VCs and angels subsidizing Arlington startups in 2026

Arlington raised $2.1B across 180 deals in 2025. Most capital went to govtech, cybersecurity, and defense contractors. The ecosystem runs on federal procurement and proximity to Pentagon and intelligence agencies. You won't raise here without government customers or clear paths to federal contracts.

Quick list

Why Arlington for fundraising

Arlington sits between DC and Pentagon with direct access to federal decision-makers. Deal volume is higher than anywhere in DMV except maybe Bethesda. Average seed round is $2.5M, mostly from Reston and Arlington funds. Series A averages $18M with strong participation from out-of-state investors chasing govtech deals.

The federal government drives everything. Pentagon, intelligence community, and federal agencies create massive demand for cybersecurity, compliance software, and defense tech. Companies with FedRAMP authorization or DoD contracts raise easily. Consumer startups won't find capital here unless they're targeting military families or federal employees.

Arlington investors prefer companies with federal revenue or active procurement processes. They understand FAR regulations, security clearances, and government sales cycles. Burn rates here are lower than SF but higher than Richmond. If you're not selling to government, you'll raise in DC proper or skip DMV entirely. Many founders keep materials locked down with solid screenshot protection before sharing sensitive demos.

Picking the right Arlington investor

Local presence: Arlington investors expect you to be physically present for federal customer meetings. Most funds have offices in Crystal City, Ballston, or Rosslyn because those Metro stops connect to Pentagon and DC agencies. Remote companies can raise here if they're already selling to federal customers, but investors want to see your team at government facilities regularly. Companies in nearby Reston, McLean, or DC also access Arlington capital easily.

Portfolio companies: Check if they've backed other govtech or defense contractors. Arlington investors specialize in federal sales and won't understand typical SaaS metrics without government context. DataTribe and Grotech Ventures only fund companies with cybersecurity or government applications. Some funds like NEA invest broadly but their Arlington portfolio heavily skews government-focused.

Check sizes: Angels write $25K-$100K. Local seed funds go $1-3M. Series A is $10-25M and usually includes at least one out-of-state investor. Arlington has several funds that lead rounds above $20M for growth-stage govtech companies. Unlike smaller Virginia markets, you can raise Series B and C locally if you have strong federal traction.

Local network: Arlington investors connect you to Pentagon program managers, GSA schedules, and prime contractors like Booz Allen, Leidos, and SAIC. That's essential for defense and govtech companies. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links when reaching out to multiple investors. You'll see who focuses on your federal pipeline versus who wants commercial revenue first. Arlington investors spend significant time reviewing your understanding of federal procurement.

Follow-on capacity: Many Arlington growth funds can lead your Series B and C if you're scaling federal revenue. DataTribe, Grotech, and ABS Capital have follow-on reserves. National funds like NEA and JMI regularly lead later rounds for Arlington companies with proven government traction.

How to find and approach Arlington investors

Research local deals: Check 1776 and Refraction announcements for recent funding. Most funded Arlington companies have federal customers. Read Washington Business Journal and Technically DC for local deal news. Arlington Economic Development publishes quarterly funding reports.

Leverage local ecosystem: Join 1776 in Crystal City or Refraction in Rosslyn if you're govtech-focused. Attend NOVA Govtech meetups monthly. Connect with Mach37 Cyber Accelerator even if you're not in cybersecurity - they know every active Arlington investor. Eastern Foundry in Rosslyn specializes in defense tech introductions.

Build relationships first: Arlington investors rarely fund cold emails. Get introduced through federal customers, other portfolio founders, or DC VCs who co-invest here. Attend Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) events where investors scout. These relationships take 2-3 months to develop but move faster than Richmond or Virginia Beach.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and create unique links for each investor. Arlington investors take 2-4 weeks to review deals while they check your team's government experience and customer references. You'll know who's actually interested versus who's waiting to see contract awards. Local investors focus heavily on your federal pipeline, FedRAMP status, and GSA Schedule position.

Attend local events: 1776 Challenge Cup and Refraction pitch events happen quarterly. ACT-IAC Innovation events pull Arlington investors monthly. AFCEA Northern Virginia events are where serious defense deals start. DC Startup Week attracts Arlington funds. Skip generic networking - serious capital comes through federal customer references and contractor networks.

Connect with portfolio founders: Talk to other govtech or cybersecurity founders in Arlington. They'll tell you which investors actually help with federal procurement and which ones just take board seats. Most successful Arlington founders worked at defense contractors or intelligence agencies before starting companies. Those networks matter for fundraising.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room before meetings. Arlington investors want FedRAMP documentation, GSA Schedule contracts, active federal opportunities, and security clearance lists. They expect more compliance documentation than typical investors but less pure technical diligence than university-focused markets.

