AI & Deep Tech VC Funds

Spacecadet Ventures is a cutting-edge venture capital firm based in San Francisco, focusing on early-stage investments in groundbreaking industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and financial services. They have a diverse portfolio featuring companies like Eyebot, Cascade Biocatalysts, and Prophetic AI, showcasing their commitment to transformative technologies. Geographically, their investments are spread across North America and Europe. Spacecadet Ventures typically engages in seed to Series A rounds, with average check sizes around $3 million, often co-investing with prominent partners like Andreessen Horowitz and Village Global. Their strategy is anchored in leveraging marketing expertise to propel startups to success, aligning with their brand as "The Marketing VC." They are known for their hands-on approach, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and industry connections. Key team members include Alexa Binns, a seasoned marketer with extensive experience in consumer tech and venture investments, supported by a team of industry veterans. Spacecadet Ventures prefers pitches that demonstrate innovative solutions with clear market potential and scalability. They are approachable and encourage startups to reach out through their website, emphasizing their openness to novel ideas and disruptive technologies. With a proactive investment style, they aim to be a catalyst for the next generation of industry leaders​.

SpaceFund is a Houston-based venture capital firm dedicated to investing in the rapidly expanding space industry. Founded in 2018 by Rick Tumlinson and Meagan Crawford, the firm focuses on identifying and supporting high-growth startups that are leading the "NewSpace" revolution. SpaceFund is committed to fostering innovations that will enable and benefit from humanity's increasing presence in space. The firm's investment strategy is built around its deep industry knowledge and a commitment to rigorous due diligence. SpaceFund targets companies that are involved in various aspects of the space ecosystem, including space transportation, satellite servicing, in-space manufacturing, and AI applications for space. They have a strong emphasis on companies that align with their vision of expanding human activity beyond Earth. Notably, SpaceFund avoids investing in conventional aerospace and prefers opportunities that offer groundbreaking advancements in space technology. SpaceFund has launched several funds, including the BlastOff Fund, which has attracted high-profile investors like Jed McCaleb. This fund is designed to capitalize on the growing momentum in the space industry by supporting startups with significant potential for growth and impact. The SpaceFund team is composed of seasoned experts from both the space and financial sectors, providing a unique blend of technical and business expertise. This enables them to guide their portfolio companies through the complex challenges of the space industry, from early development to successful exits.

Spark Capital is a prominent venture capital firm with a focus on investing in groundbreaking companies across sectors like consumer internet, media, software, and fintech. Founded in 2005, the firm has backed high-profile startups such as Twitter, Discord, and Cruise, leading early-stage rounds that propelled these companies to massive success. Spark’s portfolio also includes Postmates, which was acquired by Uber, and Harmonix, known for the popular "Rock Band" game franchise. The firm typically invests across all stages, from seed to growth, with a particular focus on companies that aim to disrupt existing markets. Spark's team members, such as co-founder Bijan Sabet, emphasize investing in founders who take big chances and challenge the status quo. The firm is highly selective, backing visionary entrepreneurs with innovative products that have the potential to reshape industries​. Geographically, Spark’s investments span the globe, with a presence in key markets like the U.S. and Europe. Their flexible and founder-first approach has positioned them as trusted partners for startups like Wayfair and Instawork.

Spark Growth Ventures (SGV) is a San Diego-based venture capital firm founded in 2018 by Hem Suri, who serves as Founder and Managing Partner. The firm operates as a vertical-agnostic early- and mid-stage technology investor covering software-enabled products and services, B2B, B2C, and hardware-as-a-service. Rather than raising from traditional institutional LPs, SGV runs an evergreen-equivalent structure powered by a global community of 1,400-plus members across six continents who co-invest alongside the fund and contribute domain expertise, equating to roughly $45 million in deployed gross AUM. Typical checks run $500,000 to $2 million in seed through Series A rounds, with the capacity to follow on into later stages. The firm has been recognized as a 2022 Emerging 50 VC and a 2023 Top 25 Founder's Choice VC. Suri brings 13 years of venture, private equity, and M&A experience spanning 50-plus transactions and more than $2 billion of capital. SGV has made 35 disclosed investments with 24 to 25 active portfolio companies on three continents, spanning SaaS, healthtech, proptech, HR technology, and aerospace. Named portfolio companies include Splitero (a San Diego home equity investment platform), tab32 (cloud dental practice management with AI), Luna Physical Therapy, and Placer.ai -- both named Forbes Best Startup Employers of 2024. The most recent disclosed deals include Humanly's Series B in May 2025 and a SpaceX investment in September 2025. The most recent portfolio exit was PathologyWatch in November 2023. SGV's community-driven model is a deliberate structural choice: by giving 1,400 domain experts skin in the game, the firm generates proprietary deal flow, due diligence depth, and portfolio company introductions that a conventional fund of comparable size could not replicate.

SparkLabs Global Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital fund founded in 2013, focusing on early-stage investments in companies worldwide. The firm is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, but its global footprint extends to key markets across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. SparkLabs backs innovative companies in industries such as SaaS, fintech, healthcare, gaming, IoT, education, and cybersecurity. The firm’s investment strategy centers on identifying exceptional entrepreneurs and helping them scale their businesses globally, offering not only financial support but also mentorship and access to a broad network of industry leaders. Some of the notable portfolio companies backed by SparkLabs Global Ventures include MangoPlate, WeRide, and Shift, demonstrating the firm's diverse reach across various sectors and geographies. SparkLabs emphasizes its unique approach to seed-stage investments by focusing on companies with the potential to define new categories and by supporting their growth into global markets. Led by a team of seasoned investors and operators, including co-founders Frank Meehan, Bernard Moon, and Jimmy Kim, SparkLabs Global Ventures combines deep industry expertise with a commitment to nurturing long-term relationships with its portfolio companies. Through their global accelerator programs and seed investments, SparkLabs has built a strong reputation for fostering innovation and helping startups achieve meaningful scale.

SparkLabs Taipei is an accelerator and venture capital fund part of the global SparkLabs Group network, founded to help startups grow and succeed on an international scale. Launched in 2018, SparkLabs Taipei has invested in and accelerated over 60 startups, including notable successes like Just Kitchen and ParseMe. The accelerator runs a rigorous 3-month program twice a year, providing early-stage startups with 1:1 coaching, access to world-class mentors, business opportunities, and a platform to connect with investors through Taiwan's largest Demo Day. The program emphasizes a "Global From Day One" philosophy, preparing startups to scale internationally from the outset. Startups receive support in areas such as investor engagement, pitch crafting, public speaking, and media relations to ensure they are well-prepared for global markets and investor meetings. SparkLabs Taipei also collaborates with corporations to run internal or external accelerator programs, offering innovative solutions for corporate challenges and digital transformation. Their extensive network and strategic partnerships provide startups with the resources needed for product development, management, and market expansion. The accelerator has a high follow-on investment rate, with over 80% of their startups securing subsequent funding.

