# Early stage investors (2026 list)

> 8,261 early stage investors, 77% active in the last 12 months. Led by Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global. Ranked by what they funded.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/lists/early-stage-investors (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Investor Lists](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

# Early stage investors

Updated 7 November 2026

Firms we have watched take part in an early stage round in the last two years. Stage here is what they did, not what they say they do.

[See all 8,261 *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fearly-stage-investors)The top 25

**8,261** investors on the list *+274* this week

**35,061** cheques in 12 months *-5%* against the market

**$8.2M** median round they joined *+2%* against the market median

**77%** wrote a cheque in 12 months

**32%** have led a round

## The Top 25

Ordered by cheques observed, never by anything anyone paid for

Deploying now (25)

- 1 [Y Combinator](https://millionrounds.com/fund/y-combinator) *Deploying now* Accelerator · United States **6,412** **$3M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 2 [Techstars](https://millionrounds.com/fund/techstars) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **2,989** **$1.2M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 3 [500 Global](https://millionrounds.com/fund/500-startups) *Deploying now* Angel · United States **2,140** **$3.6M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 4 [Sequoia Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sequoia-capital) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **2,099** **$35M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 5 [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) *Deploying now* Government · United States **1,869** **$926K** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 6 [Andreessen Horowitz](https://millionrounds.com/fund/andreessen-horowitz) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,661** **$27M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 7 [New Enterprise Associates](https://millionrounds.com/fund/new-enterprise-associates) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,610** **$34M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 8 [Alumni Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/us-strategic-tech-fund-an-alumni-ventures-fund) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,598** **$12M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 9 [Plug and Play](https://millionrounds.com/fund/plug-and-play) *Deploying now* Accelerator · United States **1,561** **$5M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 10 [General Catalyst](https://millionrounds.com/fund/general-catalyst) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,387** **$27M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 11 [SV Angel](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sv-angel) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,349** **$18M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 12 [Accel](https://millionrounds.com/fund/accel) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,341** **$32M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 13 [Lightspeed Venture Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/lightspeed-venture-partners) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,341** **$35M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 14 [Wayra](https://millionrounds.com/fund/wayra) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · Germany **1,160** **$2M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 15 [Bpifrance](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bpifrance) *Deploying now* Government · France **1,151** **$4.5M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 16 [Khosla Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/khosla-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,128** **$26M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 17 [Intel Capital](https://millionrounds.com/fund/intel-capital) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · United States **1,123** **$22M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 18 [Founders Fund](https://millionrounds.com/fund/founders-fund) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,122** **$15M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 19 [Bessemer Venture Partners](https://millionrounds.com/fund/bessemer-venture-partners) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **1,038** **$30M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 20 [Index Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/index-ventures) *Deploying now* VC firm · United Kingdom **1,027** **$31M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 21 [Gaingels](https://millionrounds.com/fund/gaingels) *Deploying now* Private equity · United States **1,010** **$8M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 22 [MassChallenge](https://millionrounds.com/fund/masschallenge) *Deploying now* Accelerator · United States **984** **$1.8M** median round **Sept 2026** last seen
- 23 [SOSV](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sosv) *Deploying now* VC firm · United States **951** **$2.5M** median round **Nov 2026** last seen
- 24 [Google Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/gv) *Deploying now* Corporate VC · United States **884** **$38M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen
- 25 [EIC Accelerator](https://millionrounds.com/fund/eic-accelerator) *Deploying now* Government · European Union **875** **$4.3M** median round **Oct 2026** last seen

**8,236 more on this list**

All 8,261 are in the app, with filters for stage, sector and market. A free account shows 10 per search, Pro up to 1,000.

[See the whole list *→*](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&next=%2Fapp%2Finvestor-lists%2Fearly-stage-investors)

## The Newest Cheques

Rounds this list's investors joined most recently

- **7** Nov **[Arka Fincap](https://millionrounds.com/company/arka-fincap)** Other *Led by* [TPG](https://millionrounds.com/fund/tpg)
- **7** Nov **[LionBio Therapeutics](https://millionrounds.com/company/lionbio-therapeutics)** Pre-seed · $6M *With* [South Park Commons](https://millionrounds.com/fund/south-park-commons)
- **6** Nov **[Banesco Banco Múltiple](https://millionrounds.com/company/banesco-banco-multiple)** Debt · $25M *Led by* [PROPARCO](https://millionrounds.com/fund/proparco)
- **6** Nov **[Water Ledger Global](https://millionrounds.com/company/water-ledger-global)** Other *With* [Launch Africa](https://millionrounds.com/fund/launch-africa-ventures)
- **6** Nov **[aSand.ai](https://millionrounds.com/company/asand-ai)** Series A · $200M *Led by* [Wangsu Science & Technology](https://millionrounds.com/fund/wangsu-science-and-technology)
- **6** Nov **[URobotics](https://millionrounds.com/company/urobotics)** Series A · $30M *Led by* [Kiwoom Investment](https://millionrounds.com/fund/kiwoom-investment)

