20 investors energizing CRM software from seed to Series D

Most CRM investors passed on Salesforce's early rounds. Now it's worth $340B. Same story with HubSpot—most said no at $10M valuation, now it's a public company doing $3B+ in revenue.

You don't need 50 investor meetings. You need 5-10 meetings with the right ones.

This list covers 20 investors actively funding CRM, sales software, and revenue operations platforms. All of them have done deals between 2023-2025. Each profile includes recent investments with dates and amounts, plus what they actually look for.

Quick list

Finding investors who actually get CRM

Experience: Look for VCs who've backed companies through negative churn cycles. SaaS investors who only understand growth metrics won't help when expansion revenue hits 120% net dollar retention. Bessemer backed Pipedrive from $9M Series A to unicorn status because they understood the model and knowing how to send decks well also shapes early conversations.

Network: Can they intro you to CFOs at mid-market companies who'll actually buy seats? That matters more than Twitter followers. Sequoia’s network helped HubSpot reach SMBs when everyone else chased enterprise. Study smart investor outreach tactics so your warm intros are targeted.

Alignment: Seed investors often don't understand Series B burn rates. Tiger Global moved fast on Kustomer’s $40M round because they got omnichannel. Check if they’ve funded similar models — and ensure you know how to prevent forwarding when sharing sensitive projections.

Track record: Look at whether their portfolio companies raised follow-on rounds. Dead portfolio companies are a red flag. Insight Partners' 800+ companies include multiple exits - that's signal.

Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your financial projections vs just skimming the intro.

Value-add: Generic "we have a great network" answers are useless. Ask what operational support they provide during scaling. Salesforce Ventures gives actual Salesforce customer intros. That's different than vague promises.

Pitching CRM investors without wasting time

Identify potential investors: Research recent deals on Crunchbase. Seed funds won't lead your Series B, no matter how good your deck is. Don't pitch Sequoia for pre-seed when they write $50M+ checks.

Craft a compelling pitch: Show net dollar retention and expansion revenue in your pitch. Most investors are tired of vanity metrics without unit economics. If your NDR is below 100%, explain the plan to fix it.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on - if they skip your unit economics, that's useful information. It tells you they're not serious.

Utilize your network: Message portfolio founders and ask about response times and actual value-add before requesting intros. Most will be honest. Warm intros work better when your deck protection and materials are already dialled in.

Attend networking events: SaaStr and SaaS conferences are where CRM deals actually happen. Skip the small local events. Tiger Global and Insight Partners actually show up to the big ones.

Engage on online platforms: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced. Cold DMs rarely work. Even at 2025 valuations.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model and cap table before they ask. It speeds up the process — slow founders lose momentum. Clean deck-sharing practices signal professionalism early.

Set up introductory meetings: Lead with your net dollar retention and payback period. Don't waste 20 minutes on market size slides they've seen 100 times. Bessemer and Insight have seen every CRM pitch.

Why CRM is different in 2025

The customer service software market hit $40B in 2024. Enterprise buyers now expect AI automation, omnichannel support, and sub-12 month payback periods. The days of selling features are over.

VCs like Salesforce Ventures deployed $6B+ across 630+ companies since 2009. They're looking for companies that can defend against both incumbent CRMs and new AI-native players. Net dollar retention above 115% and sub-$5K CAC are table stakes now.

18 top CRM investors

1. Salesforce Ventures

Salesforce's corporate VC arm backs enterprise software at every stage with patient capital.

• Recent Deals: Black Forest Labs $300M Series B (November 2025), Vercel Series F at $9.3B valuation (October 2025), Oleria $19M (November 2025)
• LinkedIn: Salesforce Ventures
• Sector Focus: Enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, security, AI, horizontal apps, vertical apps, impact
• Stage Focus: Seed to growth stage, $5M to $50M+ check sizes
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: salesforceventures.com

2. Bessemer Venture Partners

One of the oldest VCs in the game, Bessemer backed Shopify, Twilio, and LinkedIn before they were household names.

