Active venture capital investors investing in Richmond companies in 2026

Richmond raised $180M across 35 deals in 2025. Most capital went to healthcare IT and fintech. The ecosystem is small but growing fast around VCU's health sciences corridor. You won't find 50 active seed funds here like Austin, but the investors who are here actually respond to emails.

Quick list

Why Richmond works for early-stage funding

Richmond has 12-15 active early-stage investors. Average seed round is $1.2M, lower than DC ($2.8M) but higher than most Virginia cities. The state's SBIR matching program basically doubles federal grants if you're based here.

Most Richmond capital comes from healthcare and financial services exits. Carmax, Markel, and Capital One executives angel invest heavily. The VCU Health Sciences corridor creates natural partnerships for healthtech companies. You'll get faster pilot deals here than pitching Johns Hopkins from zero.

Richmond investors expect profitability within 24 months. That's different from DC or SF. If you're planning to burn $2M annually for 5 years, raise in DC instead. Local funds prefer B2B SaaS and healthcare IT over consumer apps.

Picking the right Richmond investor

Local presence matters more in Richmond than bigger markets. The investor community is tight and talks. One bad experience spreads fast. Physical Richmond offices mean they can intro you to Altria, Dominion Energy, or Capital One decision-makers. Those relationships close enterprise deals.

Portfolio companies in Richmond or Virginia should be visible. Check if they've backed companies that scaled out of state or stayed local. Some Richmond investors expect you to stay regional. Others help with SF relocations. Ask directly.

Check sizes run $300K-$2M for seed, $2M-$8M for Series A. Richmond has almost no Series B capital. New Richmond Ventures is the exception. You'll need DC or NYC investors for later rounds. CIT GAP Funds and Virginia Catalyst are state-backed, so expect slower processes but founder-friendly terms.

Local network strength shows in healthcare and financial services access. Richmond investors can get you meetings with Carmax's tech team or VCU Health's innovation group. That's worth more than a $500K check if you're B2B.

Communication matters when investors are managing smaller portfolios. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see which Richmond investors actually open your financials versus who's just being polite. Most respond within a week or they're not interested.

Follow-on capacity is limited locally. Only New Richmond Ventures and Federated have $10M+ check capability. Plan your Series A raise with DC funds like New Enterprise Associates or Grotech Ventures. Richmond investors know this and often co-invest.

How to find and approach Richmond investors

Research local deals through Richmond BizSense and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. They cover every significant funding round. Check Startup Virginia's portfolio companies. Their demo days are where Richmond investors actually scout.

Leverage local ecosystem through 804RVA, the Startup Virginia accelerator, and VCU's Innovation Gateway. Dominion Energy's innovation program backs energy tech. Capital One's accelerator focuses on fintech but accepts Richmond companies first. Virginia BioTech Park tenants get direct investor intros.

Build relationships first at 1717 Innovation Center events. Richmond investors prefer warm intros over cold emails. Join Richmond Ventures meetups. Most local funds source 70% of deals through referrals. The ecosystem is small enough that 3 coffees gets you connected.

Share your pitch deck after initial conversations, not before. Upload to Ellty and send trackable links to each investor. Richmond funds typically review decks within 3-5 days. You'll know who's serious based on time spent on your financial slides versus team page.

Attend local events like Startup Virginia's pitch nights and the annual Richmond Venture Forum. Richmond FinTech Festival brings national investors but local funds sponsor it. 1 Million Cups Richmond happens weekly and investors show up. Skip generic networking events, they don't close deals here.

Connect with portfolio founders at companies like Lula Insurance or FiscalNote's Richmond office. They'll tell you which investors respond fast versus who takes 6 months. Richmond founders share notes openly. Ask specific questions about term sheet negotiations.

Organize due diligence materials before first partner meetings. Richmond investors move faster than DC once interested. Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, cap table, and Virginia corporation docs. Most Richmond venture capitals expect clean diligence, they're coming from banking and insurance backgrounds.

Understand local pace runs 2-3 months from first meeting to term sheet for seed rounds. That's slower than SF but faster than most East Coast cities. Richmond investors want 3-4 meetings minimum. They're writing smaller checks but care more about founder character. Don't rush it.

Richmond-specific considerations

Richmond investors strongly prefer B2B over consumer. Healthcare IT, fintech, and cybersecurity get funded easily here. Consumer apps almost never close rounds unless you have Richmond traction already. The city's corporate base wants enterprise software they can pilot.

Expect questions about staying in Richmond versus relocating to DC or SF. Some investors want you local for at least 18 months. Others help with expansion. Be direct about your plans. Virginia's 30% angel tax credit helps close smaller checks but complicates cap tables. Most Richmond investors know how to structure around it.

12 top investors in Richmond

1. New Richmond Ventures

Richmond's largest homegrown fund with $150M+ AUM and actual follow-on capacity.

• Recent Deals: Kaléo Pharmaceuticals $200M growth (2025), Owlet Baby Care $10M (2024), Shamin Hotels tech platform $8M (2025)
• LinkedIn: Chris Mackin
• Sector Focus: Healthcare, enterprise software, consumer
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: 901 E Byrd St, Richmond
• Website: newrichmondventures.com

2. CIT GAP Funds

State-backed fund that's backed more Richmond companies than anyone else in the past 5 years.

• Recent Deals: 8 Richmond startups in 2025 ($500K average), Lula Insurance $800K (2024), Renalytix AI participation (2025)
• LinkedIn: Bill Mezzullo
• Sector Focus: Technology, life sciences, healthcare IT
• Stage Focus: Seed, early stage
• Office Location: 2214 Rock Hill Rd, Herndon (covers Richmond region)
• Website: citgapfunds.org

3. Virginia Catalyst

Focuses on life sciences but highly active in Richmond's VCU Health Sciences corridor.

