Data as of Oct 14, 2026Based on 337 AI responses
Reviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky
AI summary
OpenVC holds a narrow lead over CrunchBase as a directory for discovering active investors and check sizes. For founders seeking fast pre-seed term sheets, Hustle Fund is the usual answer instead.
Rank and Mentioned in · since Jul 5
| # | Brand | Recommended for | Mentioned in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | identifying active investment funds by current check size and preferences | identifying active investment funds by current check size and preferences | 36% |
| 2 | broad investor database searches across sectors and funding rounds | broad investor database searches across sectors and funding rounds | 29% |
| 3 | sector-specific venture capital research and fund tracking | sector-specific venture capital research and fund tracking | 22% |
| 4 | connecting founders directly with angel investors and venture funds | connecting founders directly with angel investors and venture funds | 20% |
| 5 | enterprise introductions and hands-on operational support for startups | enterprise introductions and hands-on operational support for startups | 18% |
| 6 | enterprise cloud and developer infrastructure software investments | enterprise cloud and developer infrastructure software investments | 13% |
| 7 | 12% | ||
| 8 | active venture investment deployment across growth stages | active venture investment deployment across growth stages | 12% |
| 9 | 9% | ||
| 10 | early-stage accelerator funding for remote and open-source companies | early-stage accelerator funding for remote and open-source companies | 9% |
| 11 | 8% | ||
| 12 | 8% | ||
| 13 | 8% | ||
| 14 | 8% | ||
| 15 | 7% |
Weeks of Oct 2 – Oct 11, 2026
Widest split: Signal by NFX, 25% on ChatGPT Search and 14% on Google AI Mode.
| Brand | ChatGPT Search | Google AI Mode | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenVC | 35% | 36% | |
| CrunchBase | 28% | 30% | |
| PitchBook | 19% | 25% | |
| Signal by NFX | 25% | 14% | |
| Andreessen Horowitz | 20% | 16% | |
| Bessemer Venture Partners | 16% | 9% | |
| Solana | 13% | 12% | |
| Accel | 16% | 8% | |
| AngelMatch | Outside ChatGPT Search's top 25 | 14% | |
| Y Combinator | Outside ChatGPT Search's top 25 | 13% |
| AI engine | Leading brand |
|---|---|
 ChatGPT Search | Andreessen Horowitz |
 Google AI Mode | Accel |
39% of citations point at the ranked brands’ own sites. linkedin.com is the most-cited site outside the ranked brands’ own domains.
Google AI ModeOct 13, 2026
To find early-stage B2B SaaS investors, you can utilize several prominent platforms and databases ranging from institutional market intelligence to modern founder-centric sourcing tools.
If you'd like, let me know:
I can narrow down specific B2B SaaS micro-VCs and funds that actively write checks at that stage.
ChatGPT SearchOct 13, 2026
Google AI ModeOct 14, 2026
Google AI ModeOct 14, 2026
I'm looking for a "first check" investor for my fintech startup who can lead a $1M pre-seed round.
ChatGPT SearchOct 14, 2026
ChatGPT SearchOct 14, 2026
What are the best pre-seed funds that decide quickly and provide a term sheet in under two weeks?
I need a database of VC firms that are actively deploying capital this quarter, not just "zombie funds."
What is the best token that is being actively accumulated by large, well-known crypto VCs and funds?
Absolutely. If you're raising capital for an early-stage B2B SaaS company, there are several investor databases that can help you identify venture capital firms, angel investors, and individual partners who actively invest in software businesses.
My recommendation is to start with OpenVC and NFX Signal. Both are founder-focused resources for identifying investors by stage and sector. Then use Crunchbase to research investment history and build a more targeted list.
(Best starting point)
Free tier available · Founder-focused
A searchable database of 16,000+ investors, with filters for funding stage, industry, geography, check size, and lead preferences. It also includes outreach tools, a fundraising CRM, and pitch-deck tracking.
Best for: Building a practical list of pre-seed, seed, and Series A investors that match your B2B SaaS profile.
Search the OpenVC investor database
(Best free research tool)
Free · Sector and stage rankings
Signal organizes investors into lists by sector and funding stage, including SaaS seed investors and enterprise seed investors. It is particularly useful for finding specific investors and partners to research.