• Recent Deals: Doppel $70M Series C (November 2025), Foxglove $40M Series B (November 2025), Pipedrive Series A through growth
• LinkedIn: Bessemer Venture Partners
• Sector Focus: Enterprise applications, cloud, vertical SaaS, consumer, healthcare
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series C, average $5.8M seed and $32M Series B
• Location: Redwood City, California
• Website: bvp.com

3. Sequoia Capital

Backed Google, LinkedIn, and HubSpot when others passed on SMB plays.

• Recent Deals: Neros $75M Series B (November 2025), HubSpot $32M Series D (2011), multiple unicorns
• LinkedIn: Sequoia Capital
• Sector Focus: Enterprise applications, consumer, high tech, financial services
• Stage Focus: Series A to late stage, typically $10M to $100M+
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: sequoiacap.com

4. Insight Partners

Growth-stage specialist with 800+ portfolio companies and $18B+ under management.

• Recent Deals: Pipedrive $50M Series C (2018), Attentive $30.5M Series B (November 2025)
• LinkedIn: Insight Partners
• Sector Focus: Software, SaaS, internet, data analytics, cloud services, fintech
• Stage Focus: Series B to late stage, flexible check sizes
• Location: New York City, New York
• Website: insightpartners.com

5. Tiger Global Management

Moves fast with large checks and less traditional due diligence than most VCs.

• Recent Deals: Kustomer $40M Series D (2019), Ramp $300M at $32B valuation (November 2025)
• LinkedIn: Tiger Global Management
• Sector Focus: Internet, software, consumer, financial technology
• Stage Focus: Early to late stage, median $114M check size
• Location: New York City, New York
• Website: tigerglobal.com

6. Accel

Early-stage specialist that backed Facebook for 10% before they had revenue.

• Recent Deals: PermitFlow $54M Series B (November 2025), Slack, Dropbox, Atlassian
• LinkedIn: Accel
• Sector Focus: Enterprise, SaaS, consumer, seed to growth
• Stage Focus: Series A focus, also does seed and growth
• Location: Palo Alto, California
• Website: accel.com

7. Accel-KKR

Technology-focused private equity firm with $4.3B AUM, backed SugarCRM.

• Recent Deals: SugarCRM growth investment, 90+ portfolio companies
• LinkedIn: Accel-KKR
• Sector Focus: Software, IT-enabled services
• Stage Focus: Growth buyout and minority investments
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: accel-kkr.com

8. Google Ventures (GV)

Google's VC arm focuses on AI, life sciences, and enterprise software.

• Recent Deals: HubSpot $32M Series D co-investment (2011)
• LinkedIn: Google Ventures
• Sector Focus: AI, enterprise, healthcare, consumer
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series C
• Location: Mountain View, California
• Website: gv.com

9. General Catalyst

Early HubSpot backer, took 47% in Series A - best VC deal in history according to some.

• Recent Deals: HubSpot Series A (led with Matrix), various enterprise SaaS
• LinkedIn: General Catalyst
• Sector Focus: Enterprise, consumer, fintech, crypto, health
• Stage Focus: Seed to growth stage
• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Website: generalcatalyst.com

10. Matrix Partners

Early HubSpot investor, stayed through all rounds from Series A onward.

• Recent Deals: HubSpot Series A through D, enterprise software focus
• LinkedIn: Matrix Partners
• Sector Focus: SaaS, fintech, consumer
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series B
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: matrixpartners.com

11. Scale Venture Partners

Participated in HubSpot's early rounds, focuses on growth-stage B2B software.

• Recent Deals: HubSpot Series B and C participation
• LinkedIn: Scale Venture Partners
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise software
• Stage Focus: Series A to C
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Website: scalevp.com

12. Atomico

London-based VC that led Pipedrive's $17M Series B in 2017.

