, information and power/clean technology.
- Investing in US companies.
- 13 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably purchase-based intelligence tool Cardlytics, retail predictive analytics Predictix and telecom services Tower Cloud.
- Usually looking to invest in companies that they’re raising their first $1 to $5M of institutional capital.
How much they usually invest:
- Their seed rounds average around $3M.
- Investing in anything from seed rounds to series C.
- Handling a total fund size of $150M.
How to apply:
- Send in your investors’ deck via the form on their website.
Tech Operators
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2008, the Atlanta based VC firm invests in software companies with high growth potential in large and growing markets. They’ve made 46 investments so far.
- Seed and early stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are: digital marketing automation, predictive analytics and IoT enterprise solutions, sales process improvements based on big data analytics, cyber security and prevention solutions.
- They prefer investing in the Southeast for their B2B portfolio, but will invest in cyber security companies across the US.
- 9 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them protection platform Endgame, IoT software Relayr and automated machine learning Predikto.
- Typically, they seek board representation.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges from $2-4M.
- Usually leading series A and participating up to a series C.
- Their total fund size is $172M across 3 funds.
How to apply:
- Submit a business summary to [email protected] but make sure you read about the topics they want you to include first.
TTV Capital
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2000, the Atlanta based VC firm invests in businesses that change the game in the financial services sector and solve real problems for the consumers of financial products.
- Early stage investors.
- One of the few venture firms geared exclusively towards fintech.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the US and Canada.
- 10 of their portfolio companies have exited among them web sales automation Connecture, SaaS payments company Exactuals and point-of-sale financing Financeit.
How much they usually invest:
- No info on an initial ticket but they invested $3M on the latest seed round they led.
- Usually participating in anything from seed rounds to series C.
- Handling a total fund size of $300M, across 5 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
VCs in Washington DC
New Enterprise Associates
What you need to know:
- Founded in 1977, the VC firm has a long track record of success with a whopping 1,587 investments among which more than 210 portfolio company IPOs and more than 360 acquisitions. To this day, they remain one of the world’s most active VF firms, with several new investments each month.
- Investing in companies at all stages.
- Broad sectors of focus are technology and healthcare.
- Investing globally.
- 329 of their portfolio companies have exited — with many notable exits such as Uber, UpWork and CloudFlare.
- Although not located in Washington DC (the global VC firm has two offices in nearby Maryland, as well as New York and Silicon Valley), NEA has been investing a lot in the DC metro area.
How much they usually invest:
- No info on an initial ticket but their latest series B investments range from $30M-$100M.
- Round agnostic, although lately they’ve invested mostly in series B and C.
- They’ve handled over $19 B in cumulative committed capital since the VC firm was first founded.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Revolution
What you need to know:
- Located in Washington DC, the firm offers a three-fold approach to investing with Revolution Ventures (initial, early-stage VC), Revolution Growth (invests upwards of $20M in “speed-ups” – helping companies scale) and Revolution Places (investing in real estate and hospitality, in the $25-50 million range, usually becoming the majority shareholder).
- Early and growth stage investors.
- Broad sector focus, from technology applications to real estate and hospitality.
- Focusing mostly in companies in “off the beaten track regions” in the US.
- 20 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Handy (formerly Handybook), CLEAR, and Booker.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket for Revolution Ventures ranges from $4M to $8M.
- Everything from seed rounds to a series F.
- Handling a total fund size of $1.3B.
How to apply:
- Fill in the contact form here.
Updata Partners
What you need to know:
- Launched in 1998, Updata Partners is focused on helping software-driven companies grow. They’ve built more than 40 companies with a $750M in committed capital.
- They invest in all stages.
- Sectors of focus are SaaS, infrastructure & application software, technology-enabled services and digital media/e-commerce.
- 26 or their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Nintex, Logi Analytics and Mashable.
How much they usually invest:
- Investments generally range between $10-25M.
- Have led anything from a series A to a series C.
- Handling a total fund size of $895M.
How to apply:
- Send them an email at [email protected]
VCs in Oregon
Advantage Capital
What you need to know:
- Based in New Orleans, Advantage Capital is a very active investor in Oregon. The firm was launched in 1992 with the goal of helping businesses and communities that are traditionally underserved by risk capital.
