Accel is a venture capital firm founded in 1983 in Palo Alto, California, that backs early and growth-stage technology startups worldwide. It concentrates on software, cloud, data, mobile, digital media, and adjacent sectors, including consumer and enterprise technology, fintech, security, and healthcare. The firm supports entrepreneurs with long-term guidance and the resources needed to build world-class, category-defining companies. Accel maintains offices in Palo Alto, San Francisco, London, and Bangalore, and has backed a broad portfolio featuring notable companies such as Atlassian, Facebook, Dropbox, Slack, Spotify, and Cloudera.

Andreessen Horowitz is a venture capital firm founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz and based in Menlo Park, California. It funds startups across the entire lifecycle, from seed to growth, with a broad focus on software and technology-enabled businesses. The firm backs companies in software, cloud infrastructure, digital platforms, data storage, and mobile and Internet services, as well as sectors at the intersection of technology with life sciences, such as bio healthcare and computational medicine. Its investments span artificial intelligence, fintech, consumer and enterprise software, crypto and blockchain, cybersecurity, and related infrastructure. Through strategic guidance and a hands-on approach, the firm aims to help portfolio companies scale and innovate.

Sequoia Capital Israel is a venture capital firm that backs startups and growth companies across seed to late-stage rounds, with a focus on Israel. It invests across sectors including fintech, financial services, internet, mobile, technology, and healthcare, spanning banking, payments, advertising, ecommerce, data, security, software, and related enabling tech. Typical commitments range from 100,000 to 1 million in seed, 1 to 10 million in early venture, and 10 to 100 million in growth rounds. The firm is based in Tel Aviv and operates as part of Sequoia Capital's global network.

Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm that backs startups across enterprise software, consumer technologies, fintech, healthtech, and cleantech from seed through growth stages. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, it maintains offices in Beijing, Shanghai, New Delhi, and Herzliya to engage markets in the United States, Asia, and Israel. The firm focuses on technology-enabled businesses and has supported companies across software, mobile, data, e-commerce, and services, spanning early-stage to expansion rounds. It offers strategic guidance, network access, and capital, and has historically included debt financing as part of its investment approach. With a multi-region footprint and a broad multi-stage mandate, Lightspeed seeks to partner with entrepreneurs to scale innovative companies globally.

Insight Partners is a global private equity and venture capital firm founded in 1995 that acts as a software investor, partnering with growth-stage technology and software companies. The firm concentrates on Fintech, Cybersecurity, AI/ML, DevOps, and Healthcare, providing capital and hands-on support to help management teams scale. Headquartered in New York City with offices in London, Tel Aviv, and Palo Alto, Insight Partners has more than $75 billion in assets under management, has invested in over 750 companies worldwide, and more than 55 portfolio companies have reached an IPO.

Tiger Global Management is a New York based investment firm that manages public and private market strategies to pursue technology-driven growth opportunities worldwide. Founded in 2001 by Charles (Chase) Coleman, the firm invests in leading global companies across various industries, with a particular emphasis on technology-enabled growth. In public markets it employs long/short and growth strategies, while in private markets it targets opportunities from early to late stage. The firm operates globally, including the United States, China, India, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and works with portfolio companies across their lifecycle to drive long-term value.

Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, and a prominent global investor in seed, early and growth-stage startups. The firm backs companies across sectors including information technology, healthcare, financial services, energy, internet, mobile and enterprise software, often aiming to be a first investor and partner in fast-growing, proven teams. It pursues opportunities domestically in the United States and internationally in markets such as India, China and Israel, funding rounds spanning seed to growth with flexible investment sizes. Sequoia supports ambitious founders to push boundaries and build enduring companies.

Qiming Venture Partners is a China-based venture capital firm founded in 2006, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Hong Kong and Singapore, and a global arm through Qiming Venture Partners USA. It manages multiple funds and invests in early and growth-stage companies across technology, information technology, healthcare, new consumer sectors, AI, robotics, semiconductors, software and digital health. The firm emphasizes a hands-on approach, often taking board seats and providing operational guidance to help CEOs scale and reach exits. Through its investments, it has backed hundreds of companies and supported numerous IPOs and M&A outcomes, with unicorns among its portfolio, illustrating breadth and depth across China and international markets.

