CRV (Charles River Ventures)

CRV is a small, focused early-stage venture firm that has led seed and Series A rounds since 1970, backing founders who see something real before the rest of the world catches up. The firm looks for founders with depth, conviction, and an insight that 'feels almost unfair' — people who know something the rest of the world doesn't yet — and partners with them through the critical stretch where early traction turns into an enduring company. CRV's thematic focus spans consumer, developer tools, AI/ML, cybersecurity, fintech, and enterprise software, with a 'Power to the Person' philosophy that prizes products making people's lives meaningfully better. The firm is deliberately small and disciplined about fund size — it returned $275M from its $500M Select fund in 2024 rather than deploy capital at unattractive late-stage valuations — and its latest vehicle, CRV XX ($750M), is dedicated exclusively to leading seed and Series A rounds in high-caliber startups.