Venture Capital firms that invest in startup seed rounds...

I believe it was Charles River Ventures who pioneered convertible $250k notes in seed rounds for startups in 2006.

Now many venture firms have formal seed programs for startups. Bravo!!

I'm putting together a list, and offer it here in alphabetical order:

I have also heard that CMEA, Foundation Capital, GRP Partners, Highland Capital, KPCB, Khosla Ventures, Mayfield, Menlo Ventures, Morganthaler, Omidyar Network, Shasta Ventures, and Union Square Ventures have participated in seed rounds.

Note that I'm not talking about seed-only venture funds such as Betaworks, First Round Capital, Floodgate, Quest, SV Angel, or 500 Startups.

I'm talking about full venture funds that have seed programs.

As always, please mention others I've missed, and I'll update the list.

I believe it was <a href="http://crv.com/">Charles River Ventures</a> who pioneered <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2006/11/01/charles-river-ventures-introduces-friendly-convertible-seed-round/">convertible $250k notes in seed rounds</a> for startups in 2006.

Now many venture firms have formal seed programs for startups. Bravo!!

I'm putting together a list, and offer it here in alphabetical order:

<ul><li> <a href="http://accel.com/">Accel</a>

</li><li><a href="http://a16z.com/">Andreessen Horowitz</a>

</li><li><a href="http://brv.com/about.html">Blue Run Ventures</a>

</li><li> <a href="http://www.crv.com/approach">Charles River Ventures</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.generalcatalyst.com/seed-program">General Catalyst Seed Program</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.greylock.com/about">Greylock Discovery Fund</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.ignitionpartners.com/process/">Ignition Partners</a>

</li><li><a href="http://lightspeedvp.com/About%20Us/OurApproach.aspx">Lightspeed Venture Partners</a>

</li><li><a href="http://mdv.com/how-we-work">Mohr-Davidow</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.nea.com/ourstrategy/innovationatanystage/seedstartup.aspx">NEA Seed Fund</a>

</li><li><a href="http://redpoint.com/">Redpoint</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.sequoiacap.com/us/seed">Sequoia Capital</a>

</li><li><a href="http://triplepointcapital.com/about-us/triplepoint-ventures">Triple Point Ventures</a>

</li><li><a href="http://www.usvp.com/html_vers/approach.html">US Venture Partners</a>

</li></ul>

I have also heard that <a href="http://cmea.com/">CMEA</a>, <a href="http://foundationcap.com/">Foundation Capital</a>, <a href="http://grppartners.com/">GRP Partners</a>, <a href="http://hcp.com/">Highland Capital</a>, <a href="http://kpcb.com/">KPCB</a>, <a href="http://khoslaventures.com/">Khosla Ventures</a>, <a href="http://mayfield.com/">Mayfield</a>, <a href="http://menloventures.com/">Menlo Ventures</a>, <a href="http://www.morgenthaler.com/">Morganthaler</a>, <a href="http://omidyar.com/">Omidyar Network</a>, <a href="http://shastaventures.com/">Shasta Ventures</a>, and <a href="http://usv.com/focus/">Union Square Ventures</a> have participated in seed rounds.

Note that I'm not talking about seed-only venture funds such as <a href="http://betaworks.com/investments.php">Betaworks</a>, <a href="http://firstroundcapital.com/why">First Round Capital</a>, <a href="http://floodgate.com/">Floodgate</a>, <a href="http://questvp.com/">Quest</a>, <a href="http://svangel.com/">SV Angel</a>, or <a href="http://500startups.com/">500 Startups</a>.

I'm talking about full venture funds that have seed programs.

See also: <a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/134/the-pulse-fundraising-strategy-seed-round-without-angels-pays-off">The Pulse fundraising strategy -- seed round without angels -- pays off.</a>

As always, please mention others I've missed, and I'll update the list.

5:38 PM Dec 06 2011

To the entrepreneurs out there, remember: Don't underestimate how long funding takes.