Best for: Finding early-stage investors with an explicit SaaS or enterprise software focus.
Browse Signal's investor lists
Free access options · Paid research features
Research which firms backed comparable SaaS companies, what rounds they participated in, and which companies are in their portfolios. This is especially useful for discovering investors based on their actual investment history.
Best for: Finding investors who have already funded companies similar to yours.
Access and pricing vary by plan
A private-market intelligence platform for researching startups, funding rounds, investors, and ecosystems. It is useful when you want to identify investment patterns across a sector or geography.
Best for: Mapping the B2B software investment landscape and finding firms active in a particular market.
Premium subscription · Institutional research
Detailed data on venture capital firms, investors, private companies, and transactions. It is a strong option for more sophisticated research, although the cost may be difficult to justify for a first fundraising round.
Best for: Teams that need deeper investor intelligence, transaction data, and systematic market research.
Paid options available
Combines investor discovery with relationship management, pitch-deck sharing, investor updates, and fundraising pipeline tracking.
Best for: Founders who want one system to manage a large investor outreach campaign.
The trick is to identify investors by their actual investment thesis, not simply search for “software investors.”
| What to investigate | Filters or signals to look for |
|---|---|
| Stage | Pre-seed, seed, Series A |
| Sector | B2B SaaS, enterprise software, vertical SaaS, developer tools |
| Business model | Recurring revenue, subscription software |
| Investment size | Typical initial check that fits your round |
| Investment activity | Recent investments in comparable companies |
| Partner fit | A specific partner who leads software investments |
I would begin with the free resources before paying for a premium database. A carefully qualified list of 50–100 investors can be more useful than thousands of poorly matched names.
I can help you build a much more targeted shortlist of actual investors. The two most useful details to start with are:
1. What stage are you raising at?
Pre-seed — idea, prototype, or initial customers
Seed — early product and initial traction
Series A — established revenue and growth
2. What kind of B2B SaaS do you build?
Horizontal B2B SaaS — productivity, workflow, CRM, operations
Vertical SaaS — software for a specific industry
AI-powered B2B SaaS
Developer tools or infrastructure
Other enterprise software
3. Where is your company based, and where can investors be located?
United States
United States and international
Global, location flexible
Outside the United States
4. How much are you raising? (Optional)
Under $1M
$1M–$3M
$3M–$5M
$5M+
Not decided yet
5. Current traction (Optional)
Pre-revenue
Early revenue
Growing recurring revenue
[Find matching investors]
With those details, I can help identify specific funds and individual investors, explain why they might be a fit, and link you to their websites and relevant portfolio companies.
The short answer is no, there is no direct database filter on any major investor search platform that explicitly includes a toggle or tag for "knows how to handle standard startup cap tables."
Investor databases (like Crunchbase, PitchBook , or OpenVC ) index data based on sector focus (e.g., B2B SaaS, enterprise software), check size, stage (seed, Series A), and past investment history . Cap table literacy is considered a baseline professional competency for institutional VCs and professional angels rather than a searchable taxonomy tag.[](https://www.openvc.app/investor-lists/saas-investors)[[2](https://qubit.capital/blog/startup-databases-investors)](https://qubit.capital/blog/startup-databases-investors)[[3](https://pitchbook.com/help/using-the-general-search-bar)](https://pitchbook.com/help/using-the-general-search-bar)
However, you can successfully proxy-target this exact profile by combining sector filters with portfolio analysis.
If you'd like, I can:
Let me know how you'd like to proceed with your fundraising strategy.
ChatGPT SearchOct 14, 2026
Yes. There are several investor-search tools that let you target B2B SaaS investors by sector, investment stage, check size, and investment thesis. The important distinction is that most tools can find investors who understand SaaS, but few explicitly filter for investors experienced with standard startup cap tables, SAFEs, convertible notes, option pools, and priced equity rounds.
I'd approach this as a two-part search: find SaaS-specialist investors, then screen them for practical cap-table experience.
