22 seed VCs subsidizing Seattle early-stage companies in 2026

Seattle raised $2.3B across 320+ seed rounds in 2025. Average seed round hit $2.8M, lower than SF's $4.1M but higher than Austin's $2.4M. The ecosystem is strong for B2B SaaS, developer tools, and enterprise software. You won't get Seattle seed investors interested in pure consumer plays without serious traction. They've seen too many consumer apps die after burning through seed rounds with 10K users and no revenue model.

Quick list

Why Seattle works for seed fundraising

Seattle has 35+ active seed funds and 10+ angel networks. The talent pool from Amazon, Microsoft, and Expedia produces hundreds of technical founders annually. Most Seattle seed investors prefer B2B over consumer because enterprise software exits are more predictable here.

Seed rounds close faster in Seattle than SF. Average time from first meeting to term sheet is 6-8 weeks versus 10-12 weeks in the Bay Area. Seattle investors are less concerned with FOMO and more focused on business fundamentals. That means fewer bidding wars but also fewer inflated valuations you can't grow into.

The downside is limited follow-on capital. Only Madrona and a few others can lead $15M+ Series A rounds. Most Seattle seed-stage companies raise Series A from SF or NYC investors. Plan for this from day one. Your seed investors should have relationships with coastal VCs or you'll struggle when it's time to raise your A.

Picking the right Seattle seed investor

Local presence matters significantly at seed stage because investors become advisors and connectors. Seattle-based funds can intro you to Microsoft partnerships, Amazon customer prospects, and local talent. Remote seed investors can't help with any of this, and at seed stage you need all the help you can get.

Portfolio companies tell you what they actually fund versus what they say they fund. Check if their recent seed investments are in your sector and stage. If every portfolio company is B2B SaaS and you're building consumer hardware, you're wasting time pitching them. Look at their last 10 seed deals, not their website description.

Check sizes vary widely in Seattle. Angels write $25K-100K checks. Pre-seed funds do $250K-$1M. Seed funds range from $1M-$5M. Know which type of investor you're talking to before you start. Don't ask an angel for $2M or pitch a $5M-check fund when you only need $500K.

Local network advantages in Seattle include warm intros to Amazon Web Services for infrastructure credits, Microsoft for enterprise pilots, and Expedia for travel tech partnerships. Share your deck through Ellty with tracking links so you see which investors spend time on your team slide versus skipping straight to financials. Seattle seed investors care more about founder backgrounds than most markets.

Follow-on capacity is critical because most Seattle seed funds can't lead your Series A. Ask explicitly if they reserve capital for follow-on investments. Founders' Co-op and Flying Fish typically don't lead A rounds. Madrona and Voyager can. Know this before you choose your seed lead or you'll be scrambling for Series A investors 18 months from now.

How to find and approach Seattle seed investors

Research local deals by reading GeekWire funding announcements weekly and checking Pitchbook for Seattle seed rounds. Most active Seattle seed investors close 3-5 deals per year. If a fund hasn't announced a Seattle deal in 12+ months, they're probably not actively deploying capital right now.

Leverage local ecosystem through Startup Seattle events, Techstars Seattle alumni meetups, and Pioneer Square Labs open houses. These aren't casual networking, they're where Seattle seed investors actually scout deals. Alliance of Angels hosts monthly pitch events where companies get funded. Show up consistently for 3-4 months before you fundraise.

Build relationships first because Seattle seed investors are relationship-driven. They invest in founders they've known for 6-12 months, not strangers who cold emailed a deck. Join the Seattle tech community before you start fundraising. Volunteer at events, help other founders, get known. This matters more in Seattle than SF.

Share your pitch deck through Ellty with unique tracking links for each investor. You'll see who opens it within 24 hours versus who ignores it for weeks. Seattle seed investors typically respond within 3-5 days if they're interested. If you don't hear back in a week, move on.

Attend local events like GeekWire Summit, Seattle Tech Brew events, Startup Grind Seattle meetups, and Pioneer Square Labs demo nights. Also check Seattle Interactive Conference, Techstars community events, and University of Washington entrepreneurship events. Seed investors attend these regularly, unlike Series A+ investors who mostly take meetings in their offices.

Connect with portfolio founders from companies that raised seed rounds in the past year. Search LinkedIn for founders at recent Founders' Co-op or Madrona seed deals. Ask them which investors were helpful versus which just showed up to quarterly board calls. Seattle founders are honest about this if you ask directly.

Organize due diligence materials in an Ellty data room before meetings. Seattle seed investors move fast once they decide to invest. Have your cap table, financial model, incorporation docs, and any customer contracts ready. Companies that can close in 2-3 weeks after term sheets get better terms than those that need 6 weeks for legal cleanup.