- They are happy to invest in all stages of development.
- Sectors of focus are very diverse.
- Investing across the US.
- 29 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Gridpoint, NeuWave Medical and Stereotaxis.
How much they usually invest:
- Investments range from $3 – 7M in early stages.
- They participate and lead from seed rounds to later series.
- Handling a total fund size of $346M across 11 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Oregon Venture Funds
What you need to know:
- Also known as the Oregon Angel Fund, they’ve been working with investors to help promising startups since 2007. Every year, they launch a new $8M fund.
- Early stage investors.
- Investing in a wide range of sectors.
- They prefer to invest in local companies in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
- 11 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Elemental Technologies and Notion.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges from $100K to $2M.
- Leading and participating in everything from seed rounds to series C.
- Currently have invested a total of $57M with a $608M total equity invested in portfolio and a $2.0B total portfolio market cap.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected] or upload your business plan on their website.
Seven Peaks Ventures
What you need to know:
- Located in Bend, the VC firm was founded in 2013 and invests in entrepreneurs who possess the magic trifecta of “courage, resilience and genius”.
- Early stage investors, focusing on Series A.
- Sectors of focus are ad platforms, enterprise software, healthcare, information technology and cloud computing.
- Geared towards investing in the Pacific Northwest markets.
- 5 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them video ad service Vungle and online property management Cozy.
How much they usually invest:
- Their seed rounds average around $1.5M.
- Participating in seed rounds to series B.
- Handling a total fund size of $35M across two funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
VCs in Delaware
Altair Capital
What you need to know:
- Although not actually located in Delaware, Altair Capital has been consistently making the lists of the most active VC firm in the state.
- Primarily early stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are SaaS, fintech, healthtech, insuretech, D2C and marketplaces.
- Investing in companies worldwide.
- 15 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Fiix, Wiser solutions and ToutApp.
How much they usually invest:
- Their seed round investments typically average around $150K.
- They participate primarily in seed rounds.
- A total fund size of $100M.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Edison Partners
What you need to know:
- Founded in 1986, Edison Partners actively support the companies they invest in, by offering their industry and operating expertise as well as access to their Edison Edge platform.
- Both early and late stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are healthcare IT, enterprise solutions and fintech.
- Mainly focused on East Coast companies.
- 191 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Kemp, Operative Media and Salsa Labs.
- They also produce educational programs for CEOs and companies on an annual basis.
How much they usually invest:
- Average investment ranges between $5-20M.
- They lead and participate in all rounds.
- Edison Partners manage a fund sized 1.3B
How to apply:
- Use the contact form on their website to submit your business plan.
Alpha4 Ventures
What you need to know:
- Founded in 2018, Great Lakes-based Alpha4 Ventures become lifecycle partners for the companies they invest in (through funds, primary and secondary investments).
- Investing in all stages.
- Broad range of focus (more specifically eCommerce, Fintech, SaaS/Marketplaces and High Tech)
- Investing in Latin America.
- Have invested in 17 start-up companies, most notably Billpocket.
How much they usually invest:
- No information available.
- They mostly follow rounds.
How to apply:
- Contact them via [email protected].
VCs in Colorado
Foundry Group
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2007, Boulder based Foundry Group has a collaborative approach to investments, helping venture fund managers as well as entrepreneurs.
- Early-growth stage investors.
- Foundry has a broad technology focus, gearing towards software and internet.
- Investing in companies throughout the US and Canada.
- 55 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Fitbit, Zynga and SendGrid.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed round investments range between $2-3M.
- The primarily lead in seed rounds and series A.
- Managing a total fund of $2.4B.
How to apply:
- You can email team members individually through their team page.
Access Venture Partners
What you need to know:
- Based in Westminster, Access Venture Partners has been investing for 20 years and helped 65 companies along the way, collectively raising over $1B in equity capital.
- Early stage investors.
- Their focus is in technology based companies.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the Rocky Mountain region.
- 15 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably LogRhythm, Craftsy and AlchemyAPI.