New Enterprise Associates is a venture capital firm founded in 1977 and based in Menlo Park, California, with offices in the United States, India and China. It makes investments across technology and healthcare startups at multiple stages, from seed to growth, including software, cloud, data, internet services, fintech, AI, e-commerce, and enterprise technology, as well as healthcare information technology, life sciences, medical devices, and biopharma. It also considers energy technology and infrastructure opportunities, such as solar, batteries and smart grids. The firm pursues a global approach, with activity in the United States, Asia and other regions, and supports companies through rounds of financing ranging from small to sizable investments as they scale. NEA focuses on building portfolios in software, IT services, consumer technology, and healthcare technology, backing ambitious entrepreneurs across sectors and geographies.

Founded in 2000, General Catalyst is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage and growth equity investments. It focuses on accelerating ideas, careers, and companies towards success by providing ongoing momentum and mentorship based on deep experience.

Alumni Ventures Group is a venture capital firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire, with offices across North America. It provides access to venture investing for individual accredited investors, particularly alumni networks, by offering diversified portfolios of venture opportunities and allowing members to invest alongside fellow alumni in ventures led by peers. The firm backs early-stage and later-stage opportunities across technology, consumer, healthcare, financial services, and other sectors, with a sector- and geography-agnostic approach. It typically invests between $10,000 and $3 million per deal and emphasizes the involvement of alumni connections and an institutional lead investor in opportunities. Alumni Ventures also offers focused funds to broaden participation, enabling accredited investors to access venture portfolios diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. The model aims to democratize access to venture capital while maintaining rigorous selection standards through alumni networks.

Bessemer Venture Partners is a long-established venture capital firm based in Redwood City, California, founded in 1911. The firm makes early-stage and growth investments across software, cloud, fintech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, biotech, healthcare, consumer services, marketplaces and other technology sectors, with global reach in the United States, Israel, Canada and India. It supports founders from seed to scale, providing strategic guidance and capital to build durable businesses. The firm has backed notable companies such as Pinterest, LinkedIn, Shopify, Yelp, Twilio, DocuSign and Wix, among others, reflecting a history of funding transformative technology companies. Bessemer Venture Partners operates as a registered investment adviser and pursues opportunities across information technology, hardware and services worldwide.

Khosla Ventures is a California-based venture capital firm founded in 2004 by Vinod Khosla. It provides capital and strategic guidance to startups across stages, focusing on technology-driven companies in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, enterprise software and services, fintech, digital health, medical technology and diagnostics, therapeutics, consumer products, and frontier technologies. The firm backs bold ventures with the potential to disrupt markets and improve lives, supporting companies from early to growth stages and working closely with entrepreneurs to apply science, technology and innovative business models. While primarily investing in North American technology companies, Khosla Ventures pursues opportunities globally and emphasizes experimentation and impact alongside financial returns. The firm also maintains related impact initiatives that support entrepreneurs addressing socio-economic challenges in emerging markets.

Founded in 2015, FJ Labs is a New York-based venture capital firm focusing on stage-agnostic investments in marketplaces and consumer-facing startups. Their investment range varies from $50,000 to $5,000,000, typically at seed or series A stages.

Matrix is a San Francisco based venture capital firm founded in 1977 that backs early-stage companies across AI, B2B, consumer, fintech, health tech, and infrastructure. It works with product teams from idea through Series A, offering hands-on support and strategic guidance to help portfolio companies reach scale. The team comprises former founders and operators who bring practical insight to building startups. Matrix operates globally, including Matrix Partners China, which builds long-term relationships with entrepreneurs in China and abroad and invests across sectors and stages. Over its history, Matrix has backed companies that progressed to IPOs or acquisitions, reflecting a focus on durable growth and long-term value creation through close founder collaboration and a global network.

