Founders often spend weeks pitching funds that have very little capital left to invest. A faster way to raise a first round is to start with the best pre-seed funds that have just announced new capital, because these firms have money available and a clear plan for how many companies they want to back.
Every fund on this list announced fresh capital in August 2026 and is ready to invest in pre-seed or seed startups. The list is based on data from the Everything Startups VC Funds database, which tracks newly announced funds every day, and it covers 27 funds across the USA, Europe, Israel and the rest of the world.
For each fund you will find the fund size, headquarters, check size, stage focus and sector focus, along with a short note on how the firm invests. You can also open each fund's page on Everything Startups to see its team, portfolio and contact details.
If you want the full month in one place, the August 2026 new venture capital funds roundup covers every fund announced.
What Are Pre-Seed Funds?
Pre-seed funds are venture firms that write the first institutional checks into a startup, usually before the company has meaningful revenue. The money typically pays for building an early product, hiring the first few people and gathering the proof that a seed investor will want to see later.
Pre-seed rounds are usually raised through SAFEs and convertible notes, and in 2026 the rounds generally range from $250K to $1.5M.
According to Carta, the average pre-seed instrument reached $276,000 in Q2 2026, a 27% increase from the year before and a record high in more than four years.
Carta's State of Pre-Seed report also shows that AI companies captured 49% of all pre-seed dollars in the first half of 2026, which explains why so many funds on this list mention AI in their focus.
Pre-seed investors mostly evaluate the founding team, the size of the market and any early signal of demand, such as a waitlist, a pilot or a set of customer interviews.
If you are still working out how investors read a pitch, Decoding VC Speak explains what they say in meetings and what they usually mean.
How We Selected These Best Pre-Seed Funds
Every fund on this list meets three criteria:
- Fresh capital. Each firm announced new capital in August 2026, which means it has money to invest and a plan for how many companies it wants to back.
- Early-stage checks. Each fund invests at pre-seed or seed. Most of them write pre-seed checks, while a handful of larger firms such as Accel and Team8 join at seed, and the stage focus listed in each entry shows exactly where every fund starts.
- Clear details for founders. Each entry includes fund size, check size, headquarters and sector focus, so you can quickly see whether a fund fits your company.
All fund data comes from the Everything Startups New VC Funds directory.
Best Pre-Seed Funds in the USA
1. F&F Ventures
Fund Size: $10M Ecommerce Fund (a separate $100M Consumer Goods & Technology Fund is being raised)
HQ: United States
Check Size: $150K – $1M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Consumer, Ecommerce, B2B SaaS
F&F Ventures is the investment arm of Founders & Funders, a San Francisco based community that connects entrepreneurs and investors in more than 12 cities. In August 2026 it launched a $10M Ecommerce Fund together with SHOPLINE, and it backs consumer brands with early revenue that can benefit from its purchase-order financing and its network of investors.
2. a16z Machine Age Fund
Fund Size: $1.1B
HQ: United States
Check Size: $5M – $25M+
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Sector Focus: AI, Robotics
The a16z Machine Age Fund is the first fund from Andreessen Horowitz dedicated to hardware. It invests across the physical side of AI, including chips, memory, networking, data centers and robotics, and its check sizes suit hardware founders who already have strong technical proof.
3. OpenAI Startup Fund
Fund Size: $400M (reported)
HQ: United States
Check Size: $1M – $25M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: AI, Generative AI, Robotics
The OpenAI Startup Fund was reported in August 2026 to have a second fund of $400M, more than twice the size of its first. It backs AI-native companies in healthcare, legal tech, education, energy and robotics, and portfolio companies are not required to build on OpenAI's own models.
4. MassMutual Ventures
Fund Size: $150M (Climate Technology Fund II)
HQ: United States
Check Size: $2M – $5M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sector Focus: Clean Tech, Energy
MassMutual Ventures is the venture arm of the insurer MassMutual, and its new climate fund focuses on companies applying climate technology and AI to energy infrastructure, real estate and natural resources in the US and Canada. The firm plans four to six new investments per year, mostly at Series A and B, and welcomes introductions from seed stage companies.
