Finding the RIGHT Investors
Finding the right investors is one of the most critical steps for any startup founder. Whether you're raising a seed round or scaling up, connecting with the right people can transform your vision into reality. But how do you start finding investors for your startup?
This guide has you covered. Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of investor resources tailored for every stage of your entrepreneurial journeyโcovering venture capital firms, family offices, angel investors, corporate venture arms, and accelerators.
Why Finding the Right Investors Matters
Target the Right Investors: By knowing where to look, you can focus your energy on investors who align with your industry, stage, and goals.
Save Time: These curated lists save you hours of research so you can focus on building your business.
Increase Your Chances of Success: Accessing a diverse set of investors increases your odds of finding the perfect funding match.
How to Find Investors for Your Startup
Below are actionable steps to kickstart your investor search:
Define Your Funding Needs: Determine how much you need and what type of investor fits your vision.
Leverage Networks: Tap into personal networks, startup communities, and accelerators.
Use Curated Investor Lists: (Hint: These lists below are a goldmine!)
Research Investor Profiles: Understand their past investments and whether your startup aligns with their portfolio.
Make a Great First Impression: Refine your pitch deck, craft a compelling story, and approach investors strategically.
FUNDING for FEMALE FOUNDERS
500 Women: Funding Flawless Female Founders
Amplifyher Ventures: Invests in early-stage businesses built by outstanding women
Angel Academe: London-based angel investor network and fund investing in women entrepreneurs
Angel Hive: Investment community supporting women-led startups
Artemis Fund: Invests in high-growth, tech-enabled companies led by women
Astia: Network that offers access to capital and training/support for women entrepreneurs
Avestria Ventures: Invests in womenโs health and female-led life science ventures
BBG (Built By Girls) Ventures: Invests in consumer internet startups with at least one female founder
Bumble Fund: Invests primarily in early-stage businesses founded and led by women of color and those from underrepresented groups
Capita3: Early stage VCl fund investing in women startup founders
Chloe Capital: Seed stage VC firm focused on women-led companies
Citrine Angels: Angel investing group for women by women
Curate Capital: Accelerating the success of companies by women for women
DigitalDx Ventures: Invests in health technology companies using AI to better diagnose + treat illness
Fearless Fund: invests in women of color-led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level or series A financing
Female Founders Fund: early-stage fund investing in technology companies founded by women
GingerBread Capital: invests in the next generation of women founders and entrepreneurs leading high-growth businesses
Global Invest Her: Empowering women entrepreneurs to get funded
Golden Seeds: Angel investor network and fund investing in women entrepreneurs
Graham & Walker Venture Fund: Invests in early-stage women-founded tech companies bettering how we live, work, and coexist.
Hypatia Capital: Private equity firm focused on female founders
Intel Capital Diversity Fund: Fund that invests in female and minority led startups
Mergelane: Accelerator and investor of women led startups (Boulder, CO)
Next Wave Impact: An innovative learning-by-doing early stage venture fund
Pipeline Fellowship: Women investors investing in women led social enterprises
Plum Alley: Invests in forward leaning technology and healthcare companies that will improve our lives and the planet
Tory Burch Foundation Capital Program: Loans for small business founded by women
True Wealth Ventures: Invests in women-led companies improving environmental and human health
Valor Ventures: Fund based in Atlanta that funds female founders
Womenโs Venture Fund: Helps entrepreneurs through courses, counseling, credit and more
Victress Capital: Invests in mission-inspired companies with gender-diverse management teams
WOCstar Fund: Invests in women of color tech startups
Womens VC Fund: Invests in early stage companies led by management teams inclusive of women
WXR Fund: Invests in the next gen of computing + female founders
XFactor Ventures: Pre-Seed and Seed stage capital for companies founded by women
Support for Female Founders
Accelerate-Her: Aims to address the under-representation of women in the technology industry to drive business growth
Blooming Founders: Content, media, and training company that helps female founders succeed (London-based)
BroadMic: Redefining what it means to be a successful entrepreneur through a community of accomplished women
Cartier Womenโs Initiative: International business plan competition for women entrepreneurs
Coding Bootcamps For Women: Learn how to code (global offerings, in person, online)
Co-working Spaces for Women Founders: Global directory of women-Owned coworking spaces
Digital Undivided: Programming focused on Black & Latino women founding tech companies
Elpha: Online community for women in tech.
FastTrac NewVenture: Workshop that helps women turn their business idea into reality
Female Founders Fund: Invests in female-led startups in e-commerce, platforms, and web-enabled services
FlexTeam: Add a "right-hand woman" team for founders and CEOs; also matches mid-career women with project opportunities
Get Sh!t Done Accelerator: 7-week program designed for female entrepreneurs who want to scale $1M+ companies
Halo Incubator: Incubator for female founders
Her Corner: An accelerator for Women Entrepreneurs
Launch with GS Entrepreneur Cohort: A 6-week experience that provides access to resources while building relationships with investors.
Lioness: Digital magazine for female entrepreneurs
Million Dollar Women: Membership-based education platform to help founders scale their companies
Monarch Incubator: Incubator for women-led startups
Project Entrepreneur: Aims to accelerate the growth of female-founded companies by connecting them to capital and investor networks.