Index Ventures is a venture capital firm with offices in London, San Francisco, and Geneva that backs technology-driven startups worldwide. Since 1996 it has partnered with entrepreneurs to turn bold ideas into global businesses, investing across early and growth stages in sectors such as artificial intelligence, software, data, fintech, healthcare, media, mobility, security, and open source. The firm focuses on high-technology and life sciences and supports portfolio companies to scale internationally. Notable portfolio companies include Adyen, Deliveroo, Dropbox, Farfetch, King, Slack, and Supercell.

IDG Capital is a Beijing-based venture and growth-stage investment firm that backs technology-enabled companies across global markets, with a strong emphasis on China and Asia. It invests across seed, early, later, and growth stages and pursues buyouts, with interests spanning information technology, software, consumer products and services, healthcare, energy, SaaS, mobile, TMT, and advanced manufacturing. The firm leverages a worldwide network of limited partners, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, institutional investors, and philanthropic and educational endowments, to support portfolio companies. With deep local market knowledge and extensive relationships with business leaders, IDG Capital combines global perspective with local execution to facilitate inbound and outbound opportunities in China and the broader Asian region.

Founded in 1972, Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. It specializes in investing in early-stage, growth, and incubation companies across various sectors including technology, healthcare, life sciences, and consumer goods. The firm partners with founders from inception to IPO, supporting them to maximize the potential of their ideas.

Founded in 1997, Endeavor is a global non-profit organization dedicated to supporting high-impact entrepreneurs. With operations in nearly 40 countries, Endeavor's network comprises over 2,000 entrepreneurs who have created more than 3.9 million jobs and generated revenues exceeding $28 billion.

Founded in Tokyo in 1998, Global Brain is a venture capital firm focusing on seed to late-stage investments across various sectors globally. They have invested in over 300 startups, facilitating 25 IPOs and 61 M&As through hands-on support services.

GGV Capital is a global venture capital firm that invests in technology companies across various stages and sectors. Established in 2000, the firm has offices in Silicon Valley, Singapore, and Beijing, providing expansion capital ranging from $5 to $25 million for initial investments. GGV Capital focuses on companies operating in the U.S., China, India, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, Europe, and Israel.

Eight Roads Ventures is a global venture capital firm and the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Limited. With offices in London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Mumbai, and other locations, it invests across Europe, Asia, and North America in technology-driven companies. The firm targets sectors including software and services, healthcare IT, information technology, FinTech, consumer and enterprise technology, e-commerce, and real estate tech linked to data. It backs start-ups and growth-stage companies from early to late stages, often leading rounds and, when appropriate, co-investing with other top firms; it seeks board seats in portfolio companies. Eight Roads manages about $11 billion in assets and has a five-decade history of supporting hundreds of companies worldwide, reflecting a track record across technology, health tech and related fields.

Redpoint Ventures is an independent venture capital firm founded in 1999. It backs startups across seed, early, and growth stages and manages funds totaling about $4 billion. Headquartered in California, United States, Redpoint focuses on technology-driven opportunities in software, internet, enterprise IT, AI, cybersecurity, big data, fintech, healthcare, and related areas, with a global footprint that includes Redpoint China Ventures for early-stage investments in China. The firm partners with founders to create new markets and redefine existing ones, offering strategic guidance and capital to help portfolio companies scale.

Shenzhen Capital Group Co., Ltd (SCGC) is a venture capital firm founded in 1999 by the Shenzhen Government. The company is dedicated to fostering national industries, developing national brands, and promoting economic transformation through investments in emerging sectors. SCGC primarily targets small to medium enterprises and innovative high-tech companies, focusing on those in various stages of growth, including startups and those undergoing transformation. Its investment portfolio spans industries that align with national policy support, such as information technology, internet services, new media, biopharmaceuticals, new energy, environmental protection, chemical engineering, and high-end equipment manufacturing. With a registered capital of 5.42 billion RMB and significant assets under management, SCGC has established itself as a leader in the venture capital landscape, having invested in numerous companies, many of which have achieved public listings across global capital markets.

