Best Pre-Seed Security & Cybersecurity + Climate & Clean Energy Investors 2026

The community-powered VC of the New Nordics. We invest in globally ambitious, impact-aware founders building companies that will solve the world's most pressing challenges. Superior financial returns come from responsible, impact-conscious investing that balances pure financial returns with positive social and environmental impact.

Technology and capital solutions for the global energy transition. We partner with entrepreneurs to build and scale innovative companies that power a better energy future, supported by collaborations with utilities and industrial incumbents.

Back remarkable teams building startups at the intersection of Sustainability and Social Good, using the UN SDGs as guideposts. The firm's 'impact moat' framework holds that mission alignment creates durable competitive advantage, making impact and venture returns mutually reinforcing rather than exclusive.

Early-stage innovation from founders backed by seasoned operators. We invest in disruptive technologies solving real problems at the intersection of scientific breakthroughs and practical execution. Our founders get patient capital, hands-on mentorship from 100+ years of combined experience, and access to our network for strategic growth.

Global venture capital firm investing in lifestyle consumer brands and technology companies that positively disrupt large and growing markets. Great investments require deep industry expertise, hands-on operational support, and access to strategic partners.

Illuminate invests in companies solving mission-critical problems for financial institutions through fintech and enterprise software innovation. With deep access to tier-1 financial institution networks and specialized domain expertise, the firm creates unique value for portfolio companies through institutional customer access, operational guidance, and strategic partnerships.

Backs early-stage founders rebuilding how financial value is created, moved, secured, embedded, and governed, especially across fintech, financial infrastructure, AI-native financial workflows, payments, crypto infrastructure, insurance, and enterprise software for regulated institutions.

MS&AD Ventures partners with visionary entrepreneurs to create innovative solutions across insurance, financial services, healthcare, and sustainability. Backed by the 5th largest global insurance conglomerate, they bring capital plus global distribution across 47 countries. They move fast (2-week decisions), focus on partnerships over ownership, and help companies scale internationally.

Wave Ventures backs Europe's most exceptional Gen Z founders at the earliest stage — angel and pre-seed — in the Nordics and Baltics. We invest before other VCs identify these founders, leveraging a rotating team of top university students embedded in Helsinki, Stockholm, and Tallinn startup ecosystems. We believe the most impactful companies of the next generation will emerge from this region.

Back nerds and pioneers tackling tough problems that matter across European tech. Support founders building hard-to-build but essential products. Real partners for expert founders.

EPIC Ventures backs early-stage technology companies building in the information economy, with a focus on enterprise SaaS, healthcare technology, cybersecurity, and future of work. The firm believes the best way to build lasting companies is through genuine partnership with founders — providing capital, strategic guidance, operational expertise, and deep network access. Founded in 1994, EPIC helped build the Utah tech ecosystem and continues to be the foundational VC of the Mountain West.

We back bold, ambitious, and resilient founders driving breakthrough innovations in HealthTech, CleanTech, and AgriFoodTech. Female-led and gender-mixed teams deliver superior returns and drive meaningful impact. Over five decades of combined experience navigating financial cycles enables us to partner authentically with founders, providing not just capital but strategic guidance and operational support.

Back outlier B2B founders who see around corners and intimately understand customer pain points, investing at the pre-Series A stage to bridge the gap between seed and Series A — especially in underserved non-coastal markets like the Southeast US.

AI represents a fundamental platform shift, reshaping how companies build products, scale and compete. Reduced innovation costs and advanced tooling enable small Nordic teams to challenge incumbents rapidly. Back founders who believe in paradigm-shifting breakthroughs requiring tectonic shifts in technology or market dynamics. Focus on Nordic early-stage companies with strong software components and at least one technical co-founder.

The biggest constraint for early-stage companies is not capital—it's building a world-class team. We provide capital plus measurable talent sourcing, recruitment excellence, and team-building advisory. We have proven ability to reach candidates not reachable by recruiters or founders, and commit to specific hiring targets for each portfolio company.

Big things start small. We invest at seed stage and see potential where others don't. We believe in your vision for your company's future, not as it exists today. We think in decades, not days, committing to walk the entire journey with founders to build iconic companies. We share Antipodean ingenuity with the world.

Back technical founders bringing AI to the physical world — manufacturing, logistics, construction, defence, energy, and infrastructure. Bridge the gap between AI pilots and production-deployed systems generating enterprise revenue.

Technology will define geopolitics. We invest in the Freedom Stack—foundational technologies critical to American national security and technological leadership. We partner with mission-driven founders building capabilities essential to American prosperity and strategic advantage.

