OUR FUNDING CRITERIA

We fund tech to solve the world's biggest problems from startups with:

1

Team

You are a visionary founder or an established founding team. Ideally, one founder is technical and another is focused on another key part of the business.

2

Vision

You’ve got outlandish ideas to solve big problems. You have a clear vision and are uniquely qualified to solve your customer’s problem.

3

Strategy

Your business idea is fully-developed, including supporting market research and analysis. You have a business plan in place or—for pre-revenue companies—a plan for how the business will eventually generate revenue.

4

Customer

Whether you are selling to other enterprises or directly to consumers, you understand your customer and what problem you are solving for them.

5

MVP

From a landing page validating your idea to a prototype, you are ready to show us what your vision looks like in practice, not just in theory.

What categories of tech do we invest in?

We are generalists who don't fit neatly into any single category. Lately, we've been excited about founders innovating in:

  • Future of Commerce + Work
  • Hardware + AI
  • Web3

...but that's just a handful of our latest portfolio additions! Keep exploring our Funding FAQs to see if you're a good fit.

A strong founding team is our #1 investment criterion.

The Outlander Founder Framework empowers our team to build conviction for early-stage startups before most investors—often pre-product and pre-revenue—by screening for founding teams with extraordinary:

  • VISION — innovative solution to a clearly defined problem
  • INTELLIGENCE — extraordinary IQ + EQ to solve the world's biggest problems
  • CHARACTER — strength to persevere through hardship + rally others to join you
  • EXECUTION — ability to act quickly, decisively, + advance into the unknown

Currently, the Framework consists of 38 characteristics divided into these four categories. Outstanding founders need strength in each area.

OUR PORTFOLIO SUPPORT

Game-changing companies need
more than just a check.

OUR NETWORK

Industry experts & startup veterans at your fingertips.

While starting up is challenging, we know it's easier with experts to help lighten the load.

That's why we build our Mentor Network comprised of industry experts, founders, and investors who are ready to trek into the unknown with you.

Based on each portfolio company's needs, we pair our mentors and portfolio founders up for a 6-month sprint to help them reach their highest potential.

Got questions about our Mentor Network? Reach out to info@outlander.vc.

  • Lydia Jett

    Investment Partner

    Softbank
  • Hamet Watt

    CEO & Founder

    Share Ventures
  • Annie Kadavy

    Managing Director

    Redpoint Ventures
  • Lo Toney

    Founding Managing Partner

    Plexo Capital
  • Walter Delph

    Partner and Managing Director

    BCG Digital Ventures
  • Dan Teran

    CEO

    Managed by Q
  • Hayley Barna

    Partner

    First Round Capital
  • Elizabeth Weil

    Founder & Managing Director

    Scribble Ventures
  • Josh Elman

    Product Advisor

    Apple
  • Monique Woodard

    Founder

    Cake Ventures
  • Clara Sieg

    Partner

    Revolution

Everything you need to know
about Outlander funding.

Got more Qs for us? Ask away!

We are category agnostic but generally avoid investing in video game development, ”deep” sciences, and physical products.

We are an early-stage fund; however, we know early-stage can mean different things to different investors.

We encourage tech companies with a big vision, MVP, and business plan to apply for Outlander funding, especially if they fall within the following parameters:

  • Pre-revenue companies poised for significant growth in the market
  • Less than $2M in venture capital raised

Keep in mind that we want to see prototypes that show what the vision looks like not just theory, but in practice.

Here’s what we look for in an early-stage company prior to investing: an exceptional founding team with an outlandish vision, strong execution, and the right character.

Exceptional founding teams consist of 100% committed, full-time entrepreneurs of any age and experience level with disruptive ideas who are willing and able to take the risk of turning their ideas into reality. We have a strong preference for founding teams with the skill to build a product and take it to market.

Bonus points if you’re a team with domain experience and/or including second-time founders!

Referrals are not required, but they can help you rise above the noise.

Ideally, no more than a team of four.

THE FIELD GUIDE

Expert advice, startup tools, & exclusive updates straight to your inbox.

As we explore the unknown of each new investment, our Field Guides are where we document all that we learn along the way.

So, whether you’re actively raising, trying to break into VC, or interested in our game-changing portfolio, our Field Guide's got you covered.

Sign up now for exclusive access to funding opportunities, events/resources from our network of experts, updates from our portfolio, and more!

Exciting stuff ahead—we promise!

Sign up for our monthly Field Guides:



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      © Outlander VC. 2022.