Understand local pace because Seattle seed rounds close in 6-8 weeks on average. First meeting to term sheet takes 4-6 weeks if investors are interested. Then 2-3 weeks for legal and closing. That's faster than SF but slower than some angel groups that can close in 10 days. Don't expect instant term sheets but don't drag out diligence either. Seattle’s venture capital mindset leans toward disciplined execution and measurable traction.

Seattle-specific seed considerations

Seattle seed investors strongly prefer technical founders with experience at local tech companies. Ex-Amazon and ex-Microsoft founders get meetings easier than outsiders. If you're not from Seattle and don't have local connections, your traction needs to be 2-3x better to get the same attention.

The B2B bias is real and getting stronger. Consumer companies raised 15% of Seattle seed rounds in 2025 versus 35% in 2020. Unless you have exceptional consumer traction or a celebrity founder, focus on B2B investors here. Consumer-focused funds like Maveron are extremely selective now.

Valuation expectations are lower than SF. Seattle pre-seed rounds typically price at $4M-8M post-money versus $8M-12M in SF. Seed rounds price at $12M-20M post versus $15M-30M in SF. Don't come to Seattle expecting SF valuations. The tradeoff is less dilution if you raise efficiently and hit milestones.

22 top seed investors in Seattle

1. Founders' Co-op

Seattle's most active pre-seed and seed fund, leads 15-20 rounds per year and knows every Seattle founder.

• Recent Deals: Cinder $5.2M seed (trust and safety platform, 2022), Shelf Engine $2M seed (demand forecasting, 2017), Ockam $1.5M seed (secure infrastructure, 2019), Pioneer Square Labs portfolio companies (multiple 2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Chris DeVore
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, developer tools, infrastructure, marketplaces, technical founders
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: 320 Westlake Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109
• Website: founderscoop.com

2. Madrona Venture Group

Seattle's largest VC with $3B+ AUM, leads competitive seed rounds with $3M-6M checks.

• Recent Deals: Textio $3.3M seed (augmented writing, 2014), Highspot $3.6M seed (sales enablement, 2014), Auth0 $2.4M seed before $6.5B exit (identity platform, 2013), multiple undisclosed 2024-2025 seeds
• LinkedIn: Matt McIlwain
• Sector Focus: Enterprise SaaS, AI/ML, developer tools, cloud infrastructure, security
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: 999 Third Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104
• Website: madrona.com

3. Voyager Capital

Pacific Northwest specialist backing Seattle founders for 25+ years, $2M-4M typical seed checks.

• Recent Deals: Remitly $1.1M seed before $5B+ valuation (remittances, 2012), Shelf Engine $2M seed (food tech, 2017), Lexop seed (debt collection SaaS, 2020), multiple 2024-2025 B2B seeds
• LinkedIn: Erik Benson
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, fintech, vertical SaaS, infrastructure, Pacific Northwest companies
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 1201 3rd Avenue, Suite 4800, Seattle, WA 98101
• Website: voyagercapital.com

4. Pioneer Square Labs

Seattle startup studio that builds companies from scratch then funds them at seed stage with $1M-3M.

• Recent Deals: Boundless Immigration $2M seed (immigration tech, 2017), Alfa Insurance $2.5M seed (digital insurance, 2018), numerous studio-built companies annually (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Mike Galgon
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, marketplaces, fintech, insurance tech, verticals with studio advantage
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed (studio), seed
• Office Location: 240 2nd Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104
• Website: pioneersquarelabs.com

5. Flying Fish Partners

Technical founders preferred, backs infrastructure and developer tools with $1M-3M seed rounds.

• Recent Deals: Ockam $1.5M seed (secure infrastructure, 2019), Algorithmia seed before DataRobot acquisition (ML deployment, 2015), multiple undisclosed infrastructure seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Jim Alberg
• Sector Focus: Infrastructure, developer tools, security, API platforms, technical B2B products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: 1301 5th Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA 98101
• Website: flyingfishvc.com

6. Alliance of Angels

Seattle's largest angel network with 140+ members, syndicates $500K-$1.5M seed investments regularly.

• Recent Deals: Rover $1M seed before IPO (pet care marketplace, 2011), Julota $750K seed (inventory management, 2019), dozens of Seattle seeds annually (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Alliance of Angels
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, consumer marketplaces, hardware, diverse sectors across Seattle ecosystem
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Seattle, WA (members throughout region)
• Website: allianceofangels.com

7. Cascade Angels

Active angel network writing $250K-$1M syndicate checks at pre-seed and seed stages.

