Pre-Seed Investors and Venture Capital Firms

Learn More About Pre-Seed Funding for Startups

What is a pre-seed?

Pre-seed funding is the earliest stage of startup financing. It’s for founders with a vision, but often without a fully developed product or roadmap. This round helps you cover the basics: building an MVP, hiring a small team, or validating your idea in the market.

Pre-seeds are typically smaller than later rounds, ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. At this stage, investors bet on you as a founder and the potential of your idea, rather than proven metrics. Pre-seed funding is designed to help your startup get off the ground and prepare it for attracting larger investors down the line.

What’s the difference between pre-seed and seed funding?

Pre-seed VC helps you prove your idea and build the basics—an MVP, a small team, or early validation. Seed funding comes once you’ve shown some traction. At this stage, investors expect a working product, early customers, or initial revenue.

The seed round is usually substantially larger ($500k–$3M) and brings in institutional backers or dedicated seed investors. While pre-seed is about getting off the ground, seed is for proving product-market fit and scaling.

If your startup is beyond the pre-seed stage, check out our investor list for seed fundraising.

How much equity do pre-seed investors take?

On average, pre-seed investors take between 5% and 20% of equity, but this can vary depending on the size of the round and the valuation. The goal is to raise enough money to hit key milestones without giving away too much of your company early.

Keep in mind, investors want you motivated to build, so they’ll often avoid taking a stake that feels excessive. If someone’s asking for 50% or more, it’s likely a red flag.

How do I know if I am ready for pre-seed funding?

You should consider raising money pre-seed venture capital when:

1. Your idea is validated: You’ve done market research and know there’s a real problem to solve.
2. You have a plan: You can clearly explain how the funding will be used to reach your next milestones.
3. You’ve built something tangible: Whether it’s an MVP, a prototype, or early user traction, you’ve shown progress.
4. You’re committed: Investors want to see that you’re all-in and serious about building your company. If these boxes are checked, you’re likely in a strong position to start conversations with investors.

If you check off all these boxes, definitely browse our list of pre-seed investors above.

How do I find pre-seed investors?

Start by using OpenVC to discover pre seed funding companies that align with your industry, location, and fundraising stage. Filter the database to find the right match, then research each investor to personalize your outreach.
When you find a potential match, reach out and share your pitch deck. Keep your pitch clear and concise: explain your startup, what problem you’re solving, and why you have the right team to pursue it.

OpenVC makes connecting simple. Many pre-seed funds on the platform provide contact details or submission forms. Take advantage of this transparency and send professional, thoughtful messages. Most importantly, follow up if you don’t hear back, and always be ready to answer questions about your business.

Be sure to check out our complete guide to a winning fundraising strategy.

What types of investors give pre-seed funding?

Pre-seed investment often comes from angel investors, accelerators and incubators, or friends and family. Traditional VCs rarely play at this stage - they prefer startups with some traction. If you are seeking venture-based funding, your best luck is with smaller firms or micro-VCs that specialize in early-stage companies.

Of the funds that do operate in pre-seed venture capital, most only write checks if they already know the founder or if the startup sits in a sector they’re actively scouting. The bar is less about traction and more about narrative: do you have a unique insight, a credible team, and a market big enough to justify institutional capital? Even then, check sizes are small and competition is steep.

Which industries are most likely to raise a pre-seed round?

At OpenVC, we see certain industries consistently more primed for pre-seed funding:

SaaS – Especially B2B SaaS, dev tools, and consumer apps. These ideas are relatively cheap to prototype, so founders can raise small checks to build an MVP and start testing with real users.

Marketplaces & Platforms – Early traction is easy to show through signups, waitlists, or pilot customers, making pre-seed funding more accessible.

AI & Deep Tech – This space is attracting a lot of pre-seed attention right now, especially from specialist micro-VCs betting on technically strong founders.

Consumer Products – Pre-seed is still on the table for CPG and DTG, but investors will want to see a clear brand vision and distribution strategy, since margins are thinner and scaling is trickier.