- Mostly looking for companies that have a revenue run rate of $1-3M, but in select cases they will also invest earlier.
How much they usually invest:
- Investing up to $2M for early-growth companies, $350K as part of a syndicated investment in earlier stage companies and $2.5 as an expansion capital round (in select cases).
- They lead and participate primarily in seed rounds and series A.
- Access Venture Partners are handling a total fund of $130M
How to apply:
- Submit your information through this form for a chance to get a 20-minute introductory meeting with the VC firm.
Boulder Ventures
What you need to know:
- Based in Boulder (as the name implies), the VC firm is investing in IT and biotech companies.
- They are early stage investors.
- Their main sectors of focus are information technology and biotech.
- Geographically, they cover the areas of the Colorado Front Range and the Mid-Atlantic region.
- They’ve had 25 exits, most notably Rally Software, Sovrn and MiRagen.
- They’re listing a dog on their team page as a “floor manager” so you know they’re probably friendly people.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial tickets range anywhere between $6M and 35M.
- Lately they’ve led and participated in anything from a series A to a series E.
- They handle a total fund size of $371M.
How to apply:
- Submit your information through the contact form on their website.
VCs in Virginia
Columbia Capital
What you need to know:
- One of the most experienced VF firms in the state, Columbia Capital has funded more than 175 companies over the last 30 years.
- They invest in all growth stages.
- Their sectors of focus are enterprise IT, internet infrastructure and mobility.
- Investing in companies based in North America and Western Europe.
- 48 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Contino, Cologix and 2nd Watch.
How much they usually invest:
- Typical investment size ranges between $15-40M.
- Leading and participating in everything from a series A to a series D.
- They currently manage a total fund size of $500M.
How to apply:
- Give them a call at (703) 519-2000.
Grotech Ventures
What you need to know:
- Located in Arlington, the VC firm has invested over $1B in companies since 1984.
- Focus is on early and growth stages.
- Broad sector of focus is technology, specifically social & digital media and e-commerce, mobile cloud and infrastructure software, enterprise software and big data analysis, security technologies and healthcare technologies.
- 31 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Logi Analytics, LogRhythm and Booker.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges between $500K to $5M.
- Usually leading seed rounds and series A but participating up to a series C.
- Managing a total fund size of $225M.
How to apply:
- After reading up on their requirements here, send them an email with your business plan at [email protected]
NRV
What you need to know:
- A community centered investment firm in Richmond, NRV was founded in 2011 with the purpose to invest in high growth companies and “big ideas that are changing the world”.
- Early stage, high growth investors.
- Instead of focusing on specific sectors, they prefer to invest in companies that specialize in areas their team has experience in and can provide counsel.
- Focusing in regional companies.
- 2 of their portfolio companies have exited: Health Warrior and Beanfields.
How much they usually invest:
- No info on an initial ticket but their latest seed round investment was for $1M.
- Participating in anything from angel and seed rounds to series B.
- Handling a total fund size of $33M.
How to apply:
- Apply for funding here.
VCs in Tennessee
Nashville Capital Network
What you need to know:
- Nashville Capital Network is a network of more than 100 professional investors, managing several investment funds. They have invested more than $42M in Tennessee-based companies.
- Early stage investors.
- No specific focus sectors.
- Geared towards local companies.
- 10 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Aspire health, Emma and Edo.
How much they usually invest:
- Investments range between $1-5M.
- Usually leading series A and series B rounds.
- Managing a total fund size of $75M.
How to apply:
FCA Venture Partners
What you need to know:
- Founded in 1996 and located in Nashville, FCA Venture Partners are typically looking to invest in healthcare companies with proven products and $500K to $2M in annual revenue.
- Early to growth stage investors.
- Their focus is mainly on the Healthcare IT sector, often in SaaS solutions.
- Looking to invest within the local community.
- 11 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Aspire Health and Edo Interactive.
How much they usually invest:
- The typical initial investment is $3-6M.
- Mostly leading series A and B.
- Their total fund size under management is $95M.
How to apply:
- Give them a call at 615-326-4848.
