Pre-Seed Impact Finance Funders

Antler is a global early-stage venture firm and company builder that invests at day zero, often before founders have a cofounder, product, or fully formed idea. Founded in Singapore in 2017 by Magnus Grimeland and Fridtjof Berge, Antler runs founder residencies across dozens of cities, matching teams, validating ideas, and writing the first check so ambitious operators can start companies that might not otherwise exist.

Ashoka is one of the world’s leading organizations supporting social entrepreneurs. Founded in 1980, Ashoka pioneered the concept of social entrepreneurship and has built a global network of changemakers working to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Through its flagship Ashoka Fellows program, the organization identifies and supports high-impact entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, and a powerful global network. Ashoka’s broader mission is to create a world where everyone is a changemaker, embedding social innovation across education, business, and civil society.

Azolla Ventures is a climate-focused venture capital firm that invests in breakthrough technologies designed to avert catastrophic climate change. They partner with visionary founders at the earliest stages of venture development, where both risk and reward are at their highest levels. The fund operates with an impact-first approach, prioritizing investments that hold potential for large-scale greenhouse gas reductions while promoting a more just climate for all. Founded by Prime Coalition and enabled by catalytic capital, Azolla Ventures seeks out bold entrepreneurs from all corners and embraces opportunities that fall outside of traditional venture capital norms. Azolla Ventures plays a crucial role in the climate investment ecosystem by focusing specifically on ventures with the potential for gigaton-scale CO2 equivalent reductions. Their mission-aligned approach and willingness to take on high-risk, high-reward opportunities at the earliest stages helps bridge the gap between innovative climate solutions and the capital needed to scale them globally.

Better Ventures is an early-stage impact venture capital firm investing in founders building solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The firm backs companies across climate, health, circular economy, PropTech, and sustainable consumer sectors, with a focus on scalable technologies that deliver measurable impact. Operating with an “impact + return” philosophy, Better Ventures supports entrepreneurs not just with capital, but with access to a curated network of operators, angels, and advisors. The firm positions founders as the drivers of change, helping them scale companies that generate both financial returns and meaningful environmental and social outcomes.

Beyond Impact is an impact investment firm focused on accelerating the transition to a more sustainable, animal-free economy. Founded in 2017, the firm backs companies developing alternatives to animal-based products across food, materials, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods. The firm’s mission centers on building a “kinder, cleaner, healthier world” by investing in scalable businesses that reduce environmental damage, eliminate animal suffering, and improve human health. Its portfolio targets high-growth sectors such as plant-based foods, alternative proteins, and next-generation biomaterials.

The Catalyst Fund is a pre-seed VC fund and accelerator that invests $200K in early-stage startups and follows on at Seed and Series A rounds. As a thesis-driven investor, they focus exclusively on backing founders building climate adaptation and resilience solutions across Africa. The fund operates as both an investor and venture builder, with ex-founders and operators providing hands-on support spending 400+ hours with each startup to accelerate growth. Since 2015, they have accelerated 81 companies across 19 markets, connecting startups to their global network of 250+ investors and ecosystem partners. Their comprehensive approach includes tailored venture building support across key business areas including data, tech, sales, talent, product, fundraising, and growth.

Cerulean Ventures is a $10 million pre-seed venture capital firm that backs founders building asset-light, rapid scaling software companies focused on climate solutions. They specifically target companies applying AI to build exponential solutions for nature and climate change. Their mission is to bring climate solutions to market quickly while fighting greenwashing and moving the climate economy beyond the green premium. Unlike traditional climate investors who focus on niche markets with green premiums or first-of-a-kind moonshots with decades-long timelines, Cerulean takes a different approach by identifying systemic leverage points where proprietary data, compute, AI scaling, and fintech solutions can rapidly scale. Cerulean matters in the ecosystem because they focus on transforming large economic sectors that have been resistant to digital transformation, including mining, niche manufacturing, soft tropical commodities, pharma supply chains, and emerging markets of natural capital and biodiversity. They position themselves as addressing the gap in climate investing by targeting systemic change rather than status quo business model disruptions.