Sparkmind.vc is the first Nordic venture capital firm focused exclusively on the learning sector. Founded in Helsinki, Finland, the firm invests in early-stage startups that are transforming education across various levels, including early childhood, K-12, higher education, vocational training, and corporate learning. Sparkmind.vc supports companies that improve learning outcomes, expand access to education, enhance process efficiency, or generate actionable insights from educational data. The firm typically invests in Seed to Series B stages, with individual investments reaching up to €5 million. While their primary focus is on Europe, Sparkmind.vc also selectively invests in companies outside the region, particularly those with a strong potential for international scalability. Their portfolio includes companies like Vygo, which focuses on higher education tutoring, and Fretello, an AI-driven music education platform. With a final fund size of €55 million, Sparkmind.vc aims to back around 20-25 companies, often taking a lead role in funding rounds. The firm’s leadership team brings extensive experience in education, venture capital, and strategic business development, making them well-equipped to guide their portfolio companies to success.

Spaze Ventures is a Singapore-headquartered venture capital and incubation firm founded in 2014 that specializes in seed funding and active operational support for the earliest-stage technology founders in Southeast Asia. Over its decade-plus history the firm claims to have incubated, accelerated, and invested in more than 100 startups across edtech, artificial intelligence, B2B SaaS, fintech, foodtech, and e-commerce -- with education representing the dominant sector at 40 of the 100 disclosed investments. Spaze operates two complementary programs alongside its core investing activity. StartupSpaze is a sector-agnostic, 12-month incubator that walks founders from idea to seed stage with access to mentorship, infrastructure, and follow-on capital. EduSpaze, launched in 2019 and supported by Enterprise Singapore, was Singapore's first dedicated edtech accelerator -- a three-month program taking startups from seed toward Series A and offering up to S$500,000 in seed funding per company along with pilot opportunities with schools and corporate partners. EduSpaze has now run nine cohorts. The eighth cohort (March 2024) included YAHO Lab, Edvance, Quippy, School on Cloud, Safe Space, and Salatech; the ninth (August 2024) broadened into financial literacy, mental wellness, and green skills. Named portfolio companies include Binar, Flying Cape, GRIT Search, and most recently Hexcore Labs (educational software), which received an EduSpaze investment in March 2025. Spaze's combined accelerator-plus-investment model gives it a structured pipeline of early-stage companies across Southeast Asia's rapidly growing digital education and technology sectors, providing founders with both institutional validation and the commercial pilot relationships needed to prove traction before seeking Series A capital.

Speciale Invest is a venture capital firm based in Chennai, India, focusing on early-stage investments in deep tech solutions. The firm, founded by Vishesh Rajaram, supports startups with disruptive innovations across various sectors including AI/ML, space tech, climate tech, and autonomous vehicles. They typically invest between $100K and $500K initially and reserve 60% of their funds for follow-on investments to help companies scale. Speciale Invest prides itself on being often the first institutional investor, fostering long-term relationships with founders who exhibit deep insights and a strong motivation to succeed. They prefer startups that are still in the ideation phase and offer solutions with exponential innovation rather than incremental improvements. Their portfolio includes pioneering companies such as Agnikul Cosmos, building rockets for micro and nano satellites, and Ultraviolette, creating India's fastest electric superbikes. The firm's mission is to bring science to society, believing in the transformative power of technology and innovation to solve universal problems. Led by a team with extensive experience in venture capital and technology, Speciale Invest provides more than just capital; they offer strategic support, access to early customers, assistance in hiring early team members, and valuable industry insights to ensure their portfolio companies thrive.

Specialist VC is a prominent venture capital firm based in the Baltics, targeting early-stage startups from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Ukraine, and Belarus. With over 45 investments, their portfolio includes standout companies like Bolt, Veriff, and Starship. Specialist VC primarily invests in B2B, SaaS, fintech, software-enabled hardware, Web3, and deep tech sectors, with initial ticket sizes ranging from €250k to €3 million. Geographically focused on the Baltics and extending to Finland, Ukraine, and Belarus, Specialist VC employs a dual strategy fund, blending traditional venture capital with secondary transactions, a first in the region. This approach offers liquidity to founders and early investors, fostering ecosystem growth. Founded by Riivo Anton and Gerri Kodres, Specialist VC values a straightforward, supportive relationship with founders. They review numerous startups but select only a few, focusing on those with extraordinary potential. The team is known for its deep regional network and extensive experience, offering robust support and strategic guidance to their portfolio companies. Specialist VC's leadership includes experienced professionals like Riivo Anton, a serial entrepreneur with over fifty investments, and Gerri Kodres, renowned for his work in early-stage tech investments and recognized as "Investor of the Year" in Estonia. Their comprehensive support ranges from strategy and fundraising to connecting startups with a wide array of industry specialists and investors, ensuring their portfolio companies have the resources to scale successfully.

Speedinvest, headquartered in Vienna, is a leading early-stage venture capital firm with more than €1 billion in assets under management. The firm focuses on pre-seed, seed, and early-stage investments across Europe. Speedinvest's portfolio includes notable companies like Bitpanda, Wefox, GoStudent, and TWAICE, reflecting their diverse investment focus spanning sectors such as fintech, deep tech, health tech, climate tech, and SaaS. Speedinvest operates six sector-focused teams: Deep Tech, Fintech, Health & TechBio, Climate Tech & Industrial Tech, Marketplaces & Consumer, and SaaS & Infrastructure. This specialized approach allows them to provide targeted support and resources to startups, helping them scale effectively​​. Since its inception in 2011, Speedinvest has made 497 investments and has seen 15 exits. Their investment strategy emphasizes hands-on support and leveraging their extensive network of industry experts, founders, and operational partners to foster the growth of their portfolio companies. Some recent investments include startups like Sylvera, Liefergrün, and Seqera Labs, all of which are making significant strides in their respective fields.

SpeedUp Venture Capital Group, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Poznan, Poland, is a venture capital firm specializing in seed, Series A, and early-stage investments. The firm focuses on sectors such as consumer internet, fintech, martech, adtech, electromobility, Industry 4.0, medtech, IoT, machine learning, and picture recognition. SpeedUp Venture Capital Group's portfolio includes 111 investments, with notable companies such as LiveCall, ZenCard, and UsabilityTools. The firm has achieved 61 exits, including companies like LiveCall and Transparent Data. Recent investments include CYCLE, a last-mile logistics company using e-bikes, and Partory, a technology startup based in Poland. The firm's leadership team includes Managing Partner and CEO Monika Synoradzka, and co-founder Arkadiusz Piechocki. They provide strategic support and resources to help portfolio companies scale effectively. SpeedUp Venture Capital Group primarily invests in Central and Eastern Europe, aiming to back enterprises with global aspirations by leveraging innovative solutions.

Spero Ventures, founded in 2018 and based in Burlingame, California, is a venture capital firm that invests in mission-driven technology companies. Their primary focus areas include wellbeing, sustainability, and sectors related to learning, work, and play. The firm is known for leading or co-leading investment rounds ranging from $3 million to $10 million, typically providing initial checks between $2 million and $4 million with reserves for follow-on investments. Notable investments by Spero Ventures include companies such as Tiny Health, Huckleberry, Tortuga AgTech, and Skillshare. They have made 64 investments to date and achieved several successful exits, including companies like Nana, Jopwell, and INDUS.AI. The leadership team consists of experienced investors like Shripriya Mahesh, Andrew Parker, and Sara Eshelman, all of whom have backgrounds in landmark companies such as eBay and Tesla. Spero Ventures emphasizes backing determined founders who are building technology solutions to create a hopeful future. Their investment strategy is conviction-based, focusing on long-term growth and impact.