(Best starting point)
Search for SaaS investors and narrow by geography, startup stage, round size, investor type, and check size. Its SaaS investor directory is a useful starting point for finding sector specialists.
Cap-table fit: Not a dedicated filter. Investigate portfolio companies and the investor's history with conventional venture financing.
Website:
Locating B2B SaaS-focused investors who understand and accept standard cap table configurations (such as safe notes, convertible notes, or standard equity structures without overly aggressive protective provisions) requires specialized discovery platforms . Most institutional venture capitalists handle standard setups routinely at the pre-seed and seed stages, but filtering for exact thesis fit requires targeted databases.
If you'd like, please share:
I can provide more targeted suggestions on how to filter these tools or approach matching investors.
ChatGPT SearchOct 14, 2026
For a B2B SaaS startup, I’d use a combination of investor discovery databases, portfolio research, and cap-table compatibility screening. The important distinction is that a database can tell you who invests in SaaS, but it usually won’t tell you whether a specific partner is comfortable with your existing SAFE notes, convertible notes, preferred stock, option pool, or ownership structure.
Here are the tools I’d start with, based on their current positioning and founder fundraising workflows.
(Best starting point)
Search OpenVC’s SaaS investor directory for investors in enterprise SaaS, vertical SaaS, cloud software, and subscription businesses. It offers stage, geography, check-size, and investment-thesis filters, plus tools for sharing decks and managing outreach.
Absolutely. For a pre-seed fintech startup, I’d start with investor databases that let you filter by funding stage, fintech sub-sector, check size, and geography. The key is finding investors who have actually backed companies at the pre-seed stage, rather than firms that simply list fintech as an area of interest.
Here are the resources I’d prioritize, including specialized fintech lists and databases for both venture capital firms and angel investors.
(Best starting point)
A founder-focused fundraising platform with investor profiles, search filters, pitch-deck sharing, and fundraising pipeline tools. It includes VCs, angels, and family offices.
Website: OpenVC · Fintech investor list.
Particularly useful for finding individual investors and partners at firms. Its investor directory organizes investors by sector and stage, including fintech seed investors.
Website: NFX Signal.
Best for researching who invested in comparable fintech startups and discovering firms from their funding histories.
Website: Crunchbase. Some data and search features require a paid plan.
Useful if you want a larger list that includes individual angels as well as venture capitalists. It offers filters for pre-seed stage, industry, location, and investor contacts.
Website: Pre-seed investor database.
Google AI ModeOct 14, 2026
Finding pre-seed fintech investors requires looking at platforms that let you filter precisely by investment stage (pre-seed/seed) and sector (fintech, financial services, web3/crypto, etc.).
The top databases and resources categorized by accessibility and type are organized below:
What are some ways to find a list of angel investors and venture capital firms that back pre-seed fintech companies?
Absolutely. For a startup serving a specialized B2B industry, I’d focus on venture capital firms that have repeatedly invested in vertical SaaS: software built around the specific workflows, regulations, and operating needs of one industry, rather than generic business software.
The best investor isn't necessarily the biggest SaaS fund. It's one that understands your customers, recognizes why your software is difficult to replace, and has funded companies at a similar stage and business model.
I've researched investor directories and SaaS investment lists updated in 2026 to build a starting shortlist.
These are good starting points for a founder fundraising for specialized B2B software. I've separated firms with an explicit vertical SaaS focus from broader software investors that may fit depending on your industry and stage.
1. In Revenue Capital
(Explicit vertical SaaS focus)
Focuses on early-stage B2B vertical SaaS, combining seed capital with go-to-market expertise. Worth investigating if you need help validating sales channels and building a repeatable revenue engine.
Best fit: early revenue / seed stage.
2. Frontier Growth
(Explicit vertical SaaS focus)
Targets B2B vertical SaaS companies with product-market fit, typically reporting at least $2 million in ARR. Its stated investment range is $2 million–$30 million, including growth and recapitalization transactions.
Best fit: established revenue through growth stage.
3. Bessemer Venture Partners
A strong candidate for enterprise and industry-specific software, with a longstanding cloud and SaaS investment practice. Its broad portfolio and experience scaling software businesses make it relevant for founders building category leaders in specialized markets.
