Active New York venture capital firms backing startups in 2026

New York raised $42.8B across 1,850+ deals in 2025. Manhattan took $38B, mostly fintech and enterprise software. Brooklyn grabbed $2.3B in consumer and media tech. Buffalo, Albany, and Rochester split the rest. This is the second-largest startup ecosystem in the US. It's also the most competitive and relationship-driven market you'll face.

Quick list

Why New York demands more from founders than other markets

New York closed 1,850+ deals in 2025 worth $42.8B. Manhattan dominates with $38B focused on fintech, enterprise SaaS, and adtech. Average seed is $3.2M, Series A is $15M. Those numbers match or exceed SF.

New York investors expect you to have revenue before seed rounds. Pre-revenue consumer companies get funded only if you're a repeat founder or have exceptional traction. B2B companies need LOIs or paid pilots. The bar is higher here than anywhere except maybe London.

Competition is brutal. You're competing against founders from Goldman, McKinsey, and Google. Your credentials matter more in NYC than SF. Investors check your background, your university, your previous companies. Domain expertise isn't optional here.

Picking the right New York investor for your stage and sector

Sector specialization: NYC investors are more specialized than SF funds. Union Square Ventures does fintech and marketplaces. Lerer Hippeau focuses on consumer. FirstMark backs enterprise. Don't pitch consumer to enterprise investors. They'll pass immediately. Using a secure file-sharing setup helps prevent your sensitive financials from being forwarded around casually.

Geographic expectations: Manhattan investors expect you based in NYC. Some tolerate Brooklyn or Queens. Very few back founders in Buffalo or Albany unless you're university-connected. If you're upstate, target StartUp NY or regional funds first.

Check sizes: NYC seed rounds are $2-4M. Series A is $10-20M. Series B is $25-50M. All higher than most markets. Make sure investors can write checks that match your raise size. Many seed funds can't participate in A rounds. Strong security practices matter early, especially when your deck includes financials or customer data.

Relationship requirements: NYC is the most relationship-driven market in the US. Cold emails fail 95% of the time. You need warm intros from portfolio founders or other investors. Start building relationships 6-9 months before you need capital.

Communication expectations: Use Ellty with trackable links when you finally get deck requests. NYC investors review decks within 24-48 hours if interested. If you don't hear back in 3 days, they've passed. You'll see exactly how long they spent on your deck and which sections they actually read.

Follow-on capacity: Most NYC seed funds have Series A capacity. Many lead A rounds. Ask about their follow-on strategy explicitly. NYC has deeper capital pools than any market except SF. You won't need to leave for later rounds. Many founders still rely on simple methods like password-protecting a PPT before sending it out.

How to find and approach New York investors without wasting time

Research recent deals obsessively: Filter Crunchbase for NYC companies funded in the last 6 months. See which funds are actually writing checks, not just claiming they're active. NYC has 200+ funds but only 40-50 are consistently active.

Leverage NYC accelerators: Techstars NYC, ERA, and Barclays Accelerator place well with NYC investors. Y Combinator also works but isn't NYC-specific. NYC investors respect these programs more than random accelerators.

Build relationships before fundraising: Attend events where investors actually show up. AlleyWatch events, NYU and Columbia startup gatherings, and First Round's event series. Don't pitch at events. Just meet people. Follow up later when you're raising.

Share your deck strategically: Upload to Ellty and create unique links for each NYC investor. Manhattan enterprise investors focus heavily on go-to-market and unit economics. Brooklyn consumer investors spend more time on brand and community. You'll see these patterns in view analytics.

Attend investor-dense events: TechCrunch Disrupt NYC, Collision Conference, and NYC Tech Week in June. These aren't networking events. They're where deals actually happen. Have your pitch tight and your data room ready.

Connect with portfolio founders first: Message founders at target investors' portfolio companies. NYC founders are surprisingly helpful about investor feedback. They'll tell you which partners respond and which never reply. This saves months.

Organize diligence materials early: Set up an Ellty data room before you start reaching out. NYC investors move fast once interested. They want your financial model, cap table, and key customer contracts within 48 hours of first meeting. Have everything ready.

Understand NYC's compressed timeline: NYC deals close in 4-8 weeks once you have a lead. That's faster than most markets but only if you're organized. Investors expect you to move at their pace. Saying you need more time signals you're not serious.