Spintop Ventures is a pan-Nordic early-stage software venture capital firm founded in 2009 by Mats Johansson, Erik Wenngren, Finn Persson, and Ari Korhonen, and headquartered in Stockholm. Branding itself as 'built by operators, for founders,' Spintop invests at seed and early stages in software-based technology companies that drive productivity, strengthen digital infrastructure, or accelerate the circular economy -- spanning SaaS, B2B, fintech, gaming, IoT and telecom, and deep tech. The firm leads rounds with typical entry tickets of 500,000 euros to 2.5 million euros and maintains substantial follow-on capacity. The 15-person team includes 5 Partners and 2 Principals, and in August 2025 the firm formally opened a permanent Copenhagen office led by Principal Jasenko Hadzic, completing its four-market Nordic footprint across Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. Spintop has raised four funds with Fund IV reaching roughly 188 million euros (approximately SEK 2 billion), with additional European Investment Fund and Saminvest support; the firm has approximately 180 million euros of AUM with Fund V in preparation. The LP base includes the European Investment Fund, Saminvest, Nordic family offices, and a network of 50-plus entrepreneurs and executives. Across 53 disclosed investments the firm has produced 4 IPOs and 8 acquisitions. Exits include Small Giant Games, MariaDB, Donkey Republic, Sana Labs, Consigli, and Crosser Technologies, which was acquired by Aveva in December 2025 -- the most recent disclosed exit. Seven new investments were made through November 2025, including leading the $2.3 million seed round in Wewillwrite alongside Skyfall Ventures. Spintop's operator-first identity translates into a partnership model where each portfolio company receives meaningful hands-on involvement from a team that has built and scaled software businesses, rather than capital and periodic board attendance alone.

Spiral Ventures is a venture capital firm headquartered in Singapore, with a focus on investing in early-stage startups across Southeast Asia and India. The firm, which was founded in 2017 after rebranding from IMJ Investment Partners, targets sectors such as fintech, logistics, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and the sharing economy. Their investments prioritize companies that address social needs and drive innovation in rapidly growing markets like Southeast Asia and India. Notable investments include PolicyStreet, a fintech company advancing inclusive insurance in Southeast Asia, SwipeRx, which connects pharmacies across Southeast Asia, and Dagangan, a digital FMCG distribution platform in Indonesia. Spiral Ventures offers more than just capital; they foster collaboration between startups and larger corporations, providing market access and strategic guidance to help scale their portfolio companies​. With a diverse team spanning Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and India, Spiral Ventures is well-positioned to tap into local markets and support companies in navigating these dynamic ecosystems. Their mission is to invest in startups that can deliver both financial returns and significant social impact, aligning with the exponential growth expected in the region​.

SpringCamp, founded in 2013, is a leading early-stage venture capital firm based in Seoul, South Korea. With a sharp focus on cultivating innovative startups, its portfolio features standout investments like Class101, a creator economy platform for online education; Adriel, a global advertising automation leader; and N.thing, a pioneer in smart agriculture. The firm is industry-agnostic but prioritizes sectors like AI, SaaS, e-commerce, and consumer services, backing bold entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas. While rooted in South Korea, SpringCamp has a global reach, extending its investments to promising startups in the U.S., U.K., and beyond, reflecting its ambition to scale local talent on a global stage. The fund primarily leads seed and Series A rounds, with an average check size of $500,000 to $1 million. Known for being hands-on, SpringCamp helps startups refine their go-to-market strategies and secure follow-on funding. Its strategy emphasizes high-growth potential ventures, and they favor founders with clear visions, robust technical foundations, and the ability to execute. Startups are advised to approach them with well-articulated growth roadmaps and scalable business models. The team is led by CEO Inq Choi and a group of seasoned investors, many with deep operational experience in global tech and media businesses. The team’s collaborative and founder-first approach has positioned SpringCamp as one of South Korea’s most active and sought-after venture funds. Whether you’re building the next global platform or solving hyperlocal problems, SpringCamp offers the resources, networks, and expertise to help startups make a lasting impact.

Wellborn Ventures was a Tel Aviv-based Israeli venture capital firm founded in 2014 by Aviv Refuah and Tzvika Sobel that focused on seed and early-stage Israeli startups across information technology, software, big data, digital media, cybersecurity, clean technology, mobile and wireless applications. The firm operated as a sub-organization within Spring Ventures, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange-listed internet holding group led by Aviv Refuah that also owns Journey Ventures, a multi-stage travel-tech specialist; in November 2017 Spring Ventures formalized its support by acquiring a 19% stake in Wellborn Ventures for $2.1 million. Typical check sizes were $1M to $5M, with a coaching-and-strategic-support approach designed to convert visionary founder ideas into mature global brands, generally as a co-investor. The portfolio of disclosed investments includes Vi in digital health, Bugatone in audio tech, SecuredTouch in mobile gesture-based authentication, acquired for $11.53M, Apester in interactive content, its latest exit in January 2022, CiValue, Shopic in retail tech, Upsolver, SQL data pipelines for cloud data lakes acquired for $42.5M, Nano Dimension in 3D additive manufacturing for electronics, public at one point at a $1.6B valuation, and vBrand. Overall, Wellborn Ventures' portfolio produced one IPO and five acquisitions. The fund formally ceased operations on February 7, 2022, with new investing activity rolling into parent Spring Ventures going forward. During its active years, Wellborn Ventures backed seed and early-stage Israeli founders across IT, cybersecurity, digital media and cleantech, pairing capital with coaching and strategic support to help them build global brands.

Springhood Ventures is a Boston-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2018 by John Parker with a singular mission: to back emerging life science and healthcare companies transforming the health and care of people in their first two decades of life. The firm positions itself as the first venture capital firm broadly dedicated to children's health, investing on a mission-first basis in seed-stage pediatric medical solutions spanning drug discovery, neonatal diagnostics, predictive analytics, and medical devices. The investment thesis targets the intersection of high clinical need, exceptional innovation, and the development incentives unique to the child-health market, including rare pediatric disease vouchers and orphan designations. Founder and Managing Partner John Parker spent 25 years across venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds before launching Springhood. He previously created and managed CH Innovations, the impact-first venture capital subsidiary of the Charles H. Hood Foundation -- a Boston private foundation supporting pediatric research -- where Parker remains a trustee and runs its Program-Related Investment initiative. The portfolio is intentionally concentrated, with four disclosed investments including TMA Precision Health (pediatric precision-medicine risk analytics), FLAG Therapeutics (drug discovery), NeoPrediX (predictive analytics for neonatal, maternal, and perinatal health, the most recent new investment in September 2024), and a prior holding in Novonate, which was acquired by Laborie Medical in February 2023. Springhood's focus on the first two decades of life is both a moral and commercial thesis: pediatric drug development carries regulatory incentives that improve risk-adjusted returns, and the market is underserved by generalist life-science VCs whose portfolio prioritization naturally gravitates toward the larger adult patient populations.