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK) is a global venture philanthropy firm that finds, funds, and supports early-stage social impact organizations solving the world's biggest social and environmental problems. Founded by William H. Draper III and Robin Richards Donohoe, who began investing together in the venture industry in 1994, the foundation was formally established in 2002 with a $14 million fund. DRK's core competency is identifying exceptional social entrepreneurs and supporting them intensely through a rigorous 3-year period with unrestricted capital and comprehensive support. This model enables their portfolio organizations to absorb catalytic and transformative capital downstream, helping them scale their impact effectively. The foundation has invested in more than 280 early-stage ventures and brings a venture capital legacy to the social sector.

Entrepreneurs First (EF) is a global talent investor and accelerator that builds companies from exceptional individuals, often before they have a cofounder or idea. Founded in 2011 in London by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck, EF pioneered talent investing: matching high-potential founders, supporting them from ideation to first revenue, and backing them into Silicon Valley's top venture ecosystem across offices including London, San Francisco, and Bangalore.

era92 Fund is a Uganda-based impact investment and microfinance platform focused on expanding economic opportunity across Africa. The organization provides capital and financial services to startups, SMEs, and micro-entrepreneurs building businesses that improve livelihoods and strengthen local economies. Operating through two core divisions, era92 Finance and era92 Ventures, the fund combines inclusive lending with patient impact capital to support entrepreneurs solving critical social and economic challenges. Its mission centers on reversing poverty and creating long-term prosperity through financial inclusion and social enterprise development.

Human Ventures is a next-generation venture capital firm and business creation platform that takes a human-first approach to investing. They partner with founders at the earliest stages of development and back them until their vision becomes reality, focusing on companies that meet essential human needs across health and wellness, workplace innovations, community connection, and transformational lifestyle changes. The firm operates through a collaborative three-component platform designed to support entrepreneurs in the earliest stages of growth. This includes Build Studio for turning early-stage ideas into launch-ready companies, their Fund for investing in the future of human needs, and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program that brings the entrepreneur community together to build innovative solutions. Based in New York, Human Ventures embodies and promotes the diversity, resilience, and ambition characteristic of the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Their impact extends beyond traditional venture capital through their comprehensive support system that focuses on building better entrepreneurs as much as better companies, guided by core values of growth, courage, resilience, openness, collaboration, and gratitude.

Hustle Fund is a venture capital fund that invests in hustlers at the pre-seed and seed stages, focusing on hilariously early startups. They position themselves as investors who back entrepreneurs with strong hustle and drive, regardless of traditional pedigree or background. The fund operates with a mission to democratize entrepreneurship and investing, offering extensive resources including blogs, books, newsletters, and educational content for both founders and investors. They provide practical, non-BS advice through multiple channels and maintain an active community of entrepreneurs and investors. Hustle Fund has created significant impact in the startup ecosystem by making angel investing accessible to people from all walks of life through their Angel Squad program, which includes over 2000+ angel investors. They matter because they're breaking down barriers in venture capital, teaching investment strategies to a broader audience, and fostering a community where aspiring entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and access capital regardless of their background or network.