## Stages This Year

11,405 rounds

- Seed **23%**
- Venture **19%**
- Series A **15%**
- Pre-seed **10%**
- Series B **7%**
- Other **26%**

## What They Backed

Sectors, last 12 months

- AI **3,948**
- Biotech **891**
- Healthcare **777**
- Fintech **672**
- Big Data & Analytics **545**
- Energy **486**

## Cheques by Quarter

Led Joined

9,348 Q1 25

9,425 Q2 25

10.2k Q3 25

11k Q4 25

10.3k Q1 26

8,853 Q2 26

7,904 Q3 26

3,842 Q4 26

The last bar is the quarter still running.

## Lists Like This

- [Seed investors 4,860](https://millionrounds.com/lists/seed-investors)
- [Series A investors 4,432](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-a-investors)
- [Series B investors 2,889](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-b-investors)
- [Growth investors 2,256](https://millionrounds.com/lists/growth-investors)
- [Pre-seed investors 2,186](https://millionrounds.com/lists/pre-seed-investors)
- [Series C investors 1,734](https://millionrounds.com/lists/series-c-investors)

[All investor lists *→*](https://millionrounds.com/lists)

## Reading for founders at seed

- The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web Jesse James Garrett · 2002 4.01 from 4,134 ratings on Goodreads Finding product-market fit Company building About the book Smart organizations recognize that Web design is more than just creating clean code and sharp graphics. A site that really works fulfills your strategic objectives while meeting the needs of your users. Even the best content and the most sophisticated technology won't help you… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Get Backed: Craft Your Story, Build the Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch the Venture of Your Dreams Evan Baehr · 2015 4.36 from 356 ratings on Goodreads Raising money Company building About the book HOW DO YOU LAUNCH THE VENTURE OF YOUR DREAMS? Get Backed isn’t just about startup fundraising. It’s a handbook for anyone who has an idea and needs to build relationships to get it off the ground. Over the last 3 years, entrepreneurs Evan Loomis and Evan Baehr have… On AmazonListen on Audible
- Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing Harry Beckwith · 1997 3.94 from 10,059 ratings on Goodreads Marketing and growth First sales Company building About the book You can't touch, hear, or see your company's most important products... So how do you sell, develop, make them grow? That's the problem with services. This "phenomenal" book, as one reviewer called it, answers that question with insights on how markets work and how prospects… On AmazonListen on Audible
- 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More Perry Marshall · 2013 4.19 from 1,904 ratings on Goodreads First sales Marketing and growth Company building About the book Stop "Just Getting By"... Master The 80/20 Principle And Make More Money Without More Work. When you know how to walk into any situation and see the 80/20's, you can solve almost ANY marketing problem. 80/20 can demolish any sales and advertising problem. "If you don't know… On AmazonListen on Audible

More books for founders and investors on the [Reading List](https://millionrounds.com/reading-list?role=founder&stage=seed).

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

## Quick answers about early stage investors

### Who are the most active early stage investors?

By cheques observed, the most active are Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global, Sequoia Capital and National Science Foundation.

### How many early stage investors are there?

8,261 are on record. 77% made an investment in the last 12 months and 32% have led a round.

### Which stages do early stage investors back?

Of the rounds with a named stage in the last 12 months, mostly Seed (32%) and Series A (21%).

### How big are the rounds early stage investors join?

The typical (median) round among the leading investors here is $15M.

### Which sectors do early stage investors back most?

In the last 12 months, mostly AI, Biotech and Healthcare.

### Which early stage investors lead the most rounds?

Andreessen Horowitz (114 led), Accel (103 led) and General Catalyst (97 led).

### Where are early stage investors based?

Most of the leading investors here are based in the United States (21 of the top 25); the rest in Germany and France.

### What have early stage investors invested in recently?

Recent rounds include Arka Fincap (Other, Nov 2026, with TPG), LionBio Therapeutics (Pre-seed, Nov 2026, with South Park Commons) and Banesco Banco Múltiple (Debt, Nov 2026, with PROPARCO).

Built from the rounds we watched, refreshed every night. [How we count](https://millionrounds.com/methodology) · [Report a correction](https://millionrounds.com/corrections)