SpringTide Ventures is an influential early-stage venture capital firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in HealthTech investments. With a strategic focus on digital health, medical devices, life sciences, and tech-enabled care delivery, the firm recently closed its second fund at $65 million, bringing its total assets under management to over $100 million. SpringTide Ventures has a history of backing groundbreaking companies like GreatExpectations.io, a leader in data quality tooling; Pathology Watch, an AI-powered dermatopathology platform; Debut Biotech, a pioneer in cell-free biomanufacturing; and OpenLoop, an end-to-end telemedicine enablement company. These investments highlight SpringTide's commitment to leveraging advanced technologies to enhance patient care and improve health outcomes. Founded by Austin Walters, the firm emphasizes a hands-on approach, working closely with its portfolio companies to navigate growth stages and achieve significant market impact. SpringTide Ventures invests primarily in seed and Series A rounds, focusing on startups that address critical healthcare needs with innovative solutions.

SpringTime Ventures, established in 2016 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, focuses on seed-stage investments in high-growth technology startups within the USA. The firm particularly targets sectors like healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplaces. SpringTime Ventures has a portfolio that includes companies such as Bonside, which offers financing solutions tailored for brick-and-mortar businesses; Credo Health, a healthcare data company; and BlueCargo, which optimizes the transportation of shipping containers. They have made 54 investments and achieved notable exits, including TrueCoach and Shotzr. The firm is led by Managing Partners Matt Blomstedt and Rich Maloy, along with partners like Allyson Plosko and Rick Patch. They emphasize a people-focused approach, supporting founders with domain expertise who are developing transformative technologies. SpringTime Ventures typically writes initial checks ranging from $400,000 to $600,000, and they actively support their portfolio companies in scaling and achieving growth milestones.

Sprint VC stands out by offering a unique approach to angel investing with its Angel SIP model, blending the advantages of being both an active angel investor and a passive limited partner. Sprint focuses on early-stage companies, especially in the seed and pre-series A stages, and invests across diverse industries like tech, fintech, and consumer goods. The fund operates primarily in India but is open to global investors, with a growing network of over 595 investors across seven countries. Sprint is known for its selective investment process, curating fewer than 2.5% of startups for its portfolio. They prioritize startups with strong product-market fit, large market potential, and early revenue generation. Their investment strategy includes co-investing at least 10% in every deal, ensuring alignment between fund managers and investors. Sprint’s average investment horizon ranges from 4-5 years in early-stage startups, aiming for 10X returns in higher-risk deals. With a 12% hurdle rate, it only charges profit share after surpassing this benchmark, demonstrating a high-performance-driven model. The leadership, including Salil Chakrabarty, brings deep domain expertise, favoring founders who show strong execution and scalability potential. For startups, Sprint values transparent financials and clear market traction, preferring to co-invest alongside well-regarded lead investors. Entrepreneurs can approach them through their platform, which allows interaction with Sprint’s experienced team, known for its rigorous due diligence and strong mentorship network.

Sprout Venture Partners is a Bengaluru-headquartered early-stage Indian venture capital fund founded in 2016 and structured as a SEBI Category-I Alternative Investment Fund, backed by a network of prominent first- and second-generation entrepreneurs. The fund was created to institutionalize India's active angel investing market, and leads rounds as the first institutional cheque in its portfolio companies. Founding and Managing Partner Sunil brings 20-plus years of investment banking and early-stage investing experience and concurrently runs Sprout Capital Advisors, an investment bank. The lean investment team also includes Karandeep, who brings five-plus years in investment research and venture investing. Sprout's thesis operates across two complementary axes: demand-gap consumer plays capturing the growth from India's rising consumption, and need-gap technology businesses emphasizing innovation, product development, IP, and disruptive deep tech. The fund typically underwrites as the first institutional cheque at $300,000 to $500,000 at seed or pre-Series A, with capacity to participate in follow-on rounds. Fund II first-closed at $10 million in November 2023. Across 19 disclosed investments the portfolio spans consumer goods, SaaS, retail, software, and healthtech. Portfolio outcomes include early exposure to Zomato, which went on to IPO, and an acquisition of Goals101. The most recent investments are Taqtics (seed round, November 2024) and Lorazzo, a home-furnishings company (January 2026). Sprout's positioning as the first institutional money in -- rather than a co-investor in established rounds -- reflects a deliberate founder-empathy philosophy: the fund builds conviction before others, providing founders with the validation and operational counsel they need before they are ready to run a competitive institutional fundraise.

SRMG Ventures is a media-focused venture capital fund that backs innovative companies across content creation, ad-tech, immersive entertainment, and digital media tools. Based in Saudi Arabia, they primarily invest in the MENA region but are open to global opportunities. Their portfolio features notable companies like Telfaz11, a leading Saudi media studio, 360Vuz, an immersive video platform, and Anghami, the top music streaming service in the Arab world. SRMG Ventures primarily targets early-stage investments, ranging from seed to Series B, with a flexible approach towards later rounds when aligned with their vision. Their investment strategy revolves around companies showing clear product-market fit and solid early traction. They provide significant follow-on capital, ensuring their portfolio companies have long-term growth potential. The fund offers a collaborative and founder-friendly approach, sometimes leading investment rounds, while other times co-investing with like-minded partners. They emphasize providing both financial support and deep industry expertise, leveraging their 50-year legacy in the media industry. Startups can expect strategic mentorship, connections to key media players, and opportunities for business development through SRMG's vast network. Led by a team with significant media and tech expertise, SRMG Ventures is actively shaping the future of the media landscape, with a focus on emerging trends in immersive tech, generative AI, and content monetization.

Stage 1 Ventures is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage technology investments, particularly in sectors such as wireless, media, connected car technology, cloud, and security. Founded in 2005, the firm operates from multiple U.S. cities including Boston, Miami, and Tampa. Their investment approach is centered around a milestone-based model, supporting startups from seed stage through growth, with the aim of scaling innovative technologies to market success. Stage 1 Ventures employs a strategic investment philosophy, making selective bets through seed funds and SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles), and then doubling down on companies showing strong revenue growth with larger follow-on investments. The firm has backed over 100 companies and helped generate more than $2 billion in investment proceeds. Notable portfolio companies include JumpCloud, a leader in cloud directory management that achieved unicorn status, as well as WiTricity and ViralGains. The Stage 1 team is deeply involved with their portfolio companies, providing hands-on support in product development, IP creation, and business scaling. Led by Managing Director David Baum, the firm also leverages an extensive advisory network to help drive corporate development and revenue growth for the startups they invest in. Stage 1 Ventures is known for its ability to guide companies through multiple stages of development, ultimately aiming to bring them to liquidity within a 3-5 year timeframe.

Stage Venture Partners, founded in 2015, is a pre-seed and seed stage venture capital firm focusing on emerging software technologies for business-to-business markets. They invest in enterprise software startups that drive significant advancements in their respective fields. The firm is known for being one of the first institutional investors in many of its portfolio companies and for its commitment to supporting founders who are tackling hard problems and creating impactful solutions. Notable investments include companies like Epsilon3, which builds mission management software for the space industry, and GrayMatter Robotics, which automates labor-intensive industrial surface treatment tasks using advanced robotics​. Their portfolio is diverse, encompassing sectors from e-commerce to government technology, and spanning geographies from St. Louis to Seattle​. Stage Venture Partners is led by Alex Rubalcava, the founder and managing partner, who has a long-standing career in venture capital and has been recognized as one of the top VCs in Los Angeles​. The firm is highly regarded for its unique expertise and alignment with the daring visions of its portfolio companies, providing not just capital but also strategic support and industry connections to help these companies scale effectively.