Icehouse Ventures is a New Zealand venture capital firm backing Kiwi founded companies with the potential to scale into global markets. The platform traces its roots to Ice Angels, launched in 2003 as New Zealand’s first angel investment network. It raised its first fund in 2013 and formally became Icehouse Ventures in 2019, when Simplicity KiwiSaver, Jarden, and Sir Stephen Tindall’s K1W1 joined as shareholders. Today, Icehouse Ventures manages a range of investment vehicles spanning pre seed through pre IPO, supported by a co investor network of more than 3,000 investors. The firm says it has invested more than $800 million across more than 390 Kiwi founded companies. Its portfolio includes some of New Zealand’s better known technology companies, including Halter, Crimson Education, Sharesies, Partly, Hnry, Dawn Aerospace, Tracksuit, Tradify, Ethique, Basis, Fuel50, and Spalk, alongside international investments such as Wayve, Substack, and Nuro. Growth Fund III is currently being marketed as an open investment vehicle. Icehouse Ventures is a generalist technology investor rather than a dedicated climate fund, but sustainability is part of its broader investment framework. The firm publishes a Responsible Investment Policy aligned with the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, and Principal Bex Gidall leads both the Arc Fund and Sustainable Technologies Fund. Its climate and impact related portfolio includes companies such as Neocrete, which develops additives designed to reduce cement use in concrete, and Ethique, a solid personal care brand focused on reducing packaging waste.

Impact Engine is a venture capital and private equity firm that invests in companies driving positive impact across three core areas: economic empowerment, education, environmental sustainability, and health. As a registered investment advisor, they build and manage diversified portfolios that seek to optimize both financial and social returns through their dual approach of fund investments and direct co-investments. Their mission centers on bringing more capital to markets where financial returns drive positive social and environmental impacts. They operate through multiple strategies including private equity fund investments balanced across growth equity and buyout stages, co-investments in select portfolio companies, and bespoke partnership vehicles tailored to meet specific investor objectives in collaboration with partners like Bernstein Private Wealth Management. Impact Engine has established itself as a recognized leader in the impact investing ecosystem, earning recognition as a Top Impact Company 2025 and inclusion in the ImpactAssets 50 as an Emeritus Impact Manager. Their portfolio companies have demonstrated significant real-world impact, with measurable outcomes like preventing millions of pounds of food waste, improving patient quality of life, and saving millions for student loan borrowers, positioning them as a meaningful force in scaling impact-driven businesses.

Kapor Capital is an Oakland-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage technology companies that close gaps in access and opportunity for historically underserved communities. The firm backs founders building scalable businesses that improve outcomes across education, healthcare, financial services, workforce development, housing, food systems, and justice. Kapor Capital combines venture investing with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, supporting entrepreneurs whose products and services create measurable social and economic impact while generating venture-scale returns.

LiftFund is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to expanding economic opportunity through affordable small business financing, technical assistance, and entrepreneurial support. Since 1994, LiftFund has helped underserved entrepreneurs access capital and business resources that traditional financial institutions often overlook. The organization provides loans, grants, business coaching, capital readiness programs, and community partnerships that help entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow businesses while creating jobs and strengthening local economies.

MassChallenge is a global accelerator network that backs entrepreneurs with the determination to solve the world's toughest challenges. Born in Massachusetts and built for the world, MassChallenge operates as a founder-focused organization that turns bold ideas into meaningful outcomes. The organization supports startups across multiple critical challenge areas without taking equity. MassChallenge focuses on accelerating solutions in five key challenge areas: Healthcare & Life Sciences, Security & Resiliency, Sustainable Food Systems, Climate, and Global Financial Systems. Through their accelerator programs, they connect founders with technical experts, industry leaders, and corporate partners who are committed to driving innovation and impact in these critical sectors.

New Climate Ventures (NCV) is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in innovative startups building the future of how we produce, power and consume. They focus on companies developing technologies for carbon reduction or avoidance, taking an active and diversified investment approach that leverages their expertise in energy, commodities, climate, technology, finance, and regulatory analysis. NCV's mission centers on the belief that a new industrial renaissance is underway where emerging technologies can transform our environmental impact without requiring lifestyle changes. They partner with entrepreneurs to navigate early stages of company development by providing operational guidance, investment expertise, team-building support, and mentoring, while connecting founders to their global network of investors, startups, and corporations. The firm plays a crucial role in the climate technology ecosystem by empowering entrepreneurs to turn visions into commercially successful companies that drive a cleaner, greener future. NCV is committed to sustainable best practices and integrates sustainability as the baseline for their investment thesis, positioning themselves as leaders in supporting technologies that achieve both commercial success and environmental impact.