Industries where pre-seed is less common – Capital-intensive sectors like biotech, hardware, energy, or mobility usually need bigger checks, so they often skip pre-seed and go straight to seed or Series A. When pre-seed funding does happen here, it’s typically from angels or grants rather than your traditional venture capital firms.

What are the top pre-seed investors?

There are thousands of pre-seed and seed investors out there (many featured in this list above!). But here are some VCs that are most famous for early investments that have scored massive returns.

1. First Round Capital

In the heart of Silicon Valley, First Round Capital thrives on helping startups grow from the ground up. With their hands-on approach, they don’t just provide funding—they become part of your team, helping you navigate the early stages of growth with expert guidance.

2. Pear.vc

Pear.vc is the early-stage partner every ambitious founder needs. They focus on the magic that happens before the big money comes in, giving you the support to move from concept to traction. Pear’s hands-on approach is about building the future together.

3. Precursor

Precursor bets on founders who have the drive to build something extraordinary. Whether you’re innovating SaaS or something entirely new, Precursor’s pre-seed funding gives you the foundation to launch and make a lasting impact.

4. Launch Capital

Launch Capital is laser-focused on one thing—helping tech startups make their first big leap. Their approach is simple: give you the resources to get your product off the ground, with the capital and mentorship to help you navigate the early stages and scale efficiently.

5. Y Combinator

Y Combinator is a launchpad for ambitious founders. Their pre-seed funding program brings you into one of the most sought-after networks that will help you turn your vision into reality.

6. 500 Global

500 Global is a powerhouse in early-stage investing, with a global footprint and a track record of backing over 2,500 companies. Their pre-seed investments span various industries, providing startups with capital, mentorship, and access to a vast network of resources.

7. Techstars

Techstars is a leading pre-seed venture capital firm, investing in a diverse, global pool of entrepreneurs and high-growth companies. Since the first Accelerator Program launched in 2007, Techstars has supported founders and delivered strong and consistent returns.

8. Antler

Antler is the world's day zero investor, enabling exceptional founders to build startups and great companies from the very beginning. With a presence in over 30 locations worldwide, Antler connects founders with a diverse pool of partners, builders, and investors.

9. Right Side Capital Management

Right Side Capital Management is one of the top pre-seed venture capital firms, because it's all they do. The company had a portfolio of 1,000 pre-seed investments as of 2019. RSCM invests about $50K to $200K, usually with a round size of $50K-$500K.

10. 2048 Ventures

2048 Ventures is a thesis-driven early-stage venture capital firm focused on Vertical AI, Deep Tech, Health, and Bio. They invest with conviction, leading pre-seed and seed rounds across the U.S. and Canada, with check sizes ranging from $500K to $2M. Their team comprises experienced founders, operators, engineers, and scientists passionate about partnering with visionary founders from day one.

Why do early-stage founders choose to raise their pre-seed with OpenVC?

Thousands of founders have used OpenVC to raise their very first round (and for good reason):

• It’s free. No commissions, no hidden fees, no equity taken. You can raise $20K or $2M and never owe us a dime.
• The database is real. With over 5,000 active investor profiles (many verified), you’re not just guessing who to pitch. Find top pre-seed funding investors in just a few clicks.
• Everything lives in one place. From discovery to outreach to tracking responses, OpenVC gives you the full fundraising stack.
• Founders actually raise on it. This is where deals get started and conversations lead to checks.

What does OpenVC offer founders ready for pre-seed investment?

If you're ready to raise your pre-seed round, OpenVC gives you the tools to do it with speed and structure:

• Investor shortlists – Build your list of pre seed investors with filters for round type, check size, and vertical. Save and organize them with one click.
• Pitch deck tracking – Share your deck via OpenVC and track opens, views, and responses—no need for DocSend.
• Warm intros and cold outreach that works – See which investors accept cold pitches, and use OpenVC’s intro finder to uncover warm paths via your network.
• Fundraising CRM – Move investors from list to pipeline, track conversations, and automate follow-ups—all inside OpenVC.

These tools were built for first-time founders, solo entrepreneurs, and small teams who need structure without hiring a fundraising consultant. You bring the idea—we’ll help you get it funded.

Get started with OpenVC for free now!