Understand local pace: Arlington deals take 2-4 months from intro to close. That's faster than Virginia Beach but slower than SF. Investors here move deliberately but understand urgency around federal fiscal year deadlines. If you're closing deals in Q4 of federal fiscal year, mention it - Arlington investors know government customers spend budgets in September.

Arlington-specific considerations

Arlington investors expect federal customers or active federal sales processes. They don't fund companies planning to "eventually" pursue government contracts. Show active opportunities, GSA Schedule, FedRAMP authorization, or federal customer logos in first meetings. Most won't meet without proof you understand government procurement.

Competition for capital is moderate but investors here have more experience with govtech than anywhere except maybe Bethesda. If you need seed capital without federal revenue, you'll struggle. Most successful raises show at least one federal pilot or contract vehicle before raising. Growth-stage companies with $5M+ federal ARR can raise large rounds entirely within DMV.

15 top investors in Arlington

1. DataTribe

Arlington-based fund exclusively backing cybersecurity startups with intelligence community and defense focus.

• Recent Deals: Dragos ($200M Series D, 2025), Invincea (acquired by Sophos), Enveil ($10M, 2024), Red Balloon Security ($8M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Michael Janke
• Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, threat intelligence, defense cyber, critical infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series C
• Office Location: Crystal City, Arlington
• Website: datatribe.com

2. Grotech Ventures

Arlington-based fund backing B2B software and govtech across the DMV region.

• Recent Deals: Arlington compliance software ($25M Series B, 2025), FiscalNote (Series C investor), federal CRM platform ($15M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Don Rainey
• Sector Focus: Govtech, B2B SaaS, compliance software, federal contractors
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Ballston, Arlington
• Website: grotech.com

3. New Atlantic Ventures

Reston-based fund with strong Arlington portfolio focused on enterprise software and cybersecurity.

• Recent Deals: Obsidian Security ($90M Series C, 2025), Arlington identity management ($20M, 2024), federal data platform ($12M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: David Zilberman
• Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, enterprise software, cloud security, identity
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Reston with Arlington portfolio coverage
• Website: newatlanticventures.com

4. Blu Venture Investors

Arlington angel group with 50+ members focused on DMV cybersecurity and govtech.

• Recent Deals: Arlington threat intelligence ($3M, 2025), defense AI startup ($2.5M, 2024), federal compliance tool ($2M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Chris Cousins
• Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, defense tech, govtech, AI for federal
• Stage Focus: Seed, early Series A
• Office Location: Crystal City, Arlington
• Website: bluventure.com

5. Next Frontier Capital

Reston-based defense tech specialist backing Arlington startups serving DoD and intelligence.

• Recent Deals: Arlington defense AI ($15M, 2025), autonomous systems startup ($8M, 2024), military logistics platform ($6M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Admiral Michael Rogers
• Sector Focus: Defense tech, AI for defense, autonomous systems, military applications
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series B
• Office Location: Reston with strong Arlington portfolio
• Website: nextfrontiercapital.com

6. ABS Capital

Baltimore-based growth equity firm with multiple Arlington govtech and B2B SaaS investments.

• Recent Deals: FiscalNote (growth rounds), Arlington government analytics ($40M, 2025), federal workflow software ($30M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Tim Weglicki
• Sector Focus: Govtech, B2B SaaS, government analytics, compliance
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, Series B and later
• Office Location: Baltimore with Arlington portfolio companies
• Website: abscapital.com

7. New Enterprise Associates

Chevy Chase-based mega fund with strong DMV presence and Arlington cybersecurity portfolio.

• Recent Deals: Arlington cybersecurity unicorn (Series D, 2024), Telos (growth rounds), federal cloud platform ($50M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Patrick Chung
• Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, enterprise software, govtech, cloud infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series A through growth
• Office Location: Chevy Chase with Arlington investments
• Website: nea.com

8. Enlightenment Capital

McLean-based fund exclusively focused on defense and government contractors.

• Recent Deals: Arlington defense services company ($60M, 2025), federal IT contractor ($45M, 2024), cyber services firm ($35M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Devin Talbott
• Sector Focus: Defense contractors, govtech, federal IT services, cyber
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, buyouts
• Office Location: McLean with Arlington portfolio
• Website: enlightenmentcap.com

9. Revolution's Rise of the Rest

DC-based fund backing companies outside SF and NYC including strong Arlington presence.

• Recent Deals: Arlington logistics software ($150M Series C, 2025), DMV healthtech ($25M, 2024), federal marketplace ($20M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Steve Case
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, logistics, healthtech, govtech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Georgetown, DC with Arlington investments
• Website: revolution.com

10. Mercato Partners

Salt Lake City-based growth equity firm backing profitable Arlington B2B SaaS companies.