StageOne Ventures, headquartered in Herzliya Pituach, Israel, is a premier venture capital firm dedicated to backing early-stage B2B deep tech startups with a focus on Israeli founders. Founded over two decades ago, StageOne has a robust portfolio with notable investments in companies such as Guardium, Epsagon, and Silverfort. Their commitment is rooted in identifying and nurturing visionary founders who can disrupt and redefine enterprise markets globally. The firm emphasizes early investments, typically writing initial checks ranging from $0.5M to $3M, with substantial resources reserved for follow-on rounds. StageOne Ventures leverages its extensive experience and global networks to provide meaningful mentorship and support to its portfolio companies, helping them scale effectively. StageOne’s investment strategy revolves around three core pillars: Israeli founders, early-stage investments, and deep technology. Their approach is characterized by a "people first" philosophy, prioritizing the qualities of the entrepreneurial team, the potential for market disruption, and the innovation of the product itself. Key team members include the founding partners Yuval Cohen and Tal Slobodkin, who bring decades of experience in venture capital and deep tech industries. The firm maintains a strong presence in the Israeli tech ecosystem, leveraging the country’s unique blend of academic excellence, defense-related R&D, and multinational corporate presence to foster innovation and growth. For startups seeking investment, StageOne Ventures is best approached through direct networking or industry events, aligning their pitch with the firm’s focus on transformative enterprise solutions​.

Stanley Ventures (branded STANLEY Ventures) is the corporate venture capital arm of Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK), founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with additional presence in Atlanta and New Britain, Connecticut. The group invests directly from Stanley Black & Decker's balance sheet into early-stage startups building technologies strategic to the parent's industrial, tools, and outdoor portfolio. Explicit focus areas include SaaS, electrification, autonomy, construction technology, advanced materials, battery innovations, wireless charging, asset tracking, jobsite progress, joining technologies, new materials, automation, 3D printing, robotics, recycling, and industrial IoT. The fund's value proposition extends beyond capital: portfolio companies gain access to Stanley Black & Decker's industry expertise, supplier relationships, millions of customers, and global brand network. Across its history the firm has backed 44 portfolio companies. Named holdings include Prieto Battery (solid-state lithium-ion, Series E in January 2025), Arix (corrosion-identifying robots and data analytics for manufacturing plants, April 2025), RailPod (autonomous railway inspection), Bartesian (on-demand craft cocktail machines with 100% recyclable capsules), and MetalMaker 3D (metal additive manufacturing). Founding team member and Managing Director Mike, based in Atlanta, leads sourcing and portfolio management. Stanley Ventures' strategic advantage is the scale and market reach of its parent: portfolio companies are not simply backed by capital but plugged into the purchasing power, R&D infrastructure, and distribution channels of one of the world's largest industrial companies -- giving early-stage deep-tech founders a commercial acceleration path that no independent financial investor can replicate.

Star Tech Ventures is a Milan, Italy-based venture capital firm founded in 2021 and dedicated to early-stage investments in aerospace, space, defense, and dual-use technologies across Europe and Israel. The firm's flagship vehicle -- Star Tech Ventures Aerospace and Security -- was a 100 million euro early-stage fund managed by Italian asset manager Add Value SGR, making it one of the few dedicated institutional aerospace and defense VC platforms in Southern Europe. The thesis centered on backing European companies building technologies that strengthen European sovereignty, aerospace innovation, and defense capability, with dual-use as an explicit investment criterion. On 30 January 2025 Star Tech Ventures Aerospace and Security merged with Mountain Partners to create Mountain X -- positioned as the largest European dual-use defense and aerospace venture capital fund. Mountain X operates under the brand mountainx.vc, with General Partner Novica Mrdovic-Vianello leading the Milan office. Mountain X's stated mission is to build Europe's technological advantage to deter aggression and protect European sovereignty and freedom. Prior to the merger, Star Tech Ventures had a limited publicly disclosed portfolio, consistent with its early-stage pre-deployment phase and recent establishment date. All ongoing investment activity has moved to the Mountain X umbrella. The merger reflects a broader consolidation trend in European defense VC: by combining with Mountain Partners, the combined entity gains scale, cross-border deal flow, and the institutional credibility to attract the larger LP commitments that purpose-built defense technology funds require. Star Tech Ventures' contribution is its Southern European network and its established Italian regulatory and government relationships in the aerospace and dual-use sectors.

STAR Ventures is one of the first generation of Israeli venture capital firms, founded in 1992 by Dr. Meir Barel and headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, with a long-standing European office in Munich, Germany. Across its multi-decade history, STAR has managed approximately $1 billion of commitments and helped build more than 180 category-leading technology companies, making it one of Israel's most influential early-stage investors. The firm leads rounds and backs companies affiliated with Israel across information technology -- with an emphasis on data, telecommunications, internet, and enterprise software -- alongside semiconductors, enterprise infrastructure, and medical devices and life sciences. Dr. Barel began his career as Investment Manager and later Managing Partner at Techno Venture Management in Germany -- one of the country's largest VC firms -- before establishing STAR with the dual-geography footprint it still maintains. The core team today includes Dr. Barel and Investment Manager Amit Barel. STAR's portfolio has delivered 12 IPOs -- including Rong 360 on NYSE American in November 2017 and BioLineRx on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange -- and 58 acquisitions, with Deltek as the most recent disclosed exit, acquired by Aktion Associates in September 2025. The firm's most recent disclosed new investment is Parqour in February 2023. Other portfolio names include Insurobo and Progyny Global. STAR's Munich office is not decorative: the firm's German network was built over decades and provides its Israeli portfolio companies with a direct gateway to European enterprise customers and strategic acquirers -- a differentiated channel that younger Israeli funds without pre-existing European infrastructure cannot easily replicate.

Starbridge Venture Capital is an early-stage venture fund focused on space technology and its applications in terrestrial markets. The fund primarily targets "space scalable" companies—those developing technologies that are essential for commercial space activity but also have strong applications on Earth. Starbridge emphasizes companies with proven product-market fit, solid revenue streams, and realistic exit strategies. Their portfolio includes innovative startups such as Axiom Space, which is building a commercial space station, and Umbra Lab, a leader in synthetic aperture radar technology. Starbridge fills a critical gap in funding, particularly for companies that have raised seed capital but struggle to secure Series A and beyond. The fund's approach includes both active engagement with its portfolio companies and a focus on companies that serve commercial and governmental clients. Their investments cover a wide range of industries, from space manufacturing to energy storage and satellite technologies​. The team at Starbridge is composed of experienced professionals in science, technology, and finance, providing the strategic insights necessary to guide companies through periods of high growth and economic uncertainty. This makes them a key player in both the space and terrestrial tech ecosystems.