Invest in only two kinds of technologies: those that move humanity toward utopia, and those that hold the line against oblivion. Back n-of-1 visions for an era of Black Swans—unconventional companies solving civilization-scale problems that others dismiss as too early, too risky, or too misunderstood.

Back exceptional founders at the earliest stages with potential to build multi-billion dollar companies. Invest in three primary areas: Future of Income, Complicated Consumer, and Decentralized Enterprise. Seek founders with unique perspectives and diversity of background.

Back the most ambitious founders from Central and Eastern Europe at the very earliest stages — before product, before revenue. CEE is a world-class talent pool producing generational companies, and Credo's edge is local knowledge and 17+ years of founder relationships.

Back early-stage technology companies modernizing insurance, risk, and resilience, especially AI-enabled B2B infrastructure for underwriting, claims, brokerage, distribution, premium movement, financial operations, and risk-data workflows.

Investing in founders building critical software that addresses the decay of Western infrastructure, institutions, and industrial base. Ravelin backs software-defined transformation of aerospace, defense, manufacturing, energy, and industrial sectors.

Technology can have a highly disruptive impact on society. We back founders on the forefront of innovation with clear vision towards positive change, leveraging domain expertise to ensure value creation. Founder-first approach with operational support.

Pattern-breaking founders solving real problems generate breakthrough solutions. We believe the best companies come from overlooked founders outside Silicon Valley, regardless of pedigree or traditional markers of success.

User-owned technology empowered by distributed systems and cryptography enables people to reclaim control from intermediaries. We invest in systems that reduce reliance on centralized institutions and give users control, privacy, and access to global markets.

Great relationships start with a beer, not a deck. We believe in building authentic human connections with founders from the earliest stages, providing hands-on support in team building, go-to-market strategy, and ideation beyond just capital.

Back ambitious and unique technology startups as early as possible — ideally from day one. High volume, small checks (~€200-250K), primarily European pre-seed and seed. No board seats, no round leadership. Value-add through a 900+ founder community.

Deep technology and hard tech company investing at inflection points. Partner with technical founders building infrastructure-level solutions for global scale. Founded 2010 on belief that next generation of transformative companies require deep technical expertise, not just capital.

Back exceptional founders building transformational B2B companies in AI, enterprise software, cybersecurity, and clean technology. The Myriad Model combines capital with a curated ecosystem of 30+ Fortune 500 executives who accelerate commercial traction through introductions, POCs, and commercial contracts.

World-changing companies can be built anywhere. Partner with ambitious, underdog, diverse founders in underserved ecosystems. Founder-first relationships: we work for them. Capital + camaraderie + connections + community.

Mercury backs disruptive AI and Blockchain-enabled startups outside Silicon Valley, with a focus on capital-efficient founders in the Central US reimagining core industries including fintech, enterprise software, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, and logistics through their five investment themes: Work, Build, Journeys, Data, and Power.

We democratize venture capital by providing individual accredited investors with professional-grade access to elite venture opportunities. We leverage our massive 850,000+ community network and 11,000+ investors to create unique value for founders, sourcing and diligencing deals alongside top-tier VCs (a16z, Sequoia, Khosla) without leading rounds. Our network is our competitive advantage—it compounds value for all stakeholders.

Back mission-driven founders addressing significant global challenges through leading-edge technology. Provide flexible and patient capital, leveraging our time, resources, and networks to support portfolio company success. Focus on founders with authentic social and environmental missions alongside commercial viability.

Breakthrough technologies that stretch the imagination — deep tech with the potential to create new product categories. We bring company-building skills and operating expertise to help founders find product-market fit.

Venture capital is the most powerful economic engine the world has ever seen. We back audacious founders solving humanity's hardest challenges through category-creating innovations. We embrace big risks and reject short-termism, committing to 15+ year partnerships with founders who have long-term vision and relentless determination.

Back philomath founders building mission-critical software. We co-lead first-check investments in intellectually voracious founding teams solving complex problems with deep domain expertise. Extended engagement from launch to orbit.

Exceptional founders living in the future deserve operators who provide more than capital. We partner with founders on go-to-market, brand, storytelling, and team building.

Pax Technica: The next era of American global leadership will emerge from physical-world technological superiority — reinventing defense, energy, manufacturing, aerospace, and critical infrastructure. Backs mission-driven founders tackling the hardest industrial-scale problems.

Digital transformation of the enterprise in Japan. Backs ambitious startups with a tech component aiming to scale both domestically and internationally. Fund VII focuses on AI/deep tech, energy transition, inbound tourism, and defense. Founded by recovering entrepreneurs who believe operator experience makes better investors.

Back passionate, emerging talent solving deep technology challenges. Support founders from napkin-stage through IPO with patient, flexible evergreen capital. Focus on biotechnology, frontier software, food innovation, longevity, and AI that maximize impact and potential.

