Haystack

Haystack is an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, known for backing outlier founders at the earliest stages of their startups. The firm typically invests in pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, with investment amounts ranging from $250,000 to $1.5 million. Haystack's investment focus includes sectors such as analytics, data, AI, cloud infrastructure, developer tools, distributed workforce, and other enterprise technologies. Founded by Semil Shah, Haystack has built a reputation for supporting exceptional founders through a robust network of advisors, customers, and talent. The firm's portfolio boasts notable companies like DoorDash, Instacart, Canva, and Dropbox, reflecting its success in identifying and nurturing high-potential startups.