5. Capital F
Fund Size: $17M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $250K – $1M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: Women Focused, Consumer Health
Capital F is an all-female-led firm based in San Francisco that invests in health, AI and digital commerce products built for women. Founders speak with at least two of the fund's own investors before a deal closes, and the firm says this often leads to advisory relationships and customer introductions.
6. FGV Capital
Fund Size: $35M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $250K – $500K
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Digital Payments, InsurTech
FGV Capital, formerly Fiat Ventures, closed its second fund at $35M in August 2026 after starting with a target of $25M. The firm combines its checks with hands-on help in growth, finance and recruiting, which it built up while working inside more than 325 companies.
7. Makers Fund
Fund Size: $250M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $5M – $40M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: Gaming, Digital Entertainment, Creator Economy
Makers Fund closed its fourth fund on August 20, 2026, bringing the firm's total assets under management to $1.5B. It focuses on games and interactive entertainment, and it has a habit of leading early rounds and staying with a company through later financings.
8. Silent Ventures
Fund Size: $85M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $1.5M – $3M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: Defense, Space, Deeptech
Silent Ventures is a Dallas based fund run by Jackson Moses that invests in aerospace, defense and national security companies. It usually writes the first or largest check at pre-seed and then follows into the seed round, and its second fund plans to back 13 to 15 new companies.
9. Reach Capital
Fund Size: $265M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $100K – $10M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Education, Healthcare, Future of Work
Reach Capital closed its fifth fund at $265M on August 18, 2026, and it plans to back around 50 new companies over the next three years. Its initial checks start at about $100K at pre-seed, and it invests in technology for schools, hospitals and workplaces.
10. Floating Point
Fund Size: $125M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $250K – $1.5M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B
Sector Focus: Healthcare, InsurTech, Logistics
Floating Point invests from offices in New York and Boston in complex, regulated industries such as healthcare, logistics, insurance and energy. Its third fund closed above target in August 2026, and the firm looks for founders who have lived the problem they are solving.
11. Accel
Fund Size: $3.5B across four funds
HQ: United States
Check Size: $3M+ at early stage
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: AI, Applied AI, Enterprise Software
Accel raised its full global lineup in a single process, including $800M for the US, $800M for Europe and Israel, $550M for India and a $1.35B expansion fund. The firm writes the first institutional check in roughly 80% of the companies it backs, although it expects money from the new funds to begin reaching companies in 2027.
12. Don't Quit Ventures
Fund Size: $10M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $50K – $150K
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: AI, Generalist, Consumer
Don't Quit Ventures is a solo investor fund led by Noa Khamallah that announced the second close of its $10M first fund in August 2026. It invests globally with a focus on underrepresented and unconventional founders, and it promises a response to every submission within two weeks.
13. 224 Ventures
Fund Size: $100M in assets under management (fund size undisclosed)
HQ: United States
Check Size: $1M – $5M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: AI, Applied AI, AI Infrastructure
224 Ventures launched in August 2026 with backing from 244 AI operators, and Yann LeCun and Oriol Vinyals join as Frontier AI Partners. It writes checks alongside lead investors and helps founders build the group of investors around a round.
14. South Park Commons
Fund Size: $575M
HQ: United States
Check Size: $500K – $10M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: AI, Generalist, Deeptech
South Park Commons backs technologists before they have settled on an idea, and its fourth fund is more than double the size of the one before it. Its usual pre-seed deal is about $400K for roughly 7% ownership with a guaranteed $600K follow-up investment, and the new fund also allows it to lead seed and Series A rounds.
Best Pre-Seed Funds in Europe
15. Redstone North Karelia
Fund Size: $10.8M
HQ: Finland
Check Size: $110K – $325K
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: Defense, Deeptech, Energy
Redstone North Karelia is a regional fund based in Joensuu that backs companies located in or building a significant presence in eastern Finland. It focuses on semiconductors and photonics, defense and dual-use technology and the energy transition, and it plans 15 to 20 investments over about five years.
16. Redstone Blue
Fund Size: $29M (initial close)
HQ: Finland
Check Size: $200K – $2.5M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Robotics, Clean Tech
Redstone Blue is the ocean-tech and blue economy strategy of Redstone, led from a new office in Turku. It invests in maritime and port technology, offshore energy, marine data and robotics, and water innovation, with the Baltic Sea as its first area of focus.