• Recent Deals: Arlington federal CRM ($35M, 2025), government compliance platform ($28M, 2024), defense contractor software ($22M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Greg Warnock
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, govtech, vertical software
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, profitable companies
• Office Location: Salt Lake City with Arlington portfolio
• Website: mercatopartners.com

11. Edison Partners

Princeton-based growth equity firm with multiple Arlington B2B SaaS and govtech investments.

• Recent Deals: Arlington federal CRM platform ($30M, 2024), government analytics ($25M, 2025), compliance software ($20M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Chris Sugden
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, govtech, vertical software, analytics
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, Series B and later
• Office Location: Princeton with DMV portfolio
• Website: edisonpartners.com

12. JMI Equity

Baltimore-based growth equity firm backing Arlington enterprise software companies.

• Recent Deals: Arlington government software ($45M, 2025), federal data platform ($38M, 2025), compliance SaaS ($32M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Paul Cormier
• Sector Focus: Enterprise software, govtech, vertical SaaS, data platforms
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, Series B through pre-IPO
• Office Location: Baltimore with Arlington investments
• Website: jmi.com

13. Razor's Edge Ventures

Reston-based micro VC focused on defense tech and dual-use technologies.

• Recent Deals: Arlington autonomous systems ($5M, 2025), defense AI platform ($4M, 2024), military robotics ($3M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: General John Allen
• Sector Focus: Defense tech, autonomous systems, AI for defense, dual-use
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Reston with Arlington focus
• Website: razorsedgevc.com

14. Riverside Partners

Boston-based growth equity firm that backs profitable Arlington B2B software companies.

• Recent Deals: Arlington government workflow ($50M, 2024), federal contractor software ($42M, 2025), compliance platform ($35M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Stewart Rosenblum
• Sector Focus: B2B software, govtech, workflow automation, compliance
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, profitable companies
• Office Location: Boston with Arlington portfolio
• Website: riversidepartners.com

15. Arsenal Growth

New York-based growth equity firm with Arlington software investments.

• Recent Deals: Clarabridge (acquired by Qualtrics), Arlington customer experience platform ($60M, 2024), federal analytics ($48M, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Andrew Fleck
• Sector Focus: B2B software, customer experience, analytics, govtech
• Stage Focus: Growth equity, Series C and later
• Office Location: New York with DMV investments
• Website: arsenalgrowth.com

Start tracking your Arlington investor outreach

These 15 investors closed Arlington or DMV deals in 2025-2026. Before reaching out to local funds, set up proper tracking. Arlington investors move faster than Richmond but still check your federal customer relationships before committing.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your government pipeline and customer sections. Arlington investors typically skip consumer market size slides but focus heavily on federal procurement strategy, FedRAMP timeline, and agency relationships.

When investors ask for due diligence materials, share an Ellty data room instead of scattered email attachments. Your GSA Schedule, FedRAMP documentation, active federal opportunities, and agency contracts in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know when they're actually reviewing your federal compliance versus waiting for your next contract announcement.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in Arlington to raise from Arlington investors?

You need DMV presence and federal customers. Companies in DC, Reston, McLean, or Alexandria raise from Arlington investors easily. Remote companies need active federal contracts and willingness to meet in Arlington regularly. Most investors expect you at federal facilities frequently.

How does Arlington compare to DC for fundraising?

Arlington has more cybersecurity and defense-focused investors while DC has broader govtech and policy-related funds. Arlington investors understand DoD and intelligence community better. DC investors often focus on civilian agencies and regulatory tech. Many funds cover both markets.

What's the average seed round size in Arlington?

$2.5M for Arlington deals. Many companies raise $4-6M rounds led by Reston or DC investors with Arlington angels participating. You can raise $1-3M from Arlington-only investors if you have federal traction.

Should I raise locally or go straight to SF or NYC?

If you're selling to federal government, raise in Arlington or broader DMV. Coastal investors don't understand government sales cycles and will push you toward commercial revenue. If you're building commercial B2B SaaS without government focus, skip Arlington entirely.

Do Arlington investors expect in-person meetings?

Yes for early relationships. Plan 2-4 meetings before term sheets. They want to understand your federal customer access and see your operation. Virtual pitches work after initial meetings or if you're already known in DMV govtech circles. Many investors work from Crystal City or Ballston offices near Metro.

What industries get funded most in Arlington?

Cybersecurity dominates, then govtech and defense tech. B2B SaaS serving federal customers gets funded easily. Some fintech if you're targeting federal agencies or military banking. Consumer companies don't raise here unless serving military families or federal employees specifically.

How important is FedRAMP for raising in Arlington?

Very important for cloud software. Investors expect you to have FedRAMP authorization or be in process for moderate/high impact systems. Many won't invest without clear FedRAMP timeline. GSA Schedule is expected for most government-facing companies. Arlington investors understand these requirements better than investors anywhere else.