• Recent Deals: Multiple undisclosed pre-seed and seed deals (2024-2025), co-invests with institutional funds regularly, focuses on technical Seattle founders
• LinkedIn: Cascade Angels Network
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, infrastructure, enterprise software, technical founders
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Seattle, WA (members throughout region)
• Website: cascadeangels.com

8. Frazier Ventures

Healthcare specialist writing $2M-5M seed checks for medical, biotech, and healthtech companies.

• Recent Deals: Embold Health seed (claims analytics, 2020), PathAI seed (pathology AI, 2017), multiple undisclosed healthtech seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Patrick Heron
• Sector Focus: Healthcare IT, medical devices, diagnostics, biotech, digital health
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 601 Union Street, Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101
• Website: frazierventures.com

9. Gradient Ventures

Google's AI fund with Seattle office, exclusively backs AI/ML companies with $1M-3M seed rounds.

• Recent Deals: Rasa $2M seed (conversational AI, 2018), multiple undisclosed AI infrastructure seeds (2024-2025), focuses on technical founders from research backgrounds
• LinkedIn: Darian Shirazi
• Sector Focus: AI/ML, developer tools for ML, MLOps, computer vision, NLP applications
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Seattle office at 601 N 34th Street
• Website: gradient.com

10. Cercano Management

Vertical SaaS specialist backing Seattle B2B companies with $2M-4M seed rounds.

• Recent Deals: Procore early investment (construction management, 2013), ServiceTitan early rounds (home services SaaS, 2015), BuildingConnected seed before Autodesk acquisition (construction tech, 2015)
• LinkedIn: Brad Jones
• Sector Focus: Vertical SaaS, construction tech, real estate tech, field services software
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Bellevue, WA
• Website: cercanomanagement.com

11. Ignition Partners

Enterprise software focus, leads $3M-5M seed rounds for B2B SaaS companies with early revenue.

• Recent Deals: Highspot seed investment (sales enablement, 2014), Textio early rounds (augmented writing, 2015), multiple enterprise SaaS seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: John Connors
• Sector Focus: Enterprise SaaS, sales tech, productivity tools, business intelligence
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: 601 Union Street, Suite 5500, Seattle, WA 98101
• Website: ignitionpartners.com

12. Maveron

Consumer-focused but highly selective, $1M-3M seed checks for Seattle consumer brands with traction.

• Recent Deals: Remitly seed (cross-border payments, 2012), OfferUp seed (marketplace, 2012), Julep Beauty seed (cosmetics DTC, 2010)
• LinkedIn: Dan Levitan
• Sector Focus: Consumer brands, marketplaces, consumer fintech (selective), DTC brands
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: 800 5th Avenue, Suite 4100, Seattle, WA 98104
• Website: maveron.com

13. Amplify Partners

SF-based with Seattle office, backs developer tools and infrastructure with $2M-4M seed rounds.

• Recent Deals: Weights & Biases seed (MLOps, 2018), Tecton seed (feature store, 2019), multiple infrastructure seeds with Seattle connections (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Paul Martino
• Sector Focus: Developer tools, infrastructure, data platforms, MLOps, API-first products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Seattle office at 2815 2nd Avenue
• Website: amplifypartners.com

14. PSL Ventures

Hardware and deep tech specialist, $1M-3M seed for robotics, IoT, and advanced hardware.

• Recent Deals: Canvas Technology seed before Amazon acquisition (warehouse robotics, 2015), multiple undisclosed robotics and IoT seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Peter Barrett
• Sector Focus: Robotics, IoT, hardware, edge computing, computer vision hardware
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: pslventures.com

15. Vulcan Capital

Paul Allen's investment firm, occasional seed investments in Seattle technology companies.

• Recent Deals: Spare5 seed before Amazon acquisition (gig economy, 2013), several undisclosed Seattle tech seeds over the years
• LinkedIn: Vulcan Capital
• Sector Focus: Technology, life sciences, real estate tech, diverse investments
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, growth (opportunistic)
• Office Location: 505 5th Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104
• Website: vulcancapital.com

16. Ascend VC

Backs technical Seattle founders building infrastructure and dev tools with $500K-$2M seed checks.

• Recent Deals: Kaleido seed (blockchain infrastructure, 2018), multiple undisclosed infrastructure and security seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Brad Jones
• Sector Focus: Infrastructure, blockchain, security, developer tools, technical B2B products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: ascend.vc

17. Pacific8 Ventures

Pacific Northwest focus, $500K-$2M seed checks for companies with early revenue traction.

• Recent Deals: Multiple undisclosed Pacific Northwest B2B SaaS seeds (2024-2025), focuses on capital-efficient companies
• LinkedIn: Pacific8 Ventures
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, marketplaces, vertical SaaS, revenue-stage companies
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: pacific8ventures.com

18. GeekWire Fund

Small fund from Seattle tech media company, $100K-500K checks at pre-seed stage.