Refinery: Transforming women-led startups into scalable businesses
Rise: Connects self-starting women to independent consulting projects that lead to success
Springboard Enterprises: Accelerator for women-led growth companies
So Gal: Global platform for young female entrepreneurs and diversity investors
The 85-Percent: Strategic branding & marketing consultancy, targeting women consumers
WBENC: Get certified (as >51% women-owned) and have access to business opportunities
Women 2.0: Content, community, and conferences for women innovators in tech
Women In Tech NYC: Education, networking, mentorship and career development
Women In Wireless: Empowers and develops female leaders in mobile and digital media
Women's Startup Lab: 2-month or 2-week accelerator for female founders (Silicon Valley)
INVESTOR LISTS: VCs and Angel Investors
๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ:
The first step of a successful fundraising process is a large list of investors that invest in your stage and segment. Here are some lists to get started ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ:
โฌช Pre-Seed: https://bit.ly/3EEBtgR
โฌช Seed: https://bit.ly/4gSLzII
โฌช Seed & Series A: https://bit.ly/3Qt9NOB
โฌช Below 200 Million: https://bit.ly/4i3p7NI
๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
โฌช US VCs: https://bit.ly/3EEBsJP
โฌช NYC VCs: https://bit.ly/4gMbHVB
โฌช European VCs: https://bit.ly/3CQO28v
โฌช UK VCs: https://bit.ly/3CW8Rzq
โฌช French VCs: https://bit.ly/4i2Tx2Q
โฌช Spanish VCs: https://bit.ly/4jZXcAa
โฌช Baltic VCs: https://bit.ly/3EJ9jBB
โฌช Australian VCs: https://bit.ly/3X12MIL
โฌช Indian VCs: https://bit.ly/4gG00j6
โฌช Singapore VCs: https://bit.ly/4i2c5QQ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐:
โฌช Climate VCs: https://bit.ly/3ERJcYZ
โฌช Deep Tech VCs: https://bit.ly/41lHFDD
โฌช HealthTech VCs: https://bit.ly/41jNX6y
โฌช Consumer VCs: https://bit.ly/4hXbqjo
โฌช FinTech VCs: https://bit.ly/3QmbGwB ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐:
โฌช US Founders Investing: https://bit.ly/4i4mLhU
โฌช SaaS Angels: https://bit.ly/4i1P7Jg
โฌช US Women: https://bit.ly/3QjT0Ob
โฌช Global Women: https://bit.ly/3EC6WAk
๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
โฌช US VCs: https://lnkd.in/gDcKfxwD
โฌช NYC VCs: https://lnkd.in/gMKTstBz
โฌช European VCs: https://lnkd.in/gZC4qqxW
โฌช UK VCs: https://lnkd.in/gkPYUKH3
โฌช French VCs: https://lnkd.in/g2bHpUYd
โฌช Spanish VCs: https://lnkd.in/gBD_7rRY
โฌช Baltic VCs: https://lnkd.in/gx2iHdDS
โฌช Australian VCs: https://lnkd.in/gbFnpmRX
โฌช Indian VCs: https://lnkd.in/durcuiUw
โฌช Singapore VCs: https://mapofthemoney.com/
โฌช US VCs: https://bit.ly/3EEBsJP
โฌช NYC VCs: https://bit.ly/4gMbHVB
โฌช European VCs: https://bit.ly/3CQO28v
๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐:
โฌช Climate VCs: https://bit.ly/3ERJcYZ
โฌช Deep Tech VCs: https://bit.ly/41lHFDD
โฌช HealthTech VCs: https://bit.ly/41jNX6y
โฌช Consumer VCs: https://bit.ly/4hXbqjo
โฌช FinTech VCs: https://bit.ly/3QmbGwB ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐:
โฌช US Founders Investing: https://bit.ly/4i4mLhU
โฌช SaaS Angels: https://bit.ly/4i1P7Jg
โฌช US Women: https://bit.ly/3QjT0Ob
โฌช Global Women: https://bit.ly/3EC6WAk
๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐:
โฌช US Founders Investing: https://lnkd.in/gHtZZY2y
โฌช SaaS Angels: https://lnkd.in/g3z9sBAE
โฌช US Women: https://lnkd.in/gd4JefpG
โฌช Global Women: https://lnkd.in/gYAW3avh
โฌช Australia: https://lnkd.in/gxYmwaTb
โฌช Africa: https://lnkd.in/g3z-cx6z
โฌช Middle East: https://lnkd.in/ghZ5PeQF
๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐:
Beyond YC: 10 Top Accelerators for Early-Stage Startups Missed the YC deadline? Here are 10 top programs that provide funding and support to early-stage founders:1) 500 Global | Pre-Seed | $150,000 for 6%
Apply: https://lnkd.in/gddA_EFu2) Boost VC | Pre-Seed | $500K for 15%
Apply: https://lnkd.in/gWxD-U7y3) Seedcamp | Pre-Seed | ยฃ100,000 for 7.5%
Apply: https://seedcamp.com/4) Entrepreneur First First | Pre-Seed | $250k for 9%
Apply: https://apply.joinef.com/5) Plug and Play Tech Center| Pre-Seed | Range
Apply: https://lnkd.in/gRbQQK-s6) Sequoia Capital | Pre-Seed | $500k - $1m
Apply: https://lnkd.in/gsczY8jR7) Andreessen Horowitz | Pre-Seed | $500k- $1m
Apply: https://a16z.com/seed/8) Pear VC | Pre-Seed | $250K - $2M
Apply: https://lnkd.in/g3MPhVki9) Techstars | Pre-Seed | $20k + $100k for 8%
Apply: https://lnkd.in/gaipsAvp10) South Park Commons | Pre-Seed | $1M for +7%
Apply: https://lnkd.in/ge7NYfTjYou don't need an accelerator to be successful but support and some money can go a long way.
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