Top 25 VCs for Early-Stage Startups in North America in 2025
For early-stage startups, venture capitalists (VCs) play a crucial role in providing the funding and mentorship needed to grow and succeed. Here, we've compiled a list of the top 25 VCs for early-stage startups in North America in 2025, including details on their investment stages, typical check sizes, focus areas, notable portfolio companies, and their track records.
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1. Sequoia Capital
Website: sequoiacap.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Primarily early-stage (Seed, Series A), but invests across all stages
Typical Check Size: $1M to $100M for early-stage
Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, energy, financial services, consumer, enterprise, mobile
Notable Portfolio Companies: Apple, Google, Airbnb, Stripe, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, NVIDIA, Github, Uber
Track Record: One of the most established VCs with a long history of backing tech giants; known for long-term partnerships and a hands-on approach
2. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
Website: a16z.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Seed, Series A, all the way to late stages
Typical Check Size: $1M - $50M in early stages
Focus Areas: Software, fintech, consumer internet, crypto, AI, healthcare
Notable Portfolio Companies: Airbnb, Slack, GitHub, Instacart, Figma, Coinbase
Track Record: Known for its "founder-friendly" approach, operational expertise, and extensive network of advisors
3. Accel
Website: accel.com
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
Investment Stage: Seed, Series A
Typical Check Size: $1M - $50M in early stages
Focus Areas: Enterprise software, cybersecurity, e-commerce, SaaS, developer tools
Notable Portfolio Companies: Facebook, Slack, Spotify, Dropbox, Atlassian
Track Record: Global VC firm with a strong track record of backing transformative companies
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4. Lightspeed Venture Partners
Website: lsvp.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Mostly Series A, but invests in seed and beyond
Focus Areas: Enterprise, consumer, health, and fintech sectors
Notable Portfolio Companies: Affirm, Nest, Epic Games, Snap
Track Record: Has a presence across the globe, known for its investment strategy across different regions
5. Greylock Partners
Website: greylock.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Early-stage
Focus Areas: Enterprise software, consumer internet, fintech, Healthcare IT
Notable Portfolio Companies: LinkedIn, Dropbox, Facebook, Coinbase, Discord
Track Record: One of the largest VC firms, known for interest in enterprise software, consumer internet, and fintech
6. Kleiner Perkins
Website: kleinerperkins.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Early-stage, all stages
Focus Areas: Technology, including enterprise, consumer, and healthcare sectors
Notable Portfolio Companies: Uber, Reddit, Amazon, Google
Track Record: Has a long history of successful investments
7. New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
Website: nea.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Early-stage, all stages
Focus Areas: Technology and healthcare
Notable Portfolio Companies: Uber, Salesforce, Workday
Track Record: One of the most active early stage VCs
8. First Round Capital
Website: firstround.com
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Investment Stage: Early-stage (Pre-Seed, Seed)
Focus Areas: Various, with focus on tech
Notable Portfolio Companies: Notion, Uber, Warby Parker
Track Record: Recognized for its early-stage focus
9. GV (Google Ventures)
Website: gv.com
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Investment Stage: Early-stage
Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, AI
Notable Portfolio Companies: Uber, Slack, Nest, GitLab, Duo Security
Track Record: Independent VC firm, leverages Google's resources and expertise
10. Thrive Capital
Website: thrivecap.com
Headquarters: New York, New York
Investment Stage: Early-stage
Focus Areas: Internet, Software, Technology
Notable Portfolio Companies: Stripe, Nourish
Track Record: Known for being a bridge between old and new ways of doing business
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11. Y Combinator
Website: ycombinator.com
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Investment Stage: Primarily Pre-Seed & Seed
Typical Check Size: Relatively small, focused on very early-stage companies
Focus Areas: Diverse, but strong in tech and software
Notable Portfolio Companies: Airbnb, Dropbox, Stripe, Reddit
Track Record: A leading accelerator and seed investor
12. Initialized Capital
Website: initialized.com
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Investment Stage: Pre-seed and Seed
Focus Areas: Various, with focus on tech
Notable Portfolio Companies: Coinbase, Flexport, Cruise
Track Record: Known for its focus on very early-stage founders
13. Alumni Ventures
Website: av.vc
Headquarters: Manchester, New Hampshire
Investment Stage: All stages
Focus Areas: Software, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence
Notable Portfolio Companies: StatusPro, Canela Media, Upward Health, Spintly, Torch Dental
Track Record: America's largest venture firm for individual investors, known for diversified portfolios
14. Boost VC
Website: boost.vc
Headquarters: San Mateo, California
Investment Stage: Pre-seed
Typical Check Size: $500,000
Focus Areas: Deep tech, including aerospace, VR/AR, energy, climate, robotics, crypto, bio, AI/ML, ocean, materials
Notable Portfolio Companies: Coinbase, Volley, Starfish Space, Radiant, Etherscan
Track Record: First check for deep tech
15. Index Ventures
Website: indexventures.com
Headquarters: San Francisco, London
Investment Stage: All stages
Focus Areas: Various technologies and stages
Notable Portfolio Companies: Not specified in detail in the provided context
Track Record: Has invested in numerous successful startups
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16. Menlo Ventures
Website: menlo.com
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Investment Stage: Seed, Series A
Typical Check Size: $100K - $500K, $500K - $1M
Focus Areas: AI & Deep Tech, Advertising & Marketing
Notable Portfolio Companies: Not specified in detail in the provided context
Track Record: Has a long track record of successful investments
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FAQ
Q: What are some top VCs for early-stage startups in North America?
A: Sequoia Capital is a top choice for early-stage startups. Learn more about Sequoia Capital.
Q: Which VC is known for a founder-friendly approach?
A: Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is renowned for its founder-friendly approach. Discover Andreessen Horowitz.
Q: Which VC firm has a global presence and focuses on transformative companies?
A: Accel is known for its global presence and focus on transformative companies. Learn more about Accel.
Q: Which VC firm is noted for its investment in AI companies?
A: GV (Google Ventures) focuses on technology, healthcare, and AI companies. Explore GV.
Q: Which VC is best for very early-stage investments?
A: First Round Capital is recognized for its early-stage focus. Check out First Round Capital.
Q: Which firm is known for bridging old and new business practices?
A: Thrive Capital is renowned for bridging old and new business methodologies. Discover Thrive Capital.
Q: Which accelerator is a leading seed investor?
A: Y Combinator is a leading accelerator and seed investor. Find out more about Y Combinator.
Q: What VC firm focuses on deep tech and offers the first check for startups?
A: Boost VC focuses on deep tech and is known for providing the first check. Learn more about Boost VC.
Q: Which venture firm is the largest in America for individual investors?
A: Alumni Ventures is America's largest venture firm for individual investors. Discover Alumni Ventures.
Q: Which firm has invested in successful startups like Coinbase and Cruise?
A: Initialized Capital is notable for investing in successful startups like Coinbase and Cruise. Explore Initialized Capital.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