17. RunwayVC
Fund Size: $47M (initial close)
HQ: Norway
Check Size: $500K – $2M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Industrial Tech, Robotics
RunwayVC is an Oslo based firm that invests in industrial AI, connected machines and robotics, and its cornerstone investor is Aker. Its second fund plans around 20 new investments, and the first two went to Minerva Humanoids and HIVE Autonomy.
18. BLING Capital
Fund Size: $10.5M (initial close)
HQ: Sweden
Check Size: $30K – $200K
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed
Sector Focus: Generalist
BLING Capital is a Stockholm firm that grew out of a movement supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs in Sweden. It invests in teams of at least two founders at the earliest stage, across sectors, and it draws on a network of more than 10,000 entrepreneurs to find them.
Best Pre-Seed Funds in Israel
19. Team8
Fund Size: $265M plus more than $100M for later rounds
HQ: Israel
Check Size: $1M – $15M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, Data Infrastructure, Fintech
Team8 Capital closed its third fund in August 2026 and focuses on the layers that let companies adopt AI securely, including identity, data and security. Portfolio companies also get access to the group's more than 90 in-house company builders, which is a useful advantage for founders selling to large companies.
Best Pre-Seed Funds in the Rest of the World
20. Mamor Capital
Fund Size: $18.6M (initial close, targeting $34M)
HQ: South Africa
Check Size: $300K – $1.5M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Fintech, Consumer
Mamor Capital is a Black women-owned firm in Midrand that invests only in South Africa based technology companies. It looks for companies that already have paying customers, so it fits founders with early revenue more than founders at the idea stage.
21. Industrial47
Fund Size: $9.7M (initial close, targeting $23M)
HQ: India
Check Size: $500K – $1.5M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed
Sector Focus: Defense, Space, Deeptech
Industrial47 is a Bengaluru based pre-seed fund founded by Rahul Seth, a former Director at Antler's India office. It aims to be the first institutional investor for Indian founders building in space, defense, energy and advanced manufacturing.
22. SaaSholic
Fund Size: $30M
HQ: Brazil
Check Size: $1M – $1.5M
Stage Focus: Seed
Sector Focus: B2B, Generative AI, Legaltech
SaaSholic backs Latin American B2B software founders and has repositioned itself around AI-native software. Between 30% and 40% of its third fund is set aside for founders building for international markets, especially the US.
23. Ventures Platform Fund
Fund Size: $84M
HQ: Nigeria
Check Size: $1.5M – $3M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sector Focus: Fintech
Ventures Platform is a pan-African firm whose portfolio includes Paystack and PiggyVest. Its second fund closed at $84M in August 2026, and it targets ownership of 10% to 12% at entry with larger first checks than its previous fund.
24. Galileo Ventures
Fund Size: $15M (initial close, targeting $30M)
HQ: Australia
Check Size: $100K – $700K
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sector Focus: Generalist, Generative AI
Galileo Ventures is an operator-led firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and San Francisco, and it has been the first institutional investor in more than 25 companies. The first investment from its second fund was a $350K check into brain-interface startup Fluent BCI.
25. Kona Venture Partners
Fund Size: $87M (up to $179M with follow-on capital from Nexon)
HQ: South Korea
Check Size: $300K – $3M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sector Focus: Gaming, Generative AI
Kona Venture Partners is South Korea's only independent venture firm focused on games, and its new fund is backed by the Ministry of Culture and Nexon Partners. Studios do not have to sign a publishing deal with Nexon to receive funding.
26. Blackbird Ventures
Fund Size: $710M+
HQ: Australia
Check Size: $30K – $5M
Stage Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: Generalist, AI, Deeptech
Blackbird Ventures is a Sydney firm whose portfolio includes Canva, SafetyCulture and Culture Amp. Historically around two thirds of its first investments have gone to companies that were pre-product or pre-revenue, and it invests in founders with a strong connection to Australia or New Zealand.
27. K2 Global
Fund Size: $200M
HQ: Singapore
Check Size: $1M – $100M
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
Sector Focus: AI, Robotics, Defense
K2 Global is run by solo investor Ozi Amanat and announced $200M for its new AI Fund in August 2026. The fund builds concentrated positions in AI, autonomy, defense, robotics, semiconductors and healthcare companies.
Pre-Seed Funds vs Seed Funds: What Is the Difference?
