Description
VitalizeVC is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing mission-driven startups that advance economic mobility, workforce access, education, and healthcare outcomes, with a strong emphasis on diverse and underrepresented founders. The firm invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, positioning itself as an early institutional partner for founders building scalable solutions to structural problems.
Specific Funding Stage
Pre-Seed / Seed (Core Focus)
- VitalizeVC primarily invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, often serving as one of the first institutional checks into a company.
- The firm is designed to support founders early, where capital access gaps are most pronounced.
Series A (Selective Participation)
- VitalizeVC may participate opportunistically in early Series A rounds, typically as a follow-on investor rather than a lead.
Investment Amount and Percentage Equity (Company-Level)
Check Size
- Typical initial checks are generally reported in the ~$100K–$250K range, consistent with early-stage, high-conviction seed participation.
- Check sizes may vary depending on round size, syndicate structure, and founder needs.
Equity Taken
- VitalizeVC does not publicly disclose a fixed ownership or equity target across all investments.
- Equity ownership is negotiated deal-by-deal, based on valuation, round structure, and co-investor participation.
- Given typical early-stage valuations, ownership outcomes are generally minority, non-controlling positions.
Implied Ownership (Contextual, Not Published)
- With checks in the ~$100K–$250K range at pre-seed or seed valuations, VitalizeVC’s individual ownership in a given company would commonly fall in the single-digit percentage range, though this varies materially by deal and is not formally stated.
Equity Structure
- Investments are typically made via standard early-stage venture instruments, including:
- Priced preferred equity (Seed / Series Seed), or
- Convertible instruments (SAFE or convertible notes), depending on round structure.
- Terms follow market-standard early-stage venture practices, negotiated between founders and investors.
Application / Submission Method
Submission Method
- VitalizeVC reviews opportunities primarily through:
-
Warm introductions from founders, operators, and co-investors
- Direct founder outreach via its website or email contact
- There is no open accelerator-style application portal publicly advertised.
Eligibility
Sector Focus
- Mission-driven technology businesses across:
- Workforce & talent platforms
- Education & upskilling
- Healthcare access & affordability
- Fintech aligned with financial inclusion
- Software-enabled services addressing economic mobility
Geography
- Primarily United States-based companies, with flexibility depending on market relevance and team location.
Stage
- Pre-seed and seed-stage startups with:
- Early customer validation or traction
- Clear path to scale
- Strong founding teams
Team Profile
- Strong emphasis on diverse founders and teams building solutions for underserved populations, aligned with the firm’s impact mission.
Process
Initial conversations typically involve a partner-level discussion focused on founder-market fit, impact thesis, and early traction.
Initial Screening: Review of founder background, problem clarity, market size, and early traction.
Partner Review: Internal discussion assessing mission alignment, scalability, and investment conviction.
Founder Meetings: Deeper diligence on product, customers, and execution capability.
Term Discussion: If aligned, terms are negotiated collaboratively with founders.
Investment Close: Legal documentation executed; capital deployed.
What an Applicant can Obtain
Early Institutional Capital: First-check or early-round funding to support product development and go-to-market.
Strategic Guidance: Hands-on support from investors experienced in early-stage company building and impact-driven scaling.
Network Access: Introductions to co-investors, operators, and ecosystem partners aligned with mission-oriented startups.