Best fit: seed through growth, depending on the team and fund.
4. Battery Ventures
Invests across enterprise software and industry-specific technology. Its vertical software portfolio has included businesses serving specialized operational needs, making it worth screening for companies selling mission-critical software to businesses.
Best fit: software startups with a credible path to scale.
5. York IE
Invests in B2B subscription software, with an explicit bias toward vertical SaaS and underserved markets. It also offers product, go-to-market, marketing, and financial-planning support. Its published criteria include at least $500,000 ARR and a typical investment range of $500,000–$2 million.
Best fit: early-stage companies with initial traction.
6. Paumanok Ventures
Invests in early-stage technology, enterprise software, and vertical SaaS, emphasizing defensible innovation and capital-efficient businesses. Its published check range is $100,000–$1 million, with investments extending from idea stage toward Series A.
Best fit: pre-seed, seed, and early-stage fundraising.
These investors are broader SaaS or enterprise software funds, rather than pure-play vertical SaaS specialists. They can be valuable targets when your business aligns with their existing portfolio or sector expertise.
| Firm | Why investigate it | Likely fundraising fit |
|---|---|---|
| Accel | Broad B2B software experience and a substantial enterprise SaaS portfolio | Seed to growth |
| Insight Partners | Software scaling expertise and growth-stage capital | Series A through later stages |
| Matrix Partners |
Firm strategy, fund availability, and stage appetite can change. Treat these as research leads, not confirmation that each fund is currently deploying into your exact category.
I would prioritize investors using four criteria:
For further research, two useful directories are the OpenVC vertical SaaS investor list and Seedlist's vertical SaaS investor directory.
The biggest missing piece is your specific industry. A startup selling software to commercial contractors will need a different investor list from one selling to insurance brokers, industrial manufacturers, or specialty healthcare providers.
What industry does your startup serve? If you share that, I can narrow this down to a more actionable list of firms, relevant portfolio companies, potential investment partners, and their likely stage and check-size fit.
Google AI ModeOct 14, 2026
Several prominent venture capital firms have a strong, proven track record of investing in and scaling vertical SaaS (and vertical AI) companies.
Which venture capital investors have a history of backing vertical SaaS companies? My startup is in a niche B2B sector.
Which investors have a proven track record with vertical SaaS companies? My startup is in a specialized B2B space.
I'm building a platform that serves a very niche B2B vertical. Which VCs are known for backing "vertical SaaS" champions?
| Fundraising access | Warm introductions, founder referrals, or accepted direct pitches |
Search a database of investor profiles by stage, sector, and check size, then add prospects to your fundraising pipeline.
Cap-table fit: Best used to identify suitable funds and then check whether they routinely participate in standard seed and Series A rounds.
Website:
Matches founders with investors using stage, industry, geography, raise amount, and recent investment activity. Its investor-finder tools advertise free access.
Cap-table fit: A practical option for finding active investors, especially if you want to avoid stale directories. You still need to vet their financing experience directly.
Website:
Offers investor searches by industry, stage, investment thesis, partners, and other criteria, with contact information and outreach tracking.
Cap-table fit: Useful for building a targeted list and contacting individual investors to validate their experience with standard financing structures.
Website:
I would screen prospects for demonstrated experience with these five things, rather than relying on a generic “SaaS investor” label.
Standard startup financing
Familiarity with YC-style SAFEs, convertible notes, and conventional priced equity rounds.
Cap-table and dilution modeling
Can evaluate founder ownership, fully diluted shares, option pools, SAFE conversion, and post-financing ownership.
Relevant B2B SaaS portfolio
Has invested in comparable software businesses at your stage, ideally with repeat experience in seed rounds or earlier.
Conventional deal terms
Comfortable with ordinary venture financing documentation without unnecessarily complex or unusual structures.
Founder references
Existing portfolio founders can confirm that the investor handled financing and ownership questions competently.
One useful distinction: if you want someone to invest in your company, use investor databases. If you want someone to help clean up, model, or administer the cap table, you're probably looking for a startup finance specialist, fractional CFO, or startup attorney instead.