Pre-seed funds invest when a company is at the idea or prototype stage, usually with checks between $100K and $1.5M. They look mainly at the team, the market and any early sign of demand.
Seed funds come in slightly later, once there is a working product and early evidence that customers want it. Their checks are usually larger, and they expect a clearer plan for reaching customers and a credible path to a Series A.
Many funds in this article invest across both stages, including Capital F, Galileo Ventures and Don't Quit Ventures. A fund that invests at pre-seed and returns for the seed round means one fewer fundraise to run in your first two years. If you are further along, the guide to the best seed funds for first-time founders covers firms that focus on that next round.
How to Choose the Right Pre-Seed Fund
The best pre-seed funds for you are the ones whose focus, check size and location match your company. These four checks will narrow the list quickly:
- Sector. Start with the funds that name your industry, such as Silent Ventures for defense or Capital F for women-focused health and commerce.
- Check size. Compare the fund's check range with the amount you plan to raise, because a fund that starts at $5M is unlikely to write a $500K first check.
- Geography. Some funds only invest in one region, such as Mamor Capital in South Africa, Industrial47 in India and Redstone North Karelia in eastern Finland.
- Traction required. A few funds, including Mamor Capital and F&F Ventures, prefer companies that already have revenue or validated demand.
How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round
Founders who treat a pre-seed raise as a short, organized campaign usually get better results than those who take meetings one at a time.
1. Build Your Target List
Start with 50 to 100 investors filtered by sector, stage, region and check size. Use the Everything Startups New VC Funds directory to find funds that recently closed, since new funds have money available and a plan to invest it.
Get the full database with contact details of Pre-seed to Series A investors here.
2. Prepare Materials Investors Can Read Quickly
Your deck should cover the problem, your insight, the product, the market, early proof, the team and the amount you are raising. Keep it under 15 slides, since investors read hundreds of decks each month and a clear deck works better than a polished one. The Y Combinator Startup Library has free guidance on pitching and fundraising.
3. Show Early Proof
Pre-seed investors do not expect revenue, but they do want signals such as prototype demos, pilot commitments, letters of intent or waitlist growth. Any of these makes it easier for an investor to trust a first-time team.
4. Run a Tight Process
Send your outreach within a window of four to six weeks so conversations move forward at the same time. Warm introductions from portfolio founders and operator communities work best, and several funds here accept direct submissions. For a full walkthrough, read how to raise money from VCs as a startup founder, and ask your lawyer to review terms against the NVCA model legal documents before you sign.
FAQ: Best Pre-Seed Funds and Pre-Seed Investors
What are the best pre-seed funds in 2026?
The best pre-seed funds are the ones that match your sector, check size and location. In this list, Capital F, Silent Ventures, Galileo Ventures, Don't Quit Ventures and Industrial47 are dedicated to the earliest stages, while larger firms such as South Park Commons, Reach Capital and Blackbird Ventures also write pre-seed checks.
How much do pre-seed funds invest?
Checks in this list start as low as $30K at BLING Capital and Blackbird Ventures and reach $1.5M to $3M at firms like Silent Ventures and Ventures Platform. Carta reports that the average pre-seed instrument in the US reached $276,000 in the second quarter of 2026.
Why does it matter that a fund recently announced new capital?
A fund with new capital has money available and usually a target number of companies to back over the next few years. That makes it a more useful place to start than a fund that raised several years ago and has already invested most of it.
Can I pitch a pre-seed fund if I have no revenue?
Yes, for most funds in this list, since pre-seed investors mainly look at the team, the market and early signals such as pilots or a waitlist. Mamor Capital is an exception because it invests in companies with paying customers, and F&F Ventures prefers founders with early revenue or proven demand.
Do pre-seed funds only invest in their home country?
Some do and some do not. Galileo Ventures, RunwayVC and SaaSholic all invest across borders, while Mamor Capital, Industrial47 and Redstone North Karelia focus on a single country or region, so check each fund's page before you reach out.
Where can I find more newly announced pre-seed funds?
The Everything Startups New VC Funds directory is updated regularly, and the monthly roundups of new venture capital funds list every fund announced that month.
Data sourced from the Everything Startups VC Funds database, tracking newly announced venture funds across the US, Europe, Israel and the rest of the world.