Founded in Boston in 2004, RA Capital is an investment firm specializing in life sciences and drug development. Its team, with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, medicine, and industry experience, invests in early-stage companies with promising technologies and products across healthcare and life science sectors.

Founders Fund is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that backs science and technology companies across multiple stages, from seed to late-stage. It pursues transformative technologies and follows a founder-friendly investment approach that provides substantial support with minimal interference. The firm invests in ventures solving difficult problems across sectors such as aerospace and transportation, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, healthcare, biotechnology, cybersecurity, fintech, consumer internet, software, robotics, and related technology fields. It has backed notable companies early, including SpaceX, Palantir, and Facebook, reflecting a history of partnering with ambitious founders to scale breakthrough technologies.

Battery Ventures is a technology-focused investment firm founded in 1983 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. It engages in venture capital and private equity investments in technology companies, with emphasis on software (including application and infrastructure software), IT infrastructure technologies, consumer internet and mobile services, industrial technologies, and life science tools. The firm seeks to back category-defining businesses with potential for scalable growth, often supporting companies through multiple stages and across select global regions.

Founded in 1989, OrbiMed is a New York-based healthcare-dedicated investment firm managing approximately $5 billion in assets. It invests across the spectrum of healthcare companies, from private start-ups to large multinational corporations, focusing on biopharmaceuticals, life sciences, digital health, medical devices, and diagnostics sectors globally.

Menlo Ventures is a California-based venture capital firm founded in 1976 that provides capital to consumer and technology companies across the United States. It funds seed through growth-stage ventures in sectors including computer hardware, software, big data, fintech, and healthcare, as well as related areas such as life sciences technology and smart cloud infrastructure. Based in San Francisco, the firm pursues a market-driven approach to identify opportunities and supports portfolio companies through multiple stages of development. Menlo Ventures emphasizes backing capital-efficient businesses with potential to disrupt large markets and maintains an active role in the companies it supports, alongside a track record of notable investments in diverse technology and consumer sectors. The firm seeks opportunities in early and growth-stage companies across the technology spectrum and strives to partner with teams delivering innovative products and services.

Korea Investment Partners is a Seoul-based venture capital and private equity firm with more than three decades of investing experience. It operates globally from its Seoul headquarters with offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Sunnyvale, and manages multiple funds that invest across a broad spectrum of sectors including business-to-business services, media, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, life sciences, oncology, mobile and gaming, augmented reality, industrials, real estate technology, mortgage technology, advertising technology, advanced manufacturing, the Internet of Things and mobility technologies. The firm has backed notable companies such as Kakao, Naver, YG Entertainment, Osstem Implant, Bodyfriend and Didi Chuxing, reflecting its emphasis on innovative entrepreneurs and large-scale opportunities.

Spark Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco with offices in Boston and New York. It invests in startups across the United States, spanning early-stage to growth opportunities, focusing on software, internet, media, consumer products and services, fintech, and information technology. The firm backs companies across sectors such as software-as-a-service, digital media, online platforms, and technology-driven consumer products, often supporting ventures at the intersection of entertainment and technology, e-commerce, and education technology. It typically makes investments from formative rounds up to larger growth rounds, and seeks to take a board seat in portfolio companies to help guide strategy and growth. Notable investments include Twitter, Discord, Anthropic, Cruise, Niantic, Oculus, Warby Parker, and Tumblr, illustrating a history of backing influential products and teams.

Norwest Venture Partners is a venture capital and growth equity firm founded in 1961 and headquartered in California, with a presence in Menlo Park and Palo Alto. It backs technology-driven companies across stages, from seed to growth, primarily in the United States, with extensions into India and Israel. The firm invests in sectors including software, information services, business services, financial services, healthcare, enterprise technology, and consumer products and services. Norwest emphasizes a proactive, partnership-based approach, leveraging its extensive network, operating experience, and a broad range of resources to help CEOs and founders scale their businesses. Across its portfolio, Norwest has supported hundreds of companies through multiple rounds of financing, aiming to partner with teams that demonstrate strong market position, revenue traction, and durable growth potential. The firm seeks to combine capital with strategic guidance, enabling portfolio companies to accelerate product development, go-to-market execution, and international expansion where appropriate.

