Fintech is a sector that is growing throughout the world and new ideas are being introduced in the market every week. Similarly, California is also seeing a huge surge in fintech businesses and the support by the VC firms is also increasing along.

However, in the huge business environment of California, choosing an investor who matches your mindset isn’t that easy. That is why we have prepared the following list of the top fintech investors in California along with some additional tips on how to pitch to them.

Top 8 VC Firms in California That Focus on Funding Fintech Startups

Following is the list of some of the top-ranked fintech investors in California, arranged according to their active involvement. 

Andreessen Horowitz

Website: Andreessen Horowitz 

Founded: 2009

Preferred Industries: AI, Consumer, Crypto, Tech, Fintech, Games, Infrastructure, and Biotech 

Total Investments: 685

Notable Investments: Github and Skype

Founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz (aka a16z) is a prominent venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley. The firm invests across various stages of technology companies, from seed to venture to growth-stage. Their fund has around $42 Billion of assets under management and is named among the biggest asset management firms in the world.

a16z has built a robust network of experts, including technical talent, executives, industry leaders, and influencers. They provide portfolio companies with expert guidance and support throughout their growth journey.

The investment range of a16z can range up to $10M, depending upon the ROI and related sector of the business. 

First Round Capital

Website: First Round Capital

Founded: 2004

Preferred Industries: Fintech, Hardware, and Healthcare

Total Investments: 250+

Notable Investments: Edify and Ascend

First Round Capital is another notable venture capital firm that invests in California-based fintech startups. The VC firm usually funds startups in the seed, early, and later stages.

However, most of the portfolio companies of First Round Capital are early-stage startups. The network likes to back startups at the earliest stages, often when the business consists of some dedicated people with an idea. The firm focuses on helping founders start their companies and build them into successful ventures.

In 2024, First Round Capital announced its funding campaigns/pitching competitions, where the investors will search for startups related to enterprise, fintech, healthcare, consumer, hardware, artificial intelligence, and web3. The average check size can be in the range of $100,000 to $500,000.

Bain Capital Ventures

Website: Bain Capital Ventures 

Founded: 1984

Preferred Industries: Fintech, commerce, apps, and infrastructure

Total Investments: 200

Notable Investments: Clari and Flywire

Bain Capital Ventures is a venture fund with over $10 billion in assets under management. It is also a part of Bain Capital, one of the world’s leading private multi-asset alternative investment firms. The network has been operating for around 4 decades and invests in multiple sectors of tech-related businesses.

Moreover, BCV offers a hands-on partnership, using its experience as an operator to help portfolio companies build and scale internationally. The team of investors has a strict criterion of only investing in startups that can generate at least 3x ROI within 24 months of the funding. The investor team also looks to invest in businesses that are dealing in zero competition areas and have high chances of growth.

Bain Capital Ventures also has its separate mentorship panel and they are quite active when arranging startup incubators and public workshops. The average check size from Bain Capital Ventures is around $900,000.

Menlo Ventures

Website: Menlo Ventures (menlovc.com)

Founded: 

Preferred Industries: AI, healthcare, consumer, and Fintech

Total Investments: 155

Notable Investments: Netlify and Airbase

Menlo Ventures is a VC firm that has been operating for 2 decades. The network is headquartered in San Francisco with another office in Menlo Park. Known for having an experienced investor panel, Menlo Ventures often invests in early and seed-staged startups.

The investor team focuses on businesses that are producing solutions and dealing in the B2B/B2C sector. The "Questioning Phase" is known to be rigorous compared with other VC firms as Menlo Ventures has a huge list of requirements that startups must fulfill in order to get funded. They usually question the startup leaders about the ROI, market competition, and future growth of the startup according to its present condition.

The investment range of Menlo Ventures can range up to $10M.

Index Ventures

Website: Index Ventures 

Founded: 1996

Preferred Industries: AI, fintech, healthcare, retail, security

Total Investments: 350

Notable Investments: Figma and Notion

Index Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in technology-enabled companies across various sectors, including e-commerce, fintech, mobility, healthcare, and IT. Since its inception in 1996, the VC has had 244 exits and is known for having some of the most experienced mentorship panels in the state.

When investing in startups, Index Ventures focuses on businesses that are committed to overcoming obstacles and presenting something unique. They want to invest in startups with a long-term vision and maximum ROI. Currently, Index Ventures is only investing in startups that can at least promise a 3-5x ROI. 

Each year, Index Ventures arranges 5-10 pitching competitions and selects several startups to boost the entrepreneurial landscape of California. Their investment range is around $6M.

Kleiner Perkins

Website: Kleiner Perkins |

Founded: 1972

Preferred Industries: Consumer services, financial services, healthcare, IT, SaaS, manufacturing, life sciences

Total Investments: 1,500

Notable Investments: Amazon and Alphabet

Kleiner Perkins is a global venture capital firm that has offices in Canada, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and China. The network has been operating for more than 5 decades and is one of the most experienced fintech investors in California.

Moreover, Kleiner Perkins has raised around $9 billion across 19 venture capital funds and four growth funds. They specialize in investing in incubation, early-stage, and growth companies. Like most other VC firms, KP is also very strict during the selection of a startup yet it has had over 800 exits, many of which are unicorns.

Aside from investment activities, KP organizes and manages startup accelerators, startup incubators, seminars, and public classes.

The investment range of Kleiner Parkins is around $20M.

Allegis Capital 

Website: Home (allegiscapital.com)

Founded: 1995

Preferred Industries: Tech

Total Investments: 17

Notable Investments: Synack and Astra

Allegis Capital is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with a focus on technology and cybersecurity. The firm invests in startups that are in the seed stages or early stages of a business.

Allegis Capital usually funds at the seed stages and likes to make big fundings, which is why they do not make loads of annual investments like other firms. Allegis Capital is more inclined towards learning the specific business they are about to invest in and later on, help the business go international. Allegis Capital is also investing a lot into the startup landscape of California through its online and offline startup events. 

The investment range of Allegis Capital depends on the business as they haven't mentioned it on the official website.

August Capital 

Website: August Capital

Founded: 1995

Preferred Industries: IT

Total Investments: 37

Notable Investments: Dock  Health and Kin

Having around 200 exits and managing a portfolio of around $2 Billion, August Capital is also a respected name among the VC community of California. Ever since its inception in 1995, the network has funded