Starburst Ventures is the US-based venture capital arm of Starburst, the global aerospace and defense innovation platform founded in 2012 by Francois Chopard. The dedicated Starburst Ventures fund was formally launched in 2021 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The wider Starburst platform combines three complementary activities -- a global startup accelerator, a specialized strategy-consulting practice, and venture capital -- operating from offices in Los Angeles, Paris, Munich, Singapore, Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Madrid, and positions itself as the first venture capital fund dedicated exclusively to aviation, space, and defense. The Ventures fund focuses on pre-seed and seed rounds, backing deep-tech and applied-tech companies that can create measurable impact in aerospace and adjacent sectors. The team is led by founder and General Partner Francois Chopard -- an ex-Airbus engineer and former researcher at the US Air Force Research Laboratory with 20-plus years in aerospace and defense strategy and entrepreneurship -- alongside investor Benjamin Zeitoun and advisors including Natalya Bailey (founder of Accion Systems) and Pierre Lionnet (space economics). Alongside its US fund, Starburst partnered with Audacia to launch Expansion Ventures, a 300 million euro French and European aerospace and defense fund. The wider Starburst platform has touched 189 companies, producing 1 unicorn, 1 IPO, and 11 acquisitions including exits in Loft Orbital, Momentus Space, and Skyloom. The Ventures fund itself has made 11 disclosed investments including AeroCloud, Remondo, Outpost (sustainable satellite and Earth return, $7.1 million seed), and Strong Compute ($7.8 million seed). The most recent investment is Alta Ares in May 2025. Starburst's three-part platform -- accelerator, consulting, and capital -- creates a continuous pipeline of aerospace and defense founders who have already been validated by the firm's other programmes before they become fund investments.

Starlight Ventures, founded in 2017 and based in Miami, Florida, is a venture capital firm dedicated to addressing the world's most pressing challenges through investment in transformative technologies. With a strong focus on deep tech and tough tech, they invest in industries such as space technology, energy transition, industrial biology, and next-generation platforms​​. The firm’s portfolio includes groundbreaking companies like Satellogic, which specializes in real-time Earth observation through nano-satellites, and Gathered Foods, known for its plant-based fish products​​. Other notable investments include Impossible Metals, working on autonomous underwater vehicles for deep-sea mining, and HelixNano, leveraging synthetic biology and AI for next-generation gene therapies​​. Starlight Ventures typically invests between $250K to $2.5 million in early-stage companies, often leading the rounds and providing strategic guidance and operational support​​. The firm is highly selective, seeking out ventures that offer significant societal and financial returns. The team is led by co-founders Matias Mosse and Patricia Wexler, alongside a diverse group of advisors and venture partners with expertise in various fields. This team-centric approach ensures that they can offer specialized advice and support to their portfolio companies​. Starlight Ventures’ global outlook and strong network enable them to identify and support innovative solutions worldwide, making them a key player in the venture capital landscape​​.

Starquest Capital is a prominent French venture capital firm that specializes in fostering innovation in deep tech and green tech sectors. Their portfolio includes notable investments such as Caeli Energie, which offers groundbreaking green air-conditioning solutions, and DNA Gensee, a company providing DNA-proof ingredient authentication for the food and cosmetic industries. The firm is committed to addressing global challenges, focusing on industries like cleantech, industry 4.0, and cybersecurity. Geographically, Starquest Capital primarily invests in European startups, with a significant emphasis on France. Their investment strategy revolves around identifying disruptive technologies that can generate significant societal and environmental impacts. They typically invest in early to growth-stage companies, with an average check size ranging from €3 to €10 million, often leading the investment rounds. Starquest's team is spearheaded by experienced professionals, including founding partner and CEO Arnaud Delattre, and investment director Chloé Cohen-Aknine, who brings a wealth of experience from her time at Idinvest. Their approach combines strategic vision and hands-on operational support to help entrepreneurs scale their ventures effectively. Startups seeking investment from Starquest are encouraged to approach the firm with a clear demonstration of technological innovation and potential for high impact. The firm values detailed business models that align with their mission to combat climate change and promote sustainability. Starquest Capital is recognized for its active engagement with portfolio companies, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and resources to drive growth and success.

Start Ventures is a Lisbon-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2016 as the venture arm of Banco de Investimento Global (BiG), one of Portugal's established investment banks. Operating globally with a strong European footprint, the firm focuses on B2B startups innovating within the financial services ecosystem -- specifically fintech, insurtech, regtech, and cybersecurity. Its structural backing by a licensed bank gives portfolio companies direct access to banking infrastructure, regulated-industry relationships, and enterprise sales expertise that few independent VCs can offer. Start Ventures concentrates on seed and Series A rounds, deploying checks in the $500,000 to $3 million range into B2B software companies navigating regulated industries. Across 13 disclosed investments, the firm has backed companies including Coverflex, an employee benefits platform; Countingup, a UK small-business bank; Zango, a regtech and compliance specialist; Ethiack, a Portuguese cybersecurity company; and WeatherPromise, a parametric weather insurance platform for the hospitality and leisure sector -- the firm's most recent investment, made in December 2025. The firm's philosophy reflects its banking parentage: patient, long-cycle engagement with founders building regulated B2B software, rather than a push for rapid growth at the expense of compliance and commercial durability. Partner Joao Freire de Andrade leads the investment team alongside analysts who bring specialist depth in fintech infrastructure and ESG. Start Ventures views its bank-backed position not as a constraint but as a competitive advantage -- one that opens doors for portfolio companies in enterprise procurement, regulatory approval processes, and strategic partnership development across the European financial services landscape.

Starta VC, based in New York, is an early-stage venture capital fund and accelerator focused on supporting international startups. Founded in 2015, Starta VC has a robust portfolio, investing primarily in technology sectors including enterprise applications, high tech, consumer products, AI, and vertical SaaS. Notable investments from Starta VC include Petal, a fintech company offering credit cards to underserved populations; ClassTag, a parent-teacher communication platform; and FriendlyData, a startup that simplifies data access using natural language processing. These companies highlight Starta VC's commitment to backing innovative solutions with significant market potential.

StartFast Ventures is an early-stage venture firm founded in 2012 and based in Syracuse, New York, with a thesis of backing B2B SaaS founders outside the major US startup hubs, from Charlotte to Phoenix to Buffalo and beyond. It originated as the StartFast Venture Accelerator, co-founded in 2011 by Chuck Stormon, and is led by Managing Partner Nasir Ali, who spent two decades building Upstate New York's high-growth entrepreneurial ecosystem; General Partner Olivia Goldstein brings a decade of B2B software experience. The firm invests at Seed and Series A with checks of $500K to $2M, and explicitly both leads and co-invests. StartFast Fund I, which ran from 2012 to 2020, returned a 33% IRR and a 3.4x MOIC; Fund II has shown multiple up-rounds and early exits; and Fund III is a $100M vehicle focused on B2B AI startups across fintech, cybersecurity, healthcare and commerce. As of October 2025 the firm had invested in roughly 52 companies, including Blackbird.AI, CodeCombat, Kanarys, KredosAI, which it led, and SelectFI, its most recent investment on October 31, 2025. StartFast has recorded two exits, the latest being Patient Pattern in March 2023. By concentrating on capital-efficient B2B SaaS and AI founders in underserved geographies and pairing accelerator roots with a willingness to lead rounds, the firm positions itself as an early, hands-on backer of companies building outside the coastal venture centers.

StartUp Health is a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in and supporting health tech startups worldwide. Founded in 2011, it focuses on achieving 12 Health Moonshots, aiming to transform various aspects of health and wellness globally. With over 395 investments in 27 countries across six continents, StartUp Health is a significant player in the digital health ecosystem. Notable companies in their portfolio include Quit Genius, a digital clinic for treating multiple addictions; Gabbi, which developed a breast cancer risk assessment tool; and De Oro Devices, known for its health diagnostics and medical devices​​. StartUp Health typically invests in pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages, offering a $200,000+ benefit package for equity positions of about 2%. Their investment strategy prioritizes companies with innovative solutions and potential for significant impact in the healthcare sector​​. The firm is led by co-founders Steven Krein and Unity Stoakes, who bring extensive experience and a strong commitment to supporting health-focused entrepreneurs. StartUp Health provides its portfolio companies with extensive resources, mentorship, and a global network to help them succeed​.

