How to Receive FUNDING

Please review our minimum investment criteria before submitting an application for funding. Once you submit your application, we will review it and contact you if there is a fit.

Minimum Investment Criteria:

  • Technical Validation: Demonstrated technical progress, working prototype, or sponsored R&D, not necessarily commercial revenue.
  • Current Traction: Federal non-dilutive funding (SBIR, AFWERX, DARPA, ARPA-E, DOE, NIH, NASA), active pilots, or LOIs. Revenue is not required at pre-seed.
  • Our Check: $50K-$250K, typically as part of a pre-seed round.
  • Post-Money Valuation: $12M or less.
  • Prior Funding: Less than $750k in prior outside investment.
  • Startup Categories: Material science, semiconductors, biotech, energy, defense, space, and applied sciences. We look for moats rooted in hard physics, chemistry, biology, or process knowledge, not pure software. Dual use (defense plus commercial) is a strong fit.
  • Founder and Team: We like to see at least one full-time founder working in the business, with other full-time employees or contractors on the team. Two or more full-time founders is preferred. (We like teams.)
  • Growth Opportunity: We target business models that can scale to $100M+ in value.
  • Location: Although we are based in Houston, we work with startups throughout the USA, mainly between the coasts. (We require a US C-Corp.)
  • Monthly Stakeholder Updates: We love to see at least two to three monthly stakeholder updates before we invest. We like to see companies executing on their plan over time.

If you are still working toward this criteria, then we recommend these other resources for now.

Apply BELOW

Startups we invest in also receive:

FUNDRAISING SUPPORT

  • A $50k-$250k investment from Seed Round Capital
  • Pitch events to our accredited co-investors
  • Pitch deck and presentation coaching

PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE

  • Seasoned entrepreneurs provide mentoring
  • Access to business experts for troubleshooting
  • Individual attention rather than group learning

LEARNING EVENTS

  • Monthly peer meetings with fellow founders
  • Customized training programs to optimize growth
  • Training on specially formulated business methods for running your company

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT

  • Access to experts in sales/marketing, recruiting, HR, legal, finance and accounting
  • Quarterly Board of Advisors meeting
  • Access to events and resources from The Cannon

Submit your Application in Under 7 minutes

We are excited to learn more about you and your team. Please review the above investment criteria before you apply. The below application contains about 20 questions plus your contact information, and only takes about 7 minutes to complete. Click on the 7-Minute Application button below to begin. We read every application, so thanks in advance!

Traits we look for when funding and mentoring startups:

  • Founder traits: coachable (open to constructive criticism), strong selling & recruiting skills, works well with team, self-starter
  • Market traits: large total addressable market, huge market need for your product with competitive barriers to entry
  • Product traits: product must solve an urgent and timely need: product has a significant competitive advantage over competing products
  • Scalability traits: your company is primed and ready to scale with an investment in sales & marketing
 

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