New Zealand tech startups and creative companies have exceptional potential. We provide early-stage capital and operational support through our network of industry advisors to help exceptional founders achieve breakthrough results.

Transformative national security solutions emerge from early-stage private-sector startups developing frontier technologies. IQT identifies, evaluates, and leverages innovations to accelerate government adoption while enhancing commercial success. As of May 2026, IQT is emphasizing mission investing through fewer larger bets in autonomy, contested logistics, critical infrastructure, and technologies that can move to mission use quickly.

U.S. immigrants possess exceptional entrepreneurial talent and world-class skills but face systemic barriers through immigration constraints. By removing immigration obstacles and providing capital, operational support, and community resources, immigrant founders can build revolutionary companies and create lasting economic impact. We're the only VC with immigration attorneys as general partners to make this happen.

Exceptional companies are built by founders with deep conviction, strong technical foundations, and the courage to tackle meaningful problems. Panache backs visionary founders from day one, providing capital alongside hands-on operational support and nationwide founder networks.

Be the first check in for founders building America's next era of critical technologies. Invest in audacious founders across Defense, Aerospace, Energy, AI, Manufacturing, Cybersecurity, and Health+Bio solving problems critical to national security and American technological leadership. Provide capital ($250K-$1M), unmatched government access, mentor network, and go-to-market acceleration.

Exceptional founders backed at pre-seed and seed with both capital and hands-on operational support—talent, GTM, fundraising—build the most enduring companies. Pear is founder-first: founders-and-operators turned investors who have been in founders' shoes.

Back the quirky underdog pursuing seemingly impossible ideas. Frontier tech (aerospace, biotech, climate, robotics, crypto, AI, VR/AR) will create the next generation of legendary companies. Technical founders with deep domain expertise can solve the hardest problems in physics, chemistry, and computing.

Belgium-first network-driven VC backing the most ambitious Belgian-founded tech startups at Pre-Seed and Seed. Pools capital, expertise, and network from 120+ founders, operators, and investors to help early-stage Belgian companies scale globally.

Back founders building iconic companies that transcend boundaries. We invest directly in their growth to make them unbreakable. Founded on principle that luck isn't made, it's engineered. Founders are our customer, not LPs. We always vote shares with founders and provide 1% non-dilutive founder development capital alongside every first check.

Back exceptional Kiwi founders building globally transformative companies, from day one to IPO. New Zealand founders represent a significantly undervalued asset class, and Icehouse provides capital plus an ecosystem of 3,000+ investors and deep operational support.

We invest financial and social capital into exceptional ventures led by visionary, values-aligned teams. Technology is the 'new West' - we seek to broaden opportunities by partnering with pioneering founders to bring entire communities along on their journey of reimagining the world.

We invest in paradigm shifters—truly disruptive technologies that change our perspective of the world. We believe in missionary founders committed to their vision, and we focus on business-team-idea-timing fit, not just product-market fit. We target transformative companies across defense, climate, fintech, legal tech, and emerging domains.

ffVC invests in driven problem-solvers building high-potential companies in emerging industries: AI, Manufacturing, Energy, Robotics, and Security. We provide capital alongside deep operational expertise, board participation, and access to a 35,000+ founder and investor ecosystem. We bet on founders with industry expertise, clear paths to $100M+ revenue, and defensible competitive advantages.

Invest in scalable, capital-efficient tech and tech-enabled startups at the Seed stage led by exceptional founders. We identify companies showing early traction that can achieve significant scale with disciplined capital deployment.

Amplify founder impact through capital paired with deep expertise in government market access, federal R&D funding capture, and government contracting strategy. Focus on dual-use technologies addressing national security, defense, energy, and infrastructure challenges.

RRE backs visionary early-stage founders leveraging technological breakthroughs to reshape industries. Systematic focus on Physical AI (AI that touches atoms) and Decentralized AI (bridging web3 and AI infrastructure). Boutique model enables direct partnerships with founders vs. large portfolio strategies. 30+ years of multi-cycle experience.

Real estate has been stagnant for 50 years despite massive innovation in other industries. Shifting demographics, transportation changes, and evolving preferences are forcing modernization. We back visionary entrepreneurs building solutions across construction, property management, residential finance, and retail that will improve quality of life, work, and community.

Technology companies are becoming intertwined with the global economy more so than ever before. The most compelling founders build businesses through a broader world view. White Star Capital backs globally ambitious entrepreneurs at Series A, B, and Seed stages across North America, Europe, and Asia, helping them scale internationally through deep local presence on three continents.

Lightbank invests in disruptive technology companies led by great founders in dynamic markets with world-class products. The firm believes exceptional founders and opportunities exist everywhere, especially in overlooked geographies like the Midwest. We partner with early-stage founders and provide operator-heavy support beyond capital.