Startup Wise Guys is a prominent accelerator and early-stage venture capital firm based in Tallinn, Estonia. Since its founding in 2012, it has invested in over 440 startups, focusing on underserved markets primarily in Europe, Africa, and the CIS countries. The firm is renowned for its mentorship-driven accelerator programs, which span various verticals including SaaS, fintech, cybersecurity, sustainability, and web3​. The firm's accelerator programs, which typically last five months, provide early-stage startups with seed capital, office space, and access to a global network of mentors and investors. The programs are designed to help startups scale quickly and achieve substantial monthly recurring revenue. Startup Wise Guys has a strong track record, boasting 15 successful exits, including notable companies like VitalFields, StepShot, and VOCHI. Additionally, their portfolio companies have collectively raised over €461 million in follow-on funding​. The firm's latest initiatives include raising up to €52.5 million across three new funds: the Cyber Fund I, the Challenger Fund II, and the Opportunity Fund II. These funds aim to support startups in cybersecurity, fintech, and other high-potential sectors.

StartX, established in 2011 by Stanford alum Cameron Teitelman, is a non-profit startup accelerator and founder community affiliated with Stanford University. It operates with a unique zero-equity model, providing extensive support and resources to entrepreneurs without taking any ownership in their companies. This model fosters an open and collaborative environment where founders can freely share challenges and seek mentorship. StartX focuses on a diverse range of sectors, welcoming companies at various stages of development. Their community includes over 1,600 founders and 75 tenured Stanford professors, with notable alumni such as Lime, Lucira Health, and Branch Metrics. Companies in the StartX program are significantly more likely to reach valuations of $100 million or more, with 18 companies achieving unicorn status. The accelerator is also home to StartX Med, which specifically supports medical and biotech startups, leveraging partnerships with Stanford Health Care and access to specialized lab facilities. StartX Med has launched over 200 companies, with a remarkable 91% demonstrating commercial viability. Located in Stanford Research Park, StartX benefits from proximity to Silicon Valley's vibrant ecosystem, including investors on Sand Hill Road and leading legal firms, providing ample networking and growth opportunities for its startups​.

State of Mind Ventures (SOMV) is an Israeli seed and early-growth-stage venture capital fund founded in 2014 and headquartered in Herzliya. The firm's origin anchors its thesis: co-founder and Managing Partner Pinhas Buchris is the former Commander of Unit 8200, Israel's elite military signals-intelligence and cyber unit. He is joined by co-founder and Managing Partner Yuval Baharav, a long-time serial entrepreneur and investor, and General Partner and CFO Nir Adler, formerly of Bazan Group and Amdocs. SOMV positions itself as a people-first investor, partnering early with ambitious teams of over-achievers to help them shape vision, build teams, and accelerate to hyper-growth. The firm leads rounds at seed, Series A, and Series B stages. Sector focus covers AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, big data, sensors, space, automotive, and computer vision -- reflecting the partnership's deep defense, technology, and enterprise heritage. SOMV's fund lineup has scaled significantly: Fund I at $75 million, Fund II at approximately $70 million, and more recently two vehicles -- SOMV 3 for early stage and Momentum for early growth -- together targeting approximately $200 million. Across 53 disclosed investments the firm has backed ClarityQ, Knock AI, Clearitty, PulSight in medical sensors, and Engini in business productivity, with Engini representing the most recent disclosed investment. The firm has produced six portfolio exits, most recently Rivery in December 2024, alongside Perception Point. SOMV's competitive identity is built on its Unit 8200 network: the firm provides portfolio companies access to one of the world's deepest concentrations of elite technology talent, creating a recruiting and partnership advantage that extends well beyond the capital it deploys.

Statkraft Ventures is a venture capital firm established in 2015, focusing on early and growth-stage investments in energy and climate technology companies. Backed by Statkraft, Europe's largest producer of renewable energy, the firm leverages its deep expertise and extensive industry network to support startups driving the energy transition. Statkraft Ventures targets innovative companies across Europe and North America, investing in both software and hardware solutions that address critical energy and climate challenges. Their investment strategy includes sectors such as renewable energy, energy storage, sustainable mobility, and smart grids. They typically invest in companies that have the potential to make significant impacts on the environment and society. The firm has a diverse portfolio of over 40 companies, including notable investments like Aira, Hydrosat, and Alva Industries. Statkraft Ventures is known for its hands-on approach, providing not only capital but also strategic support in areas such as business development, technology commercialization, and scaling operations. With headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, and Oslo, Norway, Statkraft Ventures continues to play a pivotal role in accelerating the growth of clean energy and climate tech startups, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.

Steel Wolf Ventures (SWV) is a boutique, impact-oriented venture firm founded in 2011 and based in Beverly Hills, California, led by Founder and Managing Partner R. Victoria Jodis, a California entrepreneur and media producer. Co-founder and partner John Schum is a veteran attorney with deep cannabis-industry experience; the team also includes Principal Mark Dirkse, corporate attorney Robert Moore and board member Les Goodman. SWV runs a self-described hybrid funding model that rejects the traditional investment-bank structure: it charges modest upfront fees for expenses, team evaluation and strategic development, takes equity, and embeds with client-founders as long-term advisors, board members and partners. It targets post-seed and 'evolved' pre-IPO startups in potential billion-dollar markets that are beyond friends-and-family money but not yet ready for institutional rounds. Focus sectors span biotech and precision medicine, medtech and health, technology and AI, agtech, SaaS, lifestyle, CBD and cannabis, clean energy, and real estate development. The firm positions itself as a lead investor on rounds around $500K and on raises exceeding $1M. Named portfolio companies include Lumoptik, a surgical-devices business; Apothēka, a healthcare enterprise-systems company; and Pecan TV, in movies, music and entertainment. SWV also manages a venture fund called Silver Wolf. With a small, advisory-driven team and a hands-on model that blends equity investment with operational partnership, Steel Wolf Ventures backs founders bridging the gap between early funding and institutional capital.

SteelSky Ventures is a female-led venture capital fund that specializes in women's healthcare. Founded by Maria Toler Velissaris, the fund aims to fill a critical gap in the VC market by investing in companies that improve access to care, medical outcomes, and health infrastructure for women. With $72 million in assets under management, SteelSky is the largest VC fund focused exclusively on women’s health. The fund invests across various sectors, including medical devices, digital health, consumer health, and ePharmacy​. SteelSky primarily targets late-seed and Series A rounds, focusing on startups with proven product-market fit, typically generating $1-2 million in revenue. The portfolio is rich in innovation, supporting companies like Zipline, which uses drones to deliver life-saving medical supplies to remote areas, and Raydiant Oximetry, a company developing more accurate fetal distress monitoring​. The fund's approach is to back scalable, impact-driven ventures that address pressing challenges in women's healthcare, particularly those impacting underrepresented communities​. With a strong presence across the U.S., SteelSky benefits from strategic partnerships with major healthcare organizations like Blue Shield of California and the American Hospital Association, as well as financial institutions like Bank of America and JPMorgan​. Entrepreneurs looking to engage with SteelSky should emphasize their product's real-world impact on women’s health, scalability, and innovative approach to addressing healthcare disparities.