New York-specific considerations that affect your raise

NYC investors strongly prefer B2B over consumer. They want clear revenue models and proven unit economics. Consumer companies need massive traction. Pre-revenue B2B needs enterprise LOIs from recognizable brands.

Manhattan rent and talent costs are 60-80% higher than other markets. Your burn rate will shock investors used to Austin or Miami numbers. Be ready to justify NYC presence. "We like the city" isn't enough. You need specific talent, customers, or ecosystem advantages.

NYC has the deepest fintech ecosystem in the US. If you're building fintech, raise here. Investors understand regulatory complexity, banking partnerships, and go-to-market better than SF. The same applies to adtech and media companies.

Upstate New York (Buffalo, Rochester, Albany) is completely separate from NYC. StartUp NY offers tax incentives for companies near SUNY campuses. These programs work but require patience. Upstate rounds are 50-70% smaller than NYC rounds.

22 top investors in New York

1. Union Square Ventures

NYC's most prestigious early-stage fund with a 20-year track record backing networks and marketplaces.

• Recent Deals: Coinbase (IPO $85B, 2021), Stripe ($95B valuation), Cruise (acquired $1B), Duolingo (IPO $6.5B, 2021)
• LinkedIn: Fred Wilson
• Sector Focus: fintech, crypto, marketplaces, networks
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 915 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
• Website: usv.com

2. Lerer Hippeau

NYC's most active seed investor for consumer companies with 300+ portfolio investments.

• Recent Deals: Allbirds (IPO 2021), Casper (IPO 2020), Warby Parker (IPO 2021), The Farmer's Dog ($223M Series D, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer
• Sector Focus: consumer, DTC, media, fintech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 140 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10011
• Website: lererhippeau.com

3. Greycroft

Bicoastal fund that's backed some of NYC's biggest consumer and fintech exits.

• Recent Deals: Venmo (acquired by PayPal), Brex ($12.3B valuation), Axios ($525M acquisition), Bumble (IPO $8B, 2021)
• LinkedIn: Dana Settle
• Sector Focus: consumer, fintech, media, B2B SaaS
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 350 Park Ave, New York, NY 10022
• Website: greycroft.com

4. FirstMark Capital

Early-stage NYC fund that backed Pinterest and Shopify before they were obvious wins.

• Recent Deals: Pinterest (IPO $12B, 2019), Shopify (IPO $200B), Airbnb (IPO $100B, 2020), Datadog (IPO $43B, 2019)
• LinkedIn: Rick Heitzmann
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise, developer tools, data
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 100 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10011
• Website: firstmarkcap.com

5. RRE Ventures

NYC enterprise specialist that's been backing B2B software companies since 1994.

• Recent Deals: Business Insider (acquired $442M), Namely ($60M Series D), Socure ($450M Series D, 2024), Transfix ($42M Series C)
• LinkedIn: Stuart Ellman
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise software, fintech, AI
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 130 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022
• Website: rre.com

6. Bessemer Venture Partners

Historic firm that backed Shopify first and maintains strong NYC presence for enterprise deals.

• Recent Deals: Shopify (IPO $200B), Toast (IPO $20B, 2021), Twilio (IPO $77B), Canva ($40B valuation)
• LinkedIn: Byron Deeter
• Sector Focus: cloud, B2B SaaS, fintech, developer tools
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: 1865 Palmer Ave, Larchmont, NY 10538
• Website: bvp.com

7. Insight Partners

$90B AUM growth equity powerhouse that leads late-stage rounds in NYC's biggest companies.

• Recent Deals: Veeam ($5B acquisition, 2024), Twitter (pre-Musk buyout), Shopify ($400M growth), Celonis ($1B Series D, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Jeff Horing
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise software, fintech, cybersecurity
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, growth equity, PE
• Office Location: 1114 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036
• Website: insightpartners.com

8. General Catalyst

Expanded NYC office significantly and backs both enterprise and consumer companies.

• Recent Deals: Stripe ($95B valuation), Airbnb (IPO $100B), Snap (IPO $24B), Gusto ($9.5B valuation)
• LinkedIn: Niko Bonatsos
• Sector Focus: fintech, healthcare, B2B SaaS, consumer
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: 20 W 33rd St, New York, NY 10001
• Website: generalcatalyst.com

9. Thrive Capital

NYC's dominant growth-stage investor led by Josh Kushner with massive fund sizes.