Petra Capital Partners
What you need to know:
- This Nashville based private equity firm has invested over $650M since they started out in 1996 and pride themselves in their creative approach to investment strategy. They operate in three modes: partnering with entrepreneurs to launch new companies, participating in intermediary-led processes with a combination of debt and equity capital and co-invest with partner investors on portfolio companies.
- Late stage investors focusing on growth.
- Focus sectors are business, healthcare and technology enabled services.
- Five of their portfolio companies have exited, among them New Century Hospice and T2 Systems.
How much they usually invest:
- Initial ticket ranges anywhere from $5M to $35M.
- Leading and participating in anything from series A to series D and private equity rounds.
- Managing a total fund of $269M.
How to apply:
- Use the contact form on their website to get in touch with them.
VCs in Washington
Voyager Capital
What you need to know:
- Seattle based, Voyager Capital has been investing in software, cloud, and big data applications since 1997. They prefer to partner up early in a company’s lifecycle.
- Early stage investors.
- They have a preference for software, cloud and big data applications.
- Focusing mostly in companies in the Pacific Northwest.
- 33 of their companies have exited, most notably ClearCare and Kaggle.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed rounds range from $1.8M to $6.5M
- They usually participate at least up to series D and have led seed and series A.
- They have a total fund size of $470M across 5 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Madrona Venture Group
What you need to know:
- Madrona Venture Group has been working with technology entrepreneurs for almost 25 years.
- Seed and early stage investors.
- Technology sector is the main focus.
- Investing in companies in the Pacific Northwest.
- 70 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Amazon, Smartsheet and Redfin.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed rounds average around $4M.
- Lately they’ve been participating in everything from seed rounds to series D.
- Handling a total fund size of $1.7B across 12 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Maveron
What you need to know:
- The name “Maveron” is a combination of Maverick and Vision, a nod to the company’s consumer-centric dedication. The VC firm has made 209 investments since they launched in 1998.
- Seed and early stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are technology and data.
- While having offices in Seattle and San Francisco, they support companies from all over the US.
- Maveron has had 39 exits, most notably Ebay, Groupon and Earnest.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed round investments range from $1M to $5M.
- They focus on early stage investing, up to a series C.
- Handling a total fund size of $1.2B.
How to apply:
- A referral or a personal connection would be the best way to secure a meeting with them, but they also urge you to “go find them”.
VCs in Utah
Mercato Partners
What you need to know:
- Founded in 2006, Mercato provides growth capital as well as resources to accelerate and manage growth (what they call “the Mercato Advantage”).
- Growth stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are technology and branded consumer markets.
- Actively investing nationwide.
- 9 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Domo and Control4.
How much they usually invest:
- Series A investments generally average around $15M.
- Participating up to a series C.
- Handling a total fund size of $413M.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
Pelion Venture Partners
What you need to know:
- A self proclaimed “gritty” and “unapologetic” venture capital firm with decades of experience, Salt Lake City based Pelion focuses on backing visionary entrepreneurs and disruptive businesses.
- Early stage investors.
- Sector of focus is B2B software.
- Investing nationwide.
- 32 of their portfolio companies have exited, most notably Cloudflare, Cloudcherry and Integral Ad Science.
How much they usually invest:
- Seed round investments range from $4M to $21M.
- Participating in everything from seed rounds to series D.
- Handling a total fund size of $679M
How to apply:
Signal Peak Ventures
What you need to know:
- Signal Peak Ventures in Salt Lake City, was founded in 2001 but has a combined team experience spanning 60 years. They focus on innovation and disruption of current and emergent markets.
- Both early and late stage investors.
- Sectors of focus are mobile computing, SaaS, enterprise software, security and internet.
- 5 of their portfolio companies have exited, among them Booker and Control4.
How much they usually invest:
- No info on initial ticket but their series A investments range between $8M-$10M.
- Participating in everything from seed rounds to series C.
- They handle a total fund size of $209M across 2 funds.
How to apply:
- Email them at [email protected]
If venture capital is not the right path for you and for your business, you might want to consider alternative options for funding your startup such as entering a startup pitch competition or looking for a startup accelerator.
Foti Panagiotakopoulos
Founder at GrowthMentor