Sterling Road is a pre-seed venture capital firm focused on B2B startups, with a strong emphasis on coaching founders to build sustainable businesses. Based in San Francisco, Sterling Road invests primarily in early-stage startups across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The fund takes a unique approach by offering extensive coaching before investing, working closely with founders over three months to refine product development, hiring strategies, and fundraising efforts. Only after this collaboration does Sterling Road make an initial investment ranging from $150K to $250K, with the potential to provide follow-on funding of up to $10M as companies scale. Founded by Ash Rust, a former entrepreneur with a background in tech and military service, Sterling Road prides itself on its hands-on approach. Rust has mentored hundreds of startups through programs like Y-Combinator and Techstars, providing valuable insights that go beyond financial backing. Notable companies in the firm’s portfolio include Nova Credit and Knoetic, both of which have attracted additional funding from top-tier venture firms like Accel and Kleiner Perkins. Sterling Road seeks founders who are gritty, ambitious, and focused on operational excellence. The firm prioritizes diversity, with a significant portion of investments going to underrepresented founders. They are open to startups from various sectors but maintain a particular interest in B2B solutions that offer clear, scalable value propositions. Sterling Road values substance over connections, welcoming cold outreach from committed entrepreneurs.

Stonebridge Ventures is a South Korea-based venture capital firm, founded in 2017 as the corporate venture arm of Stonebridge Capital. It focuses on investing in early- to late-stage technology companies across sectors such as life sciences, fintech, and high-tech industries. The firm is particularly active in the South Korean market, where it has made numerous investments in companies at various stages of growth, including Series A and B rounds. Stonebridge Ventures emphasizes backing high-growth ventures at crucial value inflection points, aiming to accelerate innovation and create significant value. It is known for its deep involvement in the scaling of portfolio companies, offering strategic advice and leveraging its extensive network to help businesses grow. With a focus on industries that are poised for structural growth, Stonebridge supports companies in fields like business services, auto technology, and blockchain applications. Recent investments include South Korean startups like ADRO, a Series A investment in auto technology, and SNAPTAG, a Series B investment in business services. Stonebridge’s portfolio also includes several successful exits, including notable IPOs.

StoneMill Ventures, founded in 2018 by Michael Sutton, focuses on early-stage investments in the cybersecurity sector. Based in Arlington, Virginia, the firm targets disruptive technologies in cybersecurity, aiming to support startups that can benefit from their extensive experience in building pioneering security companies. The firm has invested in notable companies like Orca Security, which offers comprehensive cloud security solutions, and Huntress Labs, a platform providing advanced threat detection and response. Other significant investments include GreyNoise, a tool for identifying internet background noise to streamline threat analysis, and LimaCharlie, which provides security infrastructure as a service. StoneMill Ventures is an active investor in the United States and Israel, emphasizing hands-on mentorship alongside financial backing to help startups grow. Their investment strategy typically involves participating in seed to Series A rounds, with a focus on companies that address critical components of the security ecosystem.

Storm Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in B2B software startups. With over 23 years of experience, Storm Ventures has a distinguished portfolio that includes companies such as Marketo, MobileIron, and Talkdesk. The firm focuses on sectors like SaaS, enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, helping startups navigate from inception to becoming industry leaders. Based in Silicon Valley, Storm Ventures boasts a global investment team with additional presence in South Korea and Germany. The firm's strategy is centered on supporting startups through critical growth phases, providing resources to unlock growth and achieve product-market fit. They prefer startups with happy customers, innovative software, and a strong team. Storm Ventures often leads funding rounds, bringing in-depth expertise and a hands-on approach to their investments. Key team members include Managing Directors Ryan Floyd, Alex Mendez, and Tae Hea Nahm, who bring extensive experience in scaling B2B companies. The firm’s methodology involves working closely with founders, providing not only capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to drive growth and success.

Stormbreaker Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The firm invests in the 'connected ecosystem,' technologies that connect people, places and things and maximize existing infrastructure, spanning mobility, wireless, connectivity, sensors, computing, networking, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud and IoT. It writes Seed and Series A checks typically ranging from $500K to $2M and acts as a lead investor. Stormbreaker is led by founder and Managing Partner Said Mia, with a partner bench that includes General Partner Glenn Lurie, former President and CEO of AT&T Mobility, who joined in 2021; General Partner Andy Funk; Zaid Alsikafi, formerly Managing Director and Co-Head of TMT Services at Madison Dearborn Partners; and Venture Partner Bart Lorang. In April 2023 it launched Fund II, focused on mobility and connectivity technologies, backed by strategic limited partners including Thermo Companies and Mi Capital. As of October 2025 the firm had invested in roughly 53 companies and manages a portfolio of more than 40 active names. Notable holdings include Global Telecom Engineering, MotionSafe in automotive cybersecurity, Aervivo in fixed-wireless platform-as-a-service, SenseNet in wildfire detection, and Cameyo, a cloud-native digital workspace; its most recent investment was SenseNet's Series A in October 2025. By combining deep telecom and connectivity operating experience with early-stage capital, Stormbreaker Ventures backs founders building the infrastructure of an increasingly connected world.

Story Ventures, based in New York City and founded in 2016, focuses on early-stage investments in frontier technology. Their portfolio spans several sectors, including sensory systems, data processing, and machine intelligence. Notable investments include Particle Health, Motorq, and Prism Data, demonstrating their commitment to innovative data automation solutions. The firm emphasizes capturing and leveraging proprietary data to drive impactful decision-making and solve complex problems. Story Ventures supports companies from the very first check, helping them scale and secure further funding from top-tier venture capital firms. Their investment strategy prioritizes founders tackling audacious challenges to create lasting impact. Key team members include Brian Yormak, who specializes in mobility investing, and Teddy McGehee, who manages legal and financial processes. They are joined by Reilly Simmons, focusing on generative AI applications, and Melissa Cook, who oversees operations. Story Ventures launched a Scout Program in 2022 to work with entrepreneurial individuals at the forefront of technology development, offering them investment opportunities and a community of angel investors. This approach has helped build a diverse and dynamic portfolio aimed at shaping the future of data automation and machine intelligence.

Stout Street Capital, based in Denver, Colorado, is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in early-stage tech startups. Founded in 2017 by Clay Gordon and John Francis, the firm targets pre-seed and seed-stage companies that are seeking to raise $1 million or more. They typically invest in rounds that provide 12-24 months of runway and prefer startups with post-product and post-revenue, usually generating $20-30k or more in monthly revenue. The firm has a diverse portfolio with over 66 companies and has made 86 investments to date. Notable investments include companies like Optera, which focuses on clean technology and sustainability, Schola, an education technology firm, and KredosAI, a fintech software company. Stout Street Capital also played a significant role in investments for 401GO, Curate, and OpenTug. Stout Street Capital emphasizes supporting founders by providing extensive resources and fostering a network to help scale their businesses. They invest primarily in the US and Canada, excluding major tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, and Boston. The firm is known for its commitment to transparency and its efficient due diligence process, typically completed within 2-3 weeks. Their most common check size is around $250K.