• Recent Deals: Stripe ($95B valuation), Oscar Health (IPO $7.9B), Instagram (acquired $1B), GitHub (acquired $7.5B)
• LinkedIn: Josh Kushner
• Sector Focus: fintech, healthcare, enterprise, consumer
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Office Location: 690 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10019
• Website: thrivecap.com

10. Tiger Global

Wrote enormous checks in 2020-2021, pulled back significantly, but still active in growth rounds.

• Recent Deals: Stripe ($95B valuation), Nubank (IPO $45B, 2021), ByteDance ($300B valuation), Checkout.com ($40B valuation)
• LinkedIn: Scott Shleifer
• Sector Focus: fintech, enterprise, consumer, global markets
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth, public markets
• Office Location: 9 W 57th St, New York, NY 10019
• Website: tigerglobal.com

11. Founder Collective

Seed fund with offices in both NYC and Boston backing exceptional founding teams early.

• Recent Deals: Uber (IPO $82B), PillPack (acquired by Amazon $1B), Coupang (IPO $60B, 2021), Airtable ($11B valuation)
• LinkedIn: David Frankel
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, consumer, fintech, marketplaces
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 131 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA (covers NYC deals)
• Website: foundercollective.com

12. BoxGroup

Pre-seed and seed specialist that backed Warby Parker, Harry's, and Ramp exceptionally early.

• Recent Deals: Warby Parker (IPO $6B, 2021), Harry's (acquired $1.4B terms), Ramp ($8.1B valuation), Ro ($7B valuation)
• LinkedIn: David Tisch
• Sector Focus: consumer, fintech, B2B SaaS, healthcare
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 601 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001
• Website: boxgroup.com

13. Primary Venture Partners

Brooklyn-based fund backing consumer, media, and community-driven companies.

• Recent Deals: Hims & Hers (IPO $1.6B, 2021), Prose ($102M Series C), Blue Apron (IPO $2B, 2017), Dia&Co ($40M Series C)
• LinkedIn: Ben Sun
• Sector Focus: consumer, DTC, media, health and wellness
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 45 Main St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Website: primaryvc.com

14. Female Founders Fund

NYC fund exclusively backing women-led companies with strong track record.

• Recent Deals: The Wing ($75M Series C before closure), Rockets of Awesome (acquired), Billie (acquired by P&G), Faire ($12.4B valuation)
• LinkedIn: Anu Duggal
• Sector Focus: consumer, health and wellness, fintech, B2B
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: New York, NY (office location private)
• Website: femalefoundersfund.com

15. Brooklyn Bridge Ventures

Seed-only fund exclusively backing NYC-based companies, won't invest outside the city.

• Recent Deals: Reonomy (acquired by Altus Group), Canary (consumer hardware), Orchard (acquired by Lennar), Tinybop (edtech)
• LinkedIn: Charlie O'Donnell
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, consumer, proptech, fintech
• Stage Focus: seed only
• Office Location: Brooklyn, NY 11215
• Website: brooklynbridge.vc

16. NextGen Venture Partners

Growth equity fund focused on B2B SaaS and fintech companies scaling revenue.

• Recent Deals: ZoomInfo (IPO $14B, 2020), Carta ($7.4B valuation), Snyk ($7.4B valuation), Gong ($7.25B valuation)
• LinkedIn: Mike Szymczak
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, fintech, enterprise software, data
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Office Location: 126 E 56th St, New York, NY 10022
• Website: nextgenvp.com

17. StartUp NY

State-backed initiative offering tax incentives for companies near SUNY campuses statewide.

• Recent Deals: 100+ upstate NY companies, various Buffalo and Albany tech startups, university spinouts
• LinkedIn: StartUp NY Organization
• Sector Focus: any sector near SUNY campuses
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A (with tax incentives)
• Office Location: Multiple locations across upstate NY
• Website: startup-ny.com

18. Buffalo Venture Capital Fund

Only fund focused exclusively on Buffalo's growing tech ecosystem.