And of course, if you're raising seed money, other resources you might find helpful are:

And on Quora:

See also Atelier Advisors' How to raise capital in any market.

To the entrepreneurs out there, remember: <a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/140/dont-underestimate-how-long-funding-takes">Don't underestimate how long funding takes.</a>

And of course, if you're raising seed money, other resources you might find helpful are:

<ul><li><a href="http://angel.co/">AngelList</a> / <a href="http://venturehacks.com/">VentureHacks</a>

</li><li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/149/blogs-that-tech-startup-founders-should-read">Blogs Founders Should Read</a>

</li><li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/116/great-legal-resources-for-startups">Legal Resources for Startups</a>

</li><li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/152/startup-pitch-decks-and-the-102030-rule">Startup Pitch Decks and the 10/20/30 Rule</a></li>

<li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/218/startup-rule-1-survive">Startup Rule #1: SURVIVE</a>

</li><li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/193/the-best-convos-about-fail">The Best Convos about FAIL</a>

</li><li><a href="http://pandawhale.com/convo/103/where-do-i-find-technical-co-founders-can-i-do-that-at-106-miles">Where can I find technical co-founders?</a>

</li></ul>

And on Quora:

<ul><li><a href="http://quora.com/Seed-Funding/What-are-all-the-early-stage-startup-funds-world-wide">What are all the early stage startup funds worldwide?</a>

</li><li><a href="http://quora.com/Venture-Capital/Is-a-VC-firm-that-has-provided-seed-funding-prevented-from-leading-or-setting-valuation-of-the-A-round">Is a VC that provided seed funding prevented from leading the series A?</a>

</li><li><a href="http://quora.com/Which-venture-capital-firms-lead-angel-seed-investments">Which VC firms lead angel/seed investments?</a>

</li></ul>

See also Atelier Advisors' <a href="http://www.atelieradvisors.com/how-to-raise-capital-in-any-market/">How to raise capital in any market</a>.

7:44 AM Sep 09 2011

Sequoia has a seed program and AH does enough seed deals where I would consider it a program.

8:44 AM Sep 09 2011

Thanks Dan!

I spoke with someone at Sequoia who said they don't have a formal seed program, but then thanks to your note I looked on their website and found this, so I'm adding it.

Also, I talked with Ronny Conway at a16z yesterday and they definitely do seed deals. I'll give them the feedback that having something on their website to refer entrepreneurs to would be very helpful.

Speaking of which, is there anything on Accel's website that mentions the seed program? I couldn't find anything when I looked.

8:47 AM Sep 09 2011

After speaking with the folks at MDV I've added them to the list, too.

MDV does seed rounds in web/mobile, life sciences, and infrastructure – web/mobile examples include PunchTab and Massive Health. However, MDV is highly selective about which seed deals they do, and their values and culture as a firm seem to be in line with fewer web/mobile seed deals and higher touch with a commitment to work with startups over the long haul to build big companies.

On that note, Sequoia once had a thriving seed program, as Dan noted above, but I've noticed they've done fewer seed deals in 2011 than in the past, and it's possible they'll phase that out completely in favor of working through angels, YCombinator, etc., instead.

1:18 PM Sep 10 2011

Ignition Partners is another

10:08 AM Sep 09 2011

Thanks Marc -- I don't see anything about their seed program on their website but I'll add them to the list...

10:11 AM Sep 09 2011

Great stuff. I've roughed out some of the code for a seed stage VC DB on beta.hackersandfounders.com

Angel List just released their API as well. http://angel.co/api I'll try to integrate some of that as well.

Other firms:

4:56 AM Sep 16 2011

Props Given By:

Was there a reason why you listed Highland Capital twice?

I guess you just really like them. :)

5:29 PM Dec 06 2011

Funny, I talked with Highland and never got the impression they invest at seed stage.

7:28 PM Sep 03 2012

Venture Capital firms that invest in startup seed rounds...

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