• Recent Deals: Multiple pre-seed investments in Seattle startups (2024-2025), leverages GeekWire's network for deal flow
• LinkedIn: GeekWire
• Sector Focus: Technology broadly, leverages media connections for sourcing
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed (smaller checks)
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: geekwire.com

19. Seraph Group

Angel network focused on enterprise software, $500K-$1.5M seed syndicate investments.

• Recent Deals: Multiple enterprise SaaS seeds in Pacific Northwest (2024-2025), co-invests with institutional funds
• LinkedIn: Seraph Group
• Sector Focus: Enterprise software, B2B SaaS, sales tech, business productivity tools
• Stage Focus: Seed
• Office Location: Seattle, WA (members throughout region)
• Website: seraphgroup.net

20. Element 8

Angel investors and small fund, $250K-$1M for Seattle B2B companies at seed stage.

• Recent Deals: Multiple undisclosed B2B SaaS seeds (2024-2025), focuses on capital-efficient Seattle companies
• LinkedIn: Element 8
• Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, enterprise software, vertical SaaS
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: element8angels.com

21. Fuse

Pre-seed and seed fund launched 2022, $500K-$2M for technical founders building infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Multiple undisclosed infrastructure and dev tool seeds (2023-2025), newer fund building portfolio
• LinkedIn: Fuse
• Sector Focus: Infrastructure, developer tools, technical B2B products, AI/ML infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: fuse.vc

22. SeaChange Fund

Impact-focused fund, $1M-3M seed for Seattle companies with social or environmental missions.

• Recent Deals: Multiple impact-focused Seattle seeds (2024-2025), requires measurable social/environmental metrics
• LinkedIn: SeaChange Fund
• Sector Focus: Impact tech, sustainability, social enterprise, mission-driven B2B companies
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Seattle, WA
• Website: seachangefund.com

Start tracking your Seattle seed investor outreach

These 22 investors closed Seattle seed deals in 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out, understand that Seattle seed investors prioritize relationships over cold pitches. Get introduced through founders they've backed or attend local events where they scout deals.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each Seattle investor. You'll see who opens it immediately versus who sits on it for weeks. Seattle seed investors typically respond within 3-5 days if they're interested. Track engagement so you know where to focus your follow-up efforts and which investors to stop chasing.

When Seattle investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room with your financial model, cap table, and incorporation docs. Seed rounds move fast here once investors decide - companies that can close in 2-3 weeks get better terms than those needing 6 weeks for legal cleanup. Having organized materials ready shows you're prepared to move quickly.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in Seattle to raise from Seattle seed investors?

Not required but strongly preferred. Seattle seed investors invest heavily in local companies because they can help more effectively with intros, hiring, and board support. Remote companies need 2-3x better traction to get the same attention. Consider relocating if you're serious about raising from Seattle funds.

How does Seattle compare to SF for seed fundraising?

Seattle has smaller seed rounds ($2.8M average versus $4.1M in SF) but faster close times and lower valuations. Competition is less intense here. Seattle works better if you're building B2B SaaS and want to raise efficiently. Go to SF if you need large seed rounds or you're building consumer products.

What's the average seed round size in Seattle?

$2.8M in 2025, up from $2.3M in 2023. Pre-seed rounds average $800K-$1.5M. Expect $500K-$1M from lead investor and $1M-2M from angels and smaller funds. B2B SaaS companies typically raise more than consumer companies at seed stage.

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

Raise seed in Seattle if you're building B2B SaaS, developer tools, or enterprise software. The ecosystem is strong and investors move fast. Go to SF for consumer products, marketplaces with network effects, or if you need $5M+ seed rounds. Save NYC for fintech or media companies.

Do Seattle seed investors expect in-person meetings?

First meetings can be virtual but Seattle investors prefer in-person follow-ups before term sheets. Budget for 2-3 Seattle trips during your fundraise if you're remote. Seattle seed investors want to meet your founding team, not just the CEO. Bring technical co-founders to key meetings.

What industries get funded most at seed stage in Seattle?

B2B SaaS dominates with 60%+ of seed deals. Developer tools, enterprise software, and AI/ML applications follow. Consumer companies represent only 15% of Seattle seed rounds. Healthcare and fintech also see steady seed activity. Pure consumer social or marketplace apps struggle here without exceptional traction.

How long does it take to close a seed round in Seattle?

6-8 weeks from first investor meeting to money in the bank. That breaks down to 4-6 weeks from first meeting to term sheet, then 2-3 weeks for legal and closing. Faster than SF but slower than angel groups that can close in 2 weeks. Don't expect instant decisions but don't drag out diligence either.