• Recent Deals: ACV Auctions (IPO $1.8B, 2021), Campus Labs (acquired), various Buffalo software companies
• LinkedIn: Tom Kucharski
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, healthcare IT, manufacturing tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 640 Ellicott St, Buffalo, NY 14203
• Website: 43north.org

19. NYU Innovation Venture Fund

Backs NYU spinouts and NYC university-connected founders with patient capital.

• Recent Deals: Various NYU Tandon and Stern spinouts, NYC university-connected companies
• LinkedIn: NYU Innovation
• Sector Focus: deep tech, healthcare, AI, enterprise
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 370 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Website: nyu.edu/innovation

20. Columbia Venture Community

Columbia alumni network investing in university-connected founders across industries.

• Recent Deals: Various Columbia spinouts, alumni-founded companies
• LinkedIn: Columbia Venture Community
• Sector Focus: all sectors with Columbia connection
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 3022 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
• Website: entrepreneurship.columbia.edu

21. Contour Venture Partners

Seed and Series A focused on NYC B2B software with hands-on approach.

• Recent Deals: Troops.ai ($17M Series A), Vouch ($160M Series C), BlueVine ($400M debt+equity), Extend ($260M Series B)
• LinkedIn: Steve Duplessie
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise software, fintech, insurance tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: 156 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10010
• Website: contourventures.com

22. Two Sigma Ventures

Quantitative hedge fund's venture arm backing data-driven companies in NYC.

• Recent Deals: Datadog (IPO $43B), Samsara (IPO $12B), Vanta ($2.45B valuation), Sigma Computing ($300M Series D)
• LinkedIn: Villi Iltchev
• Sector Focus: data infrastructure, AI, fintech, developer tools
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 100 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013
• Website: twosigmaventures.com

Start tracking your New York investor outreach before you reach out

These 22 investors closed 1,200+ NYC deals in 2025-2026. Before you start requesting intros to Manhattan funds or emailing Brooklyn investors, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each New York investor. You'll see exactly which slides Union Square Ventures reviews versus what Lerer Hippeau focuses on. NYC investors typically spend 5-8 minutes on decks if they're interested. Under 2 minutes means they passed.

When NYC investors request financial models or customer data, share an Ellty data room instead of sending scattered Google Drive links. Your cap table, unit economics, and key contracts in one secure place with view tracking. NYC investors expect immediate access to diligence materials. Being organized signals you can operate at NYC pace.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in New York to raise from New York investors?

For Manhattan investors, yes. They expect you in NYC or willing to relocate immediately. Brooklyn funds are slightly more flexible. Upstate investors only back local founders. Remote won't work with top-tier NYC funds. They want to grab coffee regularly.

How does New York compare to San Francisco for fundraising?

NYC and SF are the only truly comparable markets. NYC round sizes match SF. But NYC investors focus more on revenue and unit economics. SF tolerates higher burn and longer paths to monetization. NYC is more risk-averse and domain expertise matters more.

What's the average seed round size in New York?

$3.2M in Manhattan. $2.1M in Brooklyn. $1.5M upstate in Buffalo and Albany. Pre-seed is $800K-$1.5M in NYC. Series A averages $15M. These are 2025-2026 numbers and higher than most US markets except SF.

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

If you're anywhere in the US and building fintech, adtech, or media companies, raise in NYC. For enterprise SaaS, both markets work. For deep tech or climate, SF is better. Consumer can work in either city but NYC investors expect revenue earlier.

Do New York investors expect in-person meetings?

Absolutely. Plan for 3-5 in-person meetings minimum. NYC investors won't commit over video calls. They want to meet you at their office, grab coffee in their neighborhood, and see how you handle yourself. Budget significant travel time if you're remote.

What industries get funded most in New York?

Fintech dominates at 35% of deal volume. Enterprise SaaS is 25%. Consumer and DTC is 15%. Healthcare and biotech is 12%. Media and adtech is 8%. Everything else splits the remaining 5%. Avoid pitching climate or hardware to NYC investors unless they explicitly focus on it.

How long does it take to close a round in New York?

4-8 weeks once you have a lead investor. That's among the fastest in the US. But getting to that lead takes 3-6 months of relationship building. NYC investors move fast once they decide but won't take first meetings without warm intros. Factor in relationship-building time.