The only early-stage deep tech VC in CEE focusing on resilient technologies. We invest in founders building breakthrough technologies with proprietary IP in deep tech, MedTech, cleantech, autonomous vehicles/robotics, industrial, and resilient-tech. Technology must be genuinely unique and address real problems.

Back European technical founders building globally ambitious deeptech and critical technology companies at pre-seed and seed, with concentrated first-check conviction and Paris/San Francisco/Berlin support.

Investing in subject matter experts shaping the future of their industries. We lead with our values and build trust through action. We believe the best founders have deep industry expertise and need tireless operational support, not just capital. We partner with founders for the long term, staying engaged 24/7.

Entrepreneurs who work constructively with government to harness its unique strengths—scale, credibility, regulatory power, data, and funding—enjoy asymmetric advantages. 24% of venture-backed unicorns used government support. We partner with founders to unlock government as a growth lever.

Back the brightest early-stage founders under 30. We provide capital, mentorship, and network access to accelerate ambitious young entrepreneurs who graduate from our League of Innovators program or demonstrate exceptional founder quality.

Sand Hill Angels backs seed-stage, high-tech companies with large and growing markets, well-defined problems, disruptive solutions, defensible technology, and strong teams with demonstrated ability to execute. The group leverages 145+ experienced angels to provide capital, mentorship, and network access across the Silicon Valley ecosystem.

We build category-defining companies through a combination of design, product, operations, and capital. We identify market gaps, pair brilliant founders with Expa's studio resources, and help them build companies that reshape entire industries.

A majority of the data our brains analyze is visual. Therefore, the majority of the data AI will analyze will also be visual, spanning the light and electromagnetic spectrums across all sectors. We thrive on collaborating with deep technical teams who leverage computer vision, machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze visual data.

We connect innovative startups with 550+ corporate partners who have real business problems to solve. Our unique position in the ecosystem creates a flywheel of pilots, proofs-of-concept, enterprise customers, and follow-on capital. We back founders solving real market problems with credible corporate validation.

Empowering entrepreneurs to reimagine the way we live and work by investing in daring technology companies challenging the status quo with permanent capital, lifelong sparring partnership from pre-seed through IPO and beyond.

Investing in the picks and shovels of volatility caused by convergent forces (AI, Web3, Deep Science) intersecting with demographic shifts and climate change. We seek to create venture-scale returns by backing bold founders building more equitable, beneficial, transparent, and accessible structures.

Elevate Ventures partners with innovation-driven founders to provide strategic capital, mentorship, and ecosystem access. Founded by a former founder (Governor Mitch Daniels), the firm believes the best founders exhibit grit, creativity, and coachability. They invest across all sectors and geographies but maintain primary focus on Indiana and Great Lakes Region entrepreneurs building cross-sector innovations.

Exceptional entrepreneurs building critical national security, space, and industrial infrastructure at day zero deserve capital and strategic support from founders who've scaled before. We provide capital, industry network introductions, capital connections to Series A leads, and ecosystem access.

We are a stage-agnostic venture capital firm investing in exceptional founders building the companies that shape our world.

Serious founders building must-have technology for mission-critical industries. We focus on B2B software companies digitizing legacy industries and transforming established workflows. Specializing in seed-stage, where hands-on operational support, sales acceleration, and capital strategy matter most.

Rule30 uses a fully algorithmic decision engine to identify outlier founders at pre-seed and seed stages across Europe and North America. The fund removes human bias by analyzing founder experience, educational background, network evolution, and career trajectory — excluding names and photos. The algorithm ranks founders into top 10%, 3%, and 0.1% tiers. An index-style strategy of 75-85 bets targets ≥3x minimum returns with 97.5% confidence.

Great startups can be built anywhere. We believe in founder-centric investing with operational support from a team of successful founders. We serve undernetworked geographic regions.

Equity of access and representation in venture capital delivers positive returns. Diverse and underrepresented (including LGBTQ+) leaders of high-growth companies deserve capital access. When these founders succeed, they influence ecosystems and open doors for historically excluded groups.

Entourage backs and builds early-stage B2B SaaS and software companies, combining VC capital with venture studio and founder-operator support from zero to one and beyond.

Operator-led fund investing in ambitious founders building transformative AI applications. We partner with technical founders who understand AI/ML deeply and are solving real customer problems with capital efficiency. Great product is always the best marketing.

Investing in the Post-AGI World. Back founders building essential infrastructure, automation, robotics, energy, education, AI security, and biology applications in a world shaped by AI. The fund leverages deep OpenAI insider knowledge to identify where the market is wrong about AI's trajectory.