Y Combinator is a startup accelerator based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2005. It has pioneered a new funding model for early-stage startups by investing a modest amount of capital, typically around $150,000, in a large number of companies twice a year. Over a three-month program, Y Combinator collaborates closely with these startups to prepare them for investor pitches and enhance their business strategies. Each funding cycle concludes with Demo Day, where startups present to an exclusive audience of investors. Y Combinator focuses on various sectors, including business software, education, healthcare, and financial technology, among others. In addition to initial funding, it offers ongoing support through its extensive alumni network. Since its inception, Y Combinator has funded over 630 startups, contributing significantly to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Silicon Valley and beyond.

FJ Labs is a U.S.-based investment firm established in 2015 by Fabrice Grinda. The firm operates with a stage-agnostic approach, primarily targeting marketplaces and consumer-facing startups. FJ Labs focuses its investments on seed and Series A rounds, with a financial commitment ranging from $50,000 to $5,000,000. The firm has invested in a variety of notable companies, including Alibaba Group, beepi, BrightRoll, Betterment, and ADORE ME.

Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.

SOSV is a global venture capital firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. Specializing in seed-to-growth stage investments, SOSV operates multiple accelerator programs worldwide, including HAX for hardware, IndieBio and RebelBio for life sciences, Chinaccelerator and MOX for cross-border internet ventures, Food-X for innovative food solutions, and dlab for blockchain technology. The firm focuses on investments in revolutionary deep technologies aimed at improving human and planetary health, as well as cross-border markets, particularly in Asia. SOSV invests in approximately 150 startups annually, providing support through its resources to accelerate product development and scaling. Over its two-decade history, SOSV has established a strong reputation, consistently ranking among the top venture capital firms globally.

NCI is a private equity firm based in Rouen, France, founded in 1999. The firm specializes in investing in both public and private markets, focusing on a diverse range of sectors, including agriculture, construction, logistics, digital technology, hardware, e-commerce, food technology, and information technology. NCI leverages its expertise to identify and support companies within these industries, aiming to foster growth and enhance value through strategic investments.

500 Global, formerly known as 500 Startups, is a venture capital firm and incubator based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in seed investments, primarily focusing on early-stage technology and financial services startups across various sectors, including biotech, e-commerce, fintech, and digital healthcare. 500 Global operates a four-month accelerator program, where it typically invests between $0.05 million and $1 million for a 5 to 10 percent equity stake in companies with at least $100,000 in monthly revenue. The firm targets a global market, with particular emphasis on regions such as the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Since its inception, it has invested in over 2,200 startups and supports the growth of innovation ecosystems through educational programs and partnerships. 500 Global also prioritizes investments in companies led by minority founders, reflecting its commitment to diverse entrepreneurial leadership.

Idea Fund Partners is a private equity firm founded in 2007, based in Wisconsin. The firm specializes in providing seed and early-stage equity funding along with company-building expertise. It targets investment opportunities in technology, healthcare, engineered products, agriculture, education, and financial services across the United States, with a particular focus on emerging geographies. The firm aims to support entrepreneurs, their customers, and local communities through its investments, fostering growth in various sectors, including IT, materials technologies, and medical devices.

AddVenture is an international venture capital fund based in Nicosia, Cyprus, that focuses on specific sectors, including software, media, and technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT). The fund typically invests between $1 million and $10 million in promising companies within these industries. Through its targeted investment strategy, AddVenture aims to support innovative startups and foster growth in the sectors it specializes in.

Atlantic Street Capital Management, LLC is a private equity firm founded in 2006 and based in Stamford, Connecticut, with an additional office in Florida. The firm focuses on investing in lower middle-market and mid-market companies primarily in the healthcare, consumer goods, life sciences, industrial, retail, and business services sectors across the United States and Canada. Atlantic Street Capital specializes in various investment strategies, including buyouts, recapitalizations, corporate carve-outs, restructurings, and bankruptcies, aiming to enhance the value of the companies in which it invests. As a Registered Investment Adviser, the firm is dedicated to fostering growth and operational improvements in its portfolio companies.

A Plus Finance, which is headquartered in Paris (France), is an independent trust company specialising in the management of Common Investment Funds for Innovation (FCPI) and Proximity Investment Funds (FIP). A Plus Finance is involved in all innovative sectors, particularly in the IT, media and security fields. The A Plus Finance team includes financiers and entrepreneurs, thus providing companies with both an awareness of the daily constraints of management and a long-term perspective on the development of their business. Managing funds amounting to nearly €220m, A Plus Finance invests between €1 million and €4 million per project.per