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Accel is a global venture capital firm founded in 1983 by Arthur Patterson and Jim Swartz, headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The firm backs entrepreneurs building category-defining software companies from the earliest stages through growth, with offices across the US, Europe, India, and Israel. Accel has backed more than 800 companies to date.
Accel invests in software-driven companies across enterprise software, SaaS, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, fintech, and developer tools. The firm has a particular focus on companies building AI-powered technology across software, hardware, robotics, defense tech, and data center infrastructure. Accel looks for teams with strong technical leadership, clear market opportunity, and the ability to build defensible competitive positions at scale.
Accel raised USD 5 billion in April 2026, its largest fundraise to date. Of this, USD 4 billion is allocated to Leaders Fund V, the firm's fifth late-stage vehicle focused on making large investments in companies that have demonstrated product-market fit and are scaling rapidly. The fund plans to write approximately 20 checks averaging USD 200 million each.
An additional USD 650 million was raised in a sidecar vehicle to increase exposure in select portfolio companies. The fund will deploy capital globally across North America, Europe, India, and Southeast Asia, with a heavy emphasis on AI-powered companies. This fundraise brings Accel's total assets under management to approximately USD 36 billion.
Leadership
Accel is led by a broad partnership spanning multiple offices globally, with deep expertise across enterprise software, AI, consumer internet, and cybersecurity. The firm recently expanded its leadership as Leaders Fund V comes online, combining investment acumen with operational and technical backgrounds across the team.
Partner Matt Weigand, leads growth-stage investments in enterprise software, consumer internet, and security businesses. He graduated from Miami University and began his career in William Blair's technology investment banking group before joining Accel in 2013. He represents Accel on the boards of Snyk, Cognite, Veriff, and DriveWealth, and is actively involved with the firm's investments in Axonius, G2, MessageBird, and Xero. He also serves on the board of directors at Nebius. Weigand has been the primary spokesperson for Leaders Fund V, describing its focus as backing "an AI-powered new wave of innovation in software, robotics and defense weaponry" across the US, Europe, India, and Southeast Asia.
Accel's broader partnership includes a deep bench of investors operating from offices in Palo Alto, San Francisco, London, Bangalore, and Tel Aviv. The firm has maintained a multi-generational partnership model since its founding in 1983, combining partners with decades of experience alongside newer investors who bring fresh perspectives on emerging categories like AI infrastructure, defense tech, and developer tools.
Investment Strategy
Through Leaders Fund V, Accel invests USD 50 million to USD 500 million per round in late-stage companies at Series B and beyond. The firm actively leads rounds and takes board seats with select portfolio companies. Accel's partners provide hands-on support across go-to-market strategy, international expansion, executive recruiting, and M&A advisory.
Notable Investments
Accel's portfolio spans four decades of software innovation:
Other
Accel has generated 107 unicorns, 46 IPOs, and 384 acquisitions across its portfolio. The firm's multi-stage platform allows it to support founders from the earliest stages through public listing and beyond. For late-stage founders, Leaders Fund V represents a dedicated pool of capital specifically designed for companies ready to scale aggressively.
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