NextLadder Ventures is a time-bound initiative investing in transformative navigation technology (NavTech) so more Americans can reclaim their path to progress. Backed by Ballmer Group, Gates Foundation, John Overdeck, Stand Together, and Valhalla Foundation, NextLadder blends philanthropic and market capital to expand access to people-centered, tech-enabled solutions that help families overcome barriers to economic mobility. Over the next 15 years, the venture aims to empower millions of Americans to reach their potential by 2040.

Pay it Forward Ventures (PIF) builds better lives for billions by investing in source-solving rather than symptom-solving. They fund and found ventures that create new paradigms across financial technology, health, energy, and digital infrastructure — and donate 20% of GP profits to philanthropy because they believe in paying it forward.

Prosper Global Ventures is the early-stage impact investing and venture-building platform of Prosper Global, the global development organization formerly known as Mercy Corps. The platform was founded in 2015 as Mercy Corps Ventures and now operates as a family of funds backing founders whose technologies help people and markets withstand climate and economic disruption. Its Resilient Future Thesis is organized around three connected areas: adaptive agriculture and food systems, inclusive climate fintech, and climate-smart technologies. The team invests primarily across Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, prioritizing founders who understand the communities they serve and businesses that can scale across a region or globally. Earlier Fund I activity also included Southeast Asia. Prosper Global’s current Ventures page reports 61 early-stage companies supported, $753 million in follow-on capital catalyzed, and 46.3 million customers reached across 90 countries. Its 2025 impact report says 83% of portfolio companies had raised follow-on capital and 46% had at least one woman co-founder. These are Prosper Global Ventures’ reported portfolio figures, not independent impact measurements. The platform combines equity investment with pilots, technical assistance, impact measurement, partnerships, and post-investment support. Representative investments made under the Mercy Corps Ventures name include Pula, which provides agricultural insurance and advisory products for smallholder farmers; Floodbase, which develops flood-risk data and analysis; Wasoko, a last-mile commerce and financing platform for small retailers; AgriAku, an agricultural input marketplace; Ejara, an inclusive savings and investment platform; and Verqor, an agri-fintech platform serving farmers in Mexico. Prosper Global Ventures is embedded within Prosper Global’s humanitarian and development network, giving portfolio companies potential pathways to test products with communities affected by climate volatility, financial exclusion, fragile food systems, and infrastructure gaps. The venture platform is associated with Scott Onder, its co-founder and senior investment leader, while Tjada D’Oyen McKenna leads the parent organization as CEO.

Reach Capital is a leading early-stage venture capital firm that has been backing visionary founders since 2015 across learning, health, and work sectors. The firm invests in entrepreneurs building technologies that expand access to opportunity and care, with a belief that when people can grow their skills, nurture relationships, maintain health, and find meaning in work, communities thrive. Reach Capital brings a distinctly 'liberal arts' approach to supporting founders, with team members having diverse backgrounds as former founders, operators, educators, designers, and writers. Impact is at the heart of their work, measuring success across three dimensions: access, scale, and quality to ensure solutions reduce barriers and deliver meaningful outcomes.

Regeneration.VC is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage Consumer ClimateTech startups focused on driving the circular economy through sustainable innovation in materials, consumer products, and carbon solutions. The firm specifically targets climate-focused companies that are working to transform unsustainable consumption models and create regenerative value chains. Their mission is to regenerate consumer industry value chains to meet planetary boundaries, recognizing that humanity currently consumes nearly twice what Earth can replenish and that 7 of the 9 planetary boundaries have been transgressed. They operate with a theory of change centered on transforming the "take-make-waste" consumption model that drives climate change and biodiversity loss by investing in solutions that enable circular and regenerative approaches. Regeneration.VC matters in the impact ecosystem because they take a rigorous, data-driven approach to measuring circularity and regenerative impact through their CRISP protocol, developed in partnership with Circle Economy Foundation. The fund brings together a multi-disciplined team of investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate leaders, with strategic advisor Leonardo DiCaprio, positioning them as a significant player in scaling breakthrough technologies that can deliver outsized net environmental benefits.