Start with OpenVC and Visible Connect. Use B2B SaaS as the sector filter, then match the stage and check size. Manually verify the cap-table criterion during outreach, because I couldn't verify a dedicated filter for that specific expertise on these platforms.
To narrow this down further, are you looking for investors to put money into your startup, or investors who are also experienced in managing and structuring a standard startup cap table? Those lead to somewhat different search strategies.
Cap-table angle: Use it to build a shortlist, then check each fund’s past rounds and ask about its preferred investment instrument.
Great for researching which investors backed comparable B2B SaaS companies, what stages they invest at, and which funds co-invest together. Use portfolio and funding-history research to identify partners with relevant deal experience.
Cap-table angle: Look for portfolio companies that raised multiple rounds or used convertible instruments. Crunchbase is a research starting point, not proof that an investor will accept your exact cap table.
Useful for early-stage fundraising research, especially when you want to discover investors by sector and stage and identify relevant connections.
Cap-table angle: Prioritize investors who have repeatedly invested at your stage and in companies with similar financing histories. Follow up directly to confirm instrument preferences.
Best for deeper diligence when you need detailed information about VC firms, investment history, financing rounds, and private-market transactions. It is generally more appropriate when you have a research budget or institutional support.
Cap-table angle: Use deal history to identify investors experienced with complex financing histories, then confirm their actual requirements with the investing partner.
Worth considering if you want to manage the whole raise in one place: investor research, outreach, introductions, follow-ups, and pipeline tracking.
Cap-table angle: Record each investor’s response to your structure, preferred security, diligence requirements, and any conditions for investing.
I wouldn’t rely on a “SaaS investor” tag alone. I’d create a separate screening process for the capital structure.
| What to screen | What to ask or investigate |
|---|---|
| SAFEs and convertible notes | Will the investor invest alongside existing SAFEs or notes, including their conversion and discount terms? |
| Existing preferred stock | Can they invest in a new round with the existing share classes and investor rights? |
| Option pool | Are they comfortable with the current employee option pool, and do they require it to increase before the round? |
| Ownership and dilution | Are their target ownership and check size compatible with the current cap table? |
| Financing history | Have they backed companies with multiple prior rounds, notes, SAFEs, or multiple classes of shares? |
| Governance and legal terms | What board, information, liquidation preference, and protective provisions do they require? |
These are screening questions, not universal investor requirements. Compatibility depends on your jurisdiction, financing documents, round structure, and the specific fund.
Step 1 — Build a list of 40–60 investors
Start with OpenVC and filter for B2B SaaS, your funding stage, geography, and check size.
Step 2 — Research comparable portfolio companies
Use Crunchbase to find companies with similar revenue models, stages, and financing histories. Identify the partners who led those investments.
Step 3 — Confirm structural fit before pitching
Ask the partner or a founder in their portfolio whether the fund is comfortable with your existing securities, ownership structure, and proposed round.
Step 4 — Track the evidence
Use Foundersuite or a spreadsheet to record sector fit, check size, stage, relevant investments, warm-intro paths, and cap-table feedback.
I can make the recommendations much more targeted if I know your stage and what you mean by a cap-table-friendly investor.
1. What stage are you raising at?
Pre-seed
Seed
Series A
Bridge round or extension
2. What is the main cap-table consideration?
Existing SAFEs or convertible notes
Multiple preferred share classes or prior priced rounds
Founder ownership, dilution, or option pool
A more complex or unusual cap table
Standard cap table; want investor-friendly terms
3. Where are you raising?
United States
UK or Europe
Canada
Global / open to international investors
4. What is your research budget?
Free or low-cost tools
Paid investor databases are fine
Any budget if the data is useful
[Find matching tools and investors]
If you'd like, let me know:
I can narrow down which of these databases or specific micro-VC funds fit your exact profile.
| Enterprise software and B2B SaaS investing |
| Early to mid-stage |
| OpenView | B2B SaaS specialization and growth strategy | Check current investment activity and stage fit |
| Five Elms Capital | Vertical software and recurring-revenue business experience | Growth-stage companies |
If you'd like to narrow this down, please share:
I can help tailor this list to match exact check sizes and stage focuses.