• Recent Deals: Pipedrive $17M Series B (2017), $60M Series C participation (2018)
• LinkedIn: Atomico
• Sector Focus: Technology, enterprise, consumer
• Stage Focus: Series A to growth
• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Website: atomico.com

13. Rembrandt Venture Partners

Early-stage VC that backed Pipedrive from seed through Series C.

• Recent Deals: Pipedrive seed (2013), followed through $60M Series C
• LinkedIn: Rembrandt Venture Partners
• Sector Focus: Software, internet, mobile
• Stage Focus: Seed to Series B
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: rembrandtvc.com

14. DTCP (Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners)

European growth investor with $1.6B AUM, added $10M to Pipedrive's Series C.

• Recent Deals: Pipedrive $10M add-on to Series C (2018)
• LinkedIn: DTCP
• Sector Focus: Technology, media, telecommunications
• Stage Focus: Growth and special situations
• Location: Hamburg, Germany
• Website: telekom-capital.com

15. Battery Ventures

Early investor in Kustomer, backs software across stages.

• Recent Deals: Kustomer Series C and D participation
• LinkedIn: Battery Ventures
• Sector Focus: Software, internet, industrial tech
• Stage Focus: Seed to growth
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Website: battery.com

16. Lightspeed Venture Partners

Multi-stage investor backing enterprise and consumer tech.

• Recent Deals: Ramp $300M at $32B (November 2025)
• LinkedIn: Lightspeed Venture Partners
• Sector Focus: Enterprise, consumer, health, fintech
• Stage Focus: Seed to growth
• Location: Menlo Park, California
• Website: lsvp.com

17. Index Ventures

European and US investor backing category-defining companies.

• Recent Deals: Wonderful $100M Series A (November 2025)
• LinkedIn: Index Ventures
• Sector Focus: Enterprise, fintech, gaming, security
• Stage Focus: Seed to growth
• Location: San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom
• Website: indexventures.com

18. Vista Equity Partners

Software-focused private equity firm with $58B+ in capital, acquired Pipedrive at $1.5B.

• Recent Deals: Pipedrive majority stake at $1.5B valuation (2020)
• LinkedIn: Vista Equity Partners
• Sector Focus: Enterprise software, data, technology-enabled services
• Stage Focus: Growth buyouts, take-private transactions
• Location: Austin, Texas
• Website: vistaequitypartners.com

How Ellty helps CRM founders close deals

These 18 investors closed deals from 2011 to November 2025. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking.

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 financials. Most founders are surprised to learn investors skip their market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on unit economics.

When Bessemer or Insight asks for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and customer contracts in one secure place with view analytics.

Common questions

How do I know if an investor is still active?

Check their recent deals on Crunchbase or their portfolio page. If their last investment was 3+ years ago, they're probably not deploying. Salesforce Ventures just led a $300M round in November 2025 - they're active.

Should I cold email investors or get introductions?

Intros work better, but not required for top performers. Tiger Global has a reputation for moving on cold outreach if metrics are strong. Bessemer and Sequoia prefer warm intros. Use LinkedIn to find portfolio founders who'll vouch for you.

What's the difference between seed and Series A investors?

Seed investors write $500K to $3M checks for pre-revenue or early traction. Series A investors like Accel write $5M to $15M for companies with product-market fit and repeatable sales. Don't pitch Series A investors when you need seed money.

How many investors should I reach out to?

Build a list of 30 to 50 investors who've actually funded CRM companies. Track conversations in Ellty. Most founders talk to 50+ investors before closing. The median time to close a Series A is 3 to 6 months.

When should I set up a data room?

Before your first partner meeting. Insight Partners and Tiger Global move fast - if you're scrambling to organize docs after the first call, you'll lose momentum. Ellty lets you set up a data room in 10 minutes.

Do investors actually care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes. If a partner spends 8 minutes on your financials but skips team slides, you know what matters. If they forward your deck internally and 3 people view it, that's signal. Use Ellty to track this - it helps you follow up smarter.