Responsibly Ventures is a PreSeed VC Impact Fund focused on backing remarkable teams building startups in sustainability and social good sectors. They support founders in realizing what they call 'Venture Scale Positive Impacts' by investing in companies that create measurable environmental and social benefits alongside financial returns. Their mission centers on understanding not just what teams are building, but why they're building it and who they're building it for at a fundamental level. They operate by seeking startups with an 'impact moat' - where the company's mission-driven focus provides a unique strategic advantage in the market. The fund actively promotes all forms of positive impact as core value drivers, including diversity, inclusion, empathy, social responsibility, ethics, and actions focused on both people and planet. Responsibly Ventures has created meaningful impact in the venture ecosystem through their portfolio companies and broader community initiatives. Their partner community 'posi2ive' includes over 10,000 impact-aligned investors and founders, creating a network effect for sustainable innovation. They've demonstrated concrete results through portfolio companies like Kidsy (diverted over 1 million pounds of products from landfill) and it's electric (expanding EV charging access across 9 cities), proving that impact and venture-scale returns can coexist effectively.

The Rockefeller Foundation is one of the world’s largest and most influential philanthropic organizations, focused on advancing human well-being through large-scale investments in energy access, food systems, health, economic opportunity, climate resilience, and emerging technologies. Founded in 1913, the foundation partners with governments, nonprofits, corporations, and local communities to tackle systemic global challenges through innovative finance, data, and technology-driven solutions. The foundation is known for making ambitious “big bets” aimed at improving the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide, particularly in underserved and economically vulnerable communities.

SustainVC is an impact-focused venture capital firm that backs innovative entrepreneurs working toward a sustainable, more equitable, and healthier world. The firm focuses on two primary impact areas: Climate & Sustainability, and Access & Opportunity, targeting companies that can deliver both positive impact and positive returns. Their mission centers on supporting entrepreneurs who share their vision of creating systemic change through market-driven solutions. SustainVC operates with the philosophy that profitable investments and meaningful impact can go hand in hand, seeking to accelerate positive change through strategic capital deployment. The firm plays an important role in the impact investing ecosystem by bridging the gap between traditional venture capital and social impact. With offices in Boston, Durham, and Philadelphia, SustainVC positions itself as a key player in supporting the growth of companies that can address critical societal and environmental challenges while generating strong financial returns.

Village Capital is an impact investment organization that unlocks social and financial capital for startups solving the world's biggest problems. They focus on three key thematic areas: Climate Innovation & Adaptation, Economic Mobility, and Equitable Access to Essential Services, supporting entrepreneurs through accelerator programs and comprehensive resources. Their mission centers on creating real impact by ensuring that startups and ecosystems grow together symbiotically. Village Capital operates by partnering with locally-led Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) to co-deliver programs, while also equipping these partners with tools, methodologies, and curriculum to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems. Village Capital matters because they reimagine the entire entrepreneurship support system and build tools that benefit the broader community. They unlock capital through various financing structures including equity, debt, and revenue-share arrangements, connecting impact-creating startups with the appropriate type of capital for their specific needs. Their approach of working with local partners and supporting featured founders like QuinTerra and Tierra de Monte demonstrates their commitment to driving measurable environmental and social impact.

Wavemaker Impact is Southeast Asia's climate-tech venture builder, co-founding startups with proven entrepreneurs to cut emissions at regional scale. Launched in 2021 as part of the Wavemaker Partners platform and led by founding partner Marie Cheong, the firm targets the region's largest emission sources in agriculture, energy, industry, built environment, and transport, with a long-term goal of helping reduce 10% of the global carbon budget by 2035.