Houston-based early-stage investor writing $50k–$150k checks into technically complex startups in defense, dual-revenue, and government-adjacent markets that most investors won't touch.
apply Online
assess Fit
Get funded
Scaling deep-tech and dual-use founders into market leaders
The deep-tech and dual-use landscape is one of the most exciting places to invest right now — and one of the least understood by generalist investors.
At Seed Round Capital, we’ve backed companies developing carbon nanotube supermaterials, radioisotopic persistent power systems for defense and space applications, contactless magnetic gears being tested on the International Space Station, and autonomous maritime platforms operating with the U.S. Navy. We’ve co-invested with leading deep-tech and dual-use VCs — firms that have spent years building the playbooks for investing in frontier technology and at the defense-commercial intersection.
Here’s what we’ve learned about what separates the companies we invest in from the ones we don’t.
The founder has to be a capital-efficient engineer. Deep-tech founders often think in terms of what the technology can do. We think in terms of what it can do before the next round closes.
The technology has to solve an urgent, timely need. Whether it’s persistent power for remote sensors and small satellites where batteries fail, frictionless gears for environments where lubricants simply don’t work, or next-generation carbon nanotube antennas — the best deep-tech companies we’ve seen are solving problems that existing solutions genuinely cannot solve.
The team has to be coachable and have a clear path to traction. Deep-tech founders are often brilliant technologists who are fundraising for the first time in a market that doesn’t reward the slow, linear thinking of traditional R&D.
If you’re a deep-tech or dual-use founder raising your pre-seed or seed round, We’d like to learn about what you’re building...
Our Customized
investment Approach Provides:
Faster
FundRaising
Our proven process enables you to raise faster so you can focus on growing your business.
Better
Clarity
Someone in your corner to guide you through the fundraising process and provide clarity about direction and progress.
A Long-term
Advantage
Our novel fundraising approach helps you build a network of investors that you can leverage for both your current and future funding rounds.
Startups We invest in Receive:
Funding
Best Practices
- Seasoned entrepreneurs provide mentoring
- Additional access to funding expertise as needed
- Access to business experts for troubleshooting
- Individual attention rather than group training
Learning Events
- Monthly peer meetings with fellow founders
- Monthly workshops to optimize fundraising efforts
- Training on specially formulated processes for fundraising
- Access to experts in sales/marketing, recruiting, HR, legal, finance and accounting
Fundraising
Support
- Introductions to VCs and our personal investor network
- A $50K - $150K investment from Seed Round Capital
- Pitch events to angels and venture capitalists
- Pitch book and presentation coaching
If you’re a deep-tech or dual-use founder raising your pre-seed or seed round and you want an investor who will engage seriously with your technology, your market, and the unique challenges of what you’re building — we’d like to talk.
Experienced Investors that have been in your shoes
Seed Round Capital was created by seasoned entrepreneurs. We invest and utilize a specially formulated process that has helped 100's of early-stage companies complete their funding.
We invest in and work with founders who are open to guidance and are at a stage where their company is primed and ready to scale. We prefer startups entering markets with wide potential and whose product demonstrates a competitive edge.
Our mentors have a proven track record of successfully starting and managing businesses that have achieved up to nine figures in revenue. We've mastered the same funding hurdles you'll encounter and we can help you do the same!
Alex Wagner
Founder, Fear of Marketing
Adam Zahler
Founder, Function to Form
Let's Get The Ball Rolling
1
Apply Online
2
Meet to Assess Needs
3
Receive Funding
Stop worrying about your Fundraise So you Can Focus on Your Business.
Most tech company founders fail on their way to Series A funding because of poor decisions and lack of direction. We see startups make many common mistakes with disastrous results and we are here to help you avoid those. Seed Round Capital’s funding guidance provides expert support so startups can raise the money they need, enjoy their journeys, and see exponential growth. Read our startup founder's blog.
Will Your Startup Be a Success?
After YEARS of helping hundreds of startups raise money, we've identified 10 key factors that are critical to startup success.
Things like identifying key metrics, getting predictable business results, having a clear differentiation, offering a unique value proposition and six more.
Complete the scorecard to see where your company is strong — and where your company can improve. Get the Startup Success Scorecard™ along with startup tips — from founders who have been there.