Bossa Invest is a venture capital firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, founded in 2011, that manages investment portfolios and provides asset management services to clients across sectors, with a focus on software as a service companies, and analyzes market trends to inform its investment decisions while operating in finance, technology, and real estate.

Citi Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Citigroup that leverages the bank’s resources to identify, incubate, and invest in innovative ideas at the intersection of finance and technology. Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, London, Palo Alto, Tel Aviv, and Singapore, Citi Ventures collaborates with Citi colleagues, clients, and the broader innovation community to discover new value and accelerate the development of transformative technologies. The firm focuses on fintech, data analytics and machine learning, the future of commerce, security and enterprise IT, marketing, property technology, distributed ledger technology, and digital assets, pursuing strategic investments that complement Citi’s business lines and risk management capabilities. Since its founding, Citi Ventures has sought to build partnerships and portfolios that support entrepreneurship and technological progress, helping individuals, businesses, and communities adapt to rapid digital change while expanding Citi’s ecosystem and capabilities.

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm based in Tokyo, with additional offices in Osaka and Nagoya, founded in 1974. It concentrates on seed to development stage and startup investments across healthcare, biotech, information technology, electronics, high technology, life sciences, fintech, ICT, SaaS, and AI sectors. The firm targets opportunities in Japan and with relevance to the Japanese market, and it participates in investment syndication for Japanese investments to support entrepreneurs and innovation within the domestic economy.

Legend Capital is a Beijing-based venture capital firm and subsidiary of Legend Holdings. Founded in 2001, it focuses on early-stage and growth investments in technology-driven sectors with operations anchored in China and related markets. The firm backs companies in IT, internet applications and services, outsourcing, IC design and key components, as well as sectors such as telecommunications, media, healthcare, consumer and intelligent manufacturing. It manages multiple funds and actively supports portfolio companies with business development, market positioning and access to Chinese markets to create value. Legend Capital aims to back high-growth ventures and build lasting value in China's venture capital ecosystem.

Qualcomm Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Qualcomm Incorporated, established in 2000. As a global investor, it targets early‑stage technology companies across the wireless ecosystem and related fields, including mobile, AI, IoT, cybersecurity, cloud, AR/VR, robotics, healthcare, and smart infrastructure. Qualcomm Ventures leverages Qualcomm’s resources, relationships, and technical expertise to help portfolio companies grow. The firm oversees a portfolio of more than 150 active companies and has supported numerous exits exceeding a billion dollars, reflecting its alignment with Qualcomm’s core products and strategic markets.

Founded in 1987, Canaan Partners is a global venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. With over $5 billion under management, the firm invests in early-stage technology and healthcare companies worldwide.

F-Prime Capital is a venture capital firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, affiliated with Fidelity Investments. It backs technology and life sciences entrepreneurs across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, drawing on Fidelity’s experience in funding early-stage companies. The firm focuses on sectors such as healthcare IT, medtech, therapeutics, fintech, frontier technologies, crypto, and broader information technology and technology-enabled services. With a global network of regional teams and affiliated funds, F-Prime provides domain expertise, strategic guidance, and industry connections to help founders build durable companies. It operates with a long-term, founder-centric approach, emphasizing value creation rather than external fundraising pressures.

Founded in 2014, Gaingels is a venture investment syndicate dedicated to supporting the LGBT+ community. It invests globally in companies led by LGBT+ founders or C-suite executives at all stages of growth, focusing on inclusivity and positive social change.

Threshold Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. It pursues a high-conviction, early-stage investment strategy and partners with entrepreneurs to build technology-driven companies in consumer, enterprise, and healthcare sectors. The firm provides venture and growth capital to technology companies and has historical ties to the broader Draper Fisher Jurvetson network. Threshold focuses on supporting early-stage ventures across software, consumer, and healthcare technologies, and seeks to back innovative teams aiming to reach market leadership.

Founded in 1965, Greylock Partners is a venture capital firm investing in consumer and enterprise software companies. It focuses on seed to growth-stage investments, with notable portfolio companies including Airbnb, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Palo Alto Networks.

SBI Investment is the corporate venture capital arm of SBI Holdings, based in Tokyo, Japan. It funds and supports the growth of private venture companies by managing venture capital funds and attracting capital from institutional partners. The firm backs a broad range of technology-driven sectors, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, fintech, information technology, cybersecurity, e-commerce, biotechnology, life sciences, healthcare, and environmental energy. Through regional operations such as SBI Investment Korea, it engages with startups in Korea and focuses on sectors including healthcare, consumer, ICT, entertainment, information services, and manufacturing. SBI Investment aims to create value by helping portfolio companies scale, form strategic partnerships, and pursue exits via initial public offerings or acquisitions, reinforcing its role in fostering innovation and core industries in the 21st century.

Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical leader engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of medicines. It operates facilities in the United States, Puerto Rico, and many other countries, with products sold in about 135 countries. The company focuses on therapies in neuroscience, cardiometabolic, cancer, and immunology, and also conducts research in animal health and animal agriculture. Lilly supports patient outcomes and education through a philanthropic foundation that funds programs in underserved communities, including STEM education in Indianapolis.

Shunwei Capital is a Beijing-based venture capital firm founded in 2011 that focuses on early to mid-stage investments in the local internet industry and related technology sectors. It emphasizes incubation and growth capital for startups across information technology, internet services, high technology, new media, games, internet finance, and rural internet, with cross-border interest in opportunities between China and India. The firm targets investments in mobile internet, IoT, smart hardware, and other internet-enabled platforms to support scalable digital economy ventures. Its investor base includes sovereign wealth funds, fund of funds, university endowments, and family offices, reflecting a diverse backing for its venture activities.

Polaris Partners is a venture capital firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, with offices in San Francisco. Founded in 1996, it targets investments in technology and life science companies across the United States and Europe, supporting startups from early formation to profitable growth. The firm's healthcare and biotechnology focus encompasses digital health, consumer-centric care delivery, patient-provider solutions, data science and analytics, as well as therapeutics, genomics and other life science platforms. It backs companies across business-to-business and business-to-consumer models, software as a service, healthcare information technology and health tech sectors, partnering with repeat entrepreneurs to build durable, scale-ready businesses.

Venrock is a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm founded in 1969 as the venture capital arm of the Rockefeller family. It concentrates on seed and early-stage investments in technology and healthcare, with interests spanning information technology, life sciences and related sectors in the United States. The firm has supported a broad portfolio of companies, including Apple, Intel, Illumina, DoubleClick, Athenahealth, Gilead Sciences, Nest, SlideShare and Tudou. Venrock emphasizes long-term partnerships with entrepreneurs, combining hands-on venture support with rigorous data analysis to help startups grow into enduring companies.

Headline is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded in 1998 (formerly e.ventures). It maintains a global footprint with activity in seven cities and invests across geographies, leading rounds at every stage. The firm operates Early Stage Funds aligned with regional focus in the US, Europe, Asia, and Brazil to invest locally, and a Growth Fund based in San Francisco that participates from Series B onward. It backs companies across consumer, media, retail, financial services, healthcare, information technology, software-as-a-service, mobile, cybersecurity, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, advertising technology, and digital health. Notable portfolio companies include Sonos, The RealReal, Creditas, Sorare, Pismo, AppFolio, goPuff, Acorns, Farfetch, Segment, Bumble, and Yeahka. Headline is a registered investment adviser.

Founded in 2000, Lux Capital is a venture capital firm based in New York and Silicon Valley. It manages over $5 billion in assets, focusing on seed to growth investments at the intersection of technology and sciences. Lux actively supports entrepreneurs building successful businesses in high-growth sectors such as biochemistry, material science, electronics, infrastructure, aerospace, genomics, synthetic biology, and robotics.

Established in 2005, SMBC Venture Capital is a Tokyo-based corporate venture capital arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. It invests primarily in early-stage companies operating within the information technology, life sciences, services, and manufacturing sectors.