• Recent Deals: Renalytix AI $15M Series B (2025), multiple Richmond biotech grants 2024-2025
• LinkedIn: Bob Stolle
• Sector Focus: Life sciences, medical devices, healthcare IT
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: 2214 Rock Hill Rd, Herndon (Richmond focus)
• Website: virginiacatalyst.org

4. Red Cell Partners

DC-based but opened Richmond office in 2024, focuses on defense and critical infrastructure tech.

• Recent Deals: 3 Richmond defense tech companies (undisclosed amounts, 2025), national security software $12M (2024)
• LinkedIn: Ryan Carlson
• Sector Focus: Defense tech, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Richmond office at 1717 Innovation Center
• Website: redcellpartners.com

5. Lighthouse Labs

Richmond-based seed fund run by former Capital One executives who actually know the local market.

• Recent Deals: Lula Insurance $800K seed (2024), Richmond fintech startup $600K (2025), enterprise SaaS $1M (2025)
• LinkedIn: Ryan Johnson
• Sector Focus: Fintech, enterprise SaaS, B2B marketplaces
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 1717 Innovation Center, Richmond
• Website: lighthouselabs.vc

6. Shockoe Capital

Local fund that understands Richmond's healthcare ecosystem better than anyone.

• Recent Deals: Healthcare analytics platform $3M Series A (2025), VCU Health partner company $1.5M (2024)
• LinkedIn: Mike Holland
• Sector Focus: Healthcare IT, medical devices, B2B SaaS
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Shockoe Bottom, Richmond
• Website: shockoecapital.com

7. Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission

State entity that's backed Richmond agtech and rural innovation companies with $12M+ deployed.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Richmond agtech startups (2024-2025), rural broadband infrastructure $5M (2025)
• LinkedIn: Timothy Pfohl
• Sector Focus: Agriculture tech, rural innovation, infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed, early growth
• Office Location: Richmond administrative office
• Website: revitalizeva.org

8. Blue Heron Capital

Healthcare-focused investor that works closely with Richmond's hospital systems.

• Recent Deals: Sheltering Arms rehab tech Series A (2025), medical scheduling software $2M (2024)
• LinkedIn: David Verrill
• Sector Focus: Healthcare services, medical software, healthtech
• Stage Focus: Series A, growth
• Office Location: Richmond metro area
• Website: blueheroncapital.com

9. Monument Ventures

Newer Richmond fund focused on fintech and enterprise software from former banking executives.

• Recent Deals: Richmond fintech $1.2M pre-seed (2025), payments startup $800K (2024)
• LinkedIn: Sarah Chen
• Sector Focus: Fintech, payments, enterprise SaaS
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Downtown Richmond
• Website: monumentvc.com

10. Federated Investors

National fund with Richmond office that participates in larger rounds for local companies.

• Recent Deals: Owlet Baby Care $10M (2024), Richmond enterprise software $6M Series A (2025)
• LinkedIn: Tom Donahue
• Sector Focus: Enterprise software, fintech, healthcare
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Richmond regional office
• Website: federatedinvestors.com

11. Charlottesville Angel Network

Active in the Richmond-Charlottesville corridor with smaller checks but strong local connections.

• Recent Deals: 4 Richmond companies in 2025 ($200K-$400K range), UVA spinout $350K (2024)
• LinkedIn: Hunter Swain
• Sector Focus: Software, healthcare, university spinouts
• Stage Focus: Angel, pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Charlottesville (Richmond active)
• Website: cvilleangels.com

12. New Virginia Capital

Richmond-based growth equity firm that occasionally does Series A for strong local companies.

• Recent Deals: Archer cybersecurity $5M Series A (2025), Richmond B2B SaaS $4M (2024)
• LinkedIn: Paul Nohl
• Sector Focus: Cybersecurity, enterprise software, B2B services
• Stage Focus: Series A, growth
• Office Location: West End Richmond
• Website: newvirginia.com

Start tracking your Richmond investor outreach

These 12 investors closed Richmond deals in 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out to Virginia funds, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each Richmond investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your financials. Richmond-based founders often find local investors skip market size slides but focus heavily on your customer acquisition metrics and team background.

When Richmond investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, and Virginia incorporation docs in one secure place with view analytics.

Common questions

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

No, but it helps for seed rounds. Richmond investors prefer local companies they can meet with easily. If you're based elsewhere in Virginia, you'll still get meetings. Outside Virginia, you'll need strong connections or traction.

How does Richmond compare to DC for fundraising?

Richmond has smaller check sizes ($1M average seed vs $2.8M in DC) but faster response times. You'll get more personal attention from Richmond investors. DC has 10x more capital available for Series A and beyond.

What's the average seed round size in Richmond?

$1.2M for first institutional seed rounds. Pre-seed rounds from angels run $300K-$600K. Series A rounds average $4M-$6M but most companies raise those in DC.

Should I raise locally or go straight to DC?

Raise your first $500K-$2M in Richmond if you're B2B or healthcare IT. The local support and intros are valuable. Plan your Series A with DC investors - Richmond doesn't have enough follow-on capital.

What industries get funded most in Richmond?

Healthcare IT dominates because of VCU Health and hospital systems. Fintech gets traction from Capital One connections. Cybersecurity works well with government contractor presence. Consumer apps rarely close rounds here.

Do Richmond investors expect in-person meetings? Yes for first meetings. Video calls work for follow-ups but locals expect to meet you at least once before writing checks. The ecosystem values in-person relationships more than SF or NYC.

How long does fundraising take in Richmond?

2-3 months from first meeting to closed round for seed stage. Faster if you have warm intros. Series A takes 4-6 months because you'll need to bring in DC co-investors.