As the world of startups continues to thrive and grow, it’s important for founders to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the investment landscape. In 2023, there are a number of investors who are actively shaping the future of the industry, bringing innovative ideas and strategies to the table.
Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, it’s crucial to know who these top players are and how they can help take your business to the next level. In this post, we’ll explore the most active investors of 2023 and what makes them stand out in the world of venture capital (for 2022 investments details click here).
5 Biggest VC Checks In June 2023
In June 2023, significant venture capital investments were made across various industries, with a focus on aerospace, AI, automotive, manufacturing, and biotechnology. Here are the top 5 biggest VC checks:
- Airmo in the aerospace industry secured $5.7M led by Findus Venture.
- Mistral AI in the AI sector received a substantial investment of $113M, with Lightspeed Venture Partners as the lead investor.
- JingXi ZhiXing, an automotive company, secured $280M led by Zhangjiakou Financial Holding Group.
- 1Komma5ֲ° in the manufacturing industry received a significant investment of $469M with G2 Venture Partners as the lead investor.
- Glyphic AI in the AI sector secured $5.4M with Point72 Ventures as the lead investor.
The venture capital investment landscape in June 2023 displayed a diverse range of industries attracting significant funding. Aerospace, AI, automotive, manufacturing, and biotechnology industries captured substantial investments, indicating strong interest and potential growth in these sectors. This trend suggests that investors are actively seeking opportunities in these sectors, and startups operating in these industries may have a higher chance of securing funding.
| Rank | Pre Seed | Seed | Series A | Series B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lead Investors: Findus Venture Company name: Airmo Amount: $5.7M Industry: Aerospace | Lead Investors: Lightspeed Venture Partners Company name: Mistral AI Amount: $113M Industry: AI | Lead Investors: Zhangjiakou Financial Holding Group Company name: JingXi ZhiXing Amount: $280M Industry: Automotive | Lead Investors: G2 Venture Partners Company name: 1Komma5ֲ° Amount: $469M Industry: Manufacturing |
| 2 | Lead Investors: Point72 Ventures Company name: Glyphic AI Amount: $5.4M Industry: AI | Lead Investors: Recur Club Company name: Buyofuel Amount: $45M Industry: Oil and Gas | Lead Investors: Source Code Capital Company name: Light Years Beyond Amount: $229M Industry: AI | Lead Investors: Enavate Sciences, Venrock Healthcare Capital PartnersCompany name: Upstream Bio Amount: $200M Industry: Biotechnology |
| 3 | Lead Investors: EXOR N.V. Company name: Jet HR Amount: $5.1M Industry: Human Resources | Lead Investors: W Health Ventures Company name: 2070 Health Amount: $30M Industry: Fitness | Lead Investors: ARCH Venture Partners, DeerfieldCompany name: Bitterroot Bio Amount: $145M Industry: Biotechnology | Lead Investors: T. Rowe Price Company name: KoBold Metals Amount: $195M Industry: Machine Learning |
| 4 | Lead Investors: DCVC Hack VCCompany name: Demox Labs Amount: $4.5M Industry: Data Center Automation | Lead Investors: Drive Capital Company name: Passage Amount: $30M Industry: Information Services | Lead Investors: Syncona Partners LLP Company name: Beacon Therapeutics Amount: $120M Industry: Health Care | Lead Investors: Bain Capital Life Sciences Company name: Alkeus Pharmaceuticals Amount: $150M Industry: Biotechnology |
| 5 | Lead Investors: MaC Venture Capital Company name: Haiqu Amount: $4M Industry: AI | Lead Investors: Mayfield Fund Company name: MindsDB Amount: $25M Industry: Database | Lead Investors: General Atlantic Company name: Author Health Amount: $115M Industry: Health Care | Lead Investors: Guangzhou Automobile Industry GroupCompany name: ON TIME Amount: $117M Industry: Automotive |
Most Active Investors 2023 By Number Of Investments (YTD)
In the first half of 2023, Y Combinator has remained the most active investor, with a staggering 254 investments in pre-seed startups, totaling $131M. TechStars and Antler have also been significantly active at this stage, with Antler notably increasing its activity in June.
At the Seed stage, TechStars has taken the lead with 105 investments, totaling $11.3M, showing a slight increase from the previous five months. San Diego Angel Conference and Inflection Point Ventures have also made noteworthy contributions at this stage.
In the Series A stage, Andreessen Horowitz continues to be an active player with 7 investments, totaling $258.5M. However, General Catalyst has emerged as a significant player in this stage with 5 investments totaling $87.5M. Addor Capital also demonstrated increased activity with a total of 5 investments.
Series B has seen Andreessen Horowitz maintaining its leadership with investments amounting to $237.4M. Bpifrance remains significant with 3 investments totaling $132.3M. Battery Ventures has made its mark in this stage with investments totaling $106.5M.
Overall, the early-stage investment trend continued, with investors showing slightly increased activity in June 2023. Investors continue to bet big on early-stage startups, with some shifts in the investment focus across the stages.
| Rank | Pre Seed | Seed | Series A | Series B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Investor: Y CombinatorAmount: $131M # of Investments: 256 | Investor: TechStarsAmount: $5.9M # of Investments: 16 | Investor: Andreessen HorowitzAmount: $258.5M # of Investments: 7 | Investor: Andreessen HorowitzAmount: $237.4M # of Investments: 3 |
| 2 | Investor: TechStarsAmount: $11.4M # of Investments: 106 | Investor: Inflection Point VenturesAmount: $8.7M # of Investments: 16 | Investor: Lightspeed Venture PartnersAmount: $160.5M # of Investments: 5 | Investor: BpifranceAmount: $132.3M # of Investments: 3 |
| 3 | Investor: AntlerAmount: $4.8M # of Investments: 38 | Investor: 500 GlobalAmount: $2.4M # of Investments: 13 | Investor: Lowercarbon CapitalAmount: $121M # of Investments: 5 | Investor: Battery VenturesAmount: $106.5M # of Investments: 3 |
| 4 | Investor: 100X.VCAmount: $3.7M # of Investments: 36 | Investor: San Diego Angel ConferenceAmount: $2.3M # of Investments: 13 | Investor: New Enterprise AssociatesAmount: $115M # of Investments: 5 | Investor: Bessemer Venture PartnersAmount: $92M # of Investments: 3 |
| 5 | Investor: SFC CapitalAmount: $3.1M # of Investments: 11 | Investor: Y CombinatorAmount: $18.4M # of Investments: 12 | Investor: General CatalystAmount: $87.5M # of Investments: 5 | Investor: Octopus VenturesAmount: $70.1M # of Investments: 3 |
Unlocking Investor Interest: Key Considerations Before Pitching Your Business
Startup founders should pay close attention to the interests of venture capital funds and angel investors before sending a request for funding. It can be difficult for startup founders to know where their best chance at obtaining investment dollars lie, so researching potential investors is essential.
Knowing which firms specialize in the type of startup being sought after, understanding the requirements those investors have for startup founders, and having a pitch prepared with clear definitions of what the startup founder is asking for are just some of the main things that startup founders need to pay attention to when approaching VC funds and angel investors. With diligence, successful startup founders can determine which investor is right for them and craft an effective pitch and proposal that will meet their needs.
Need help finding and pitching the right investors? Contact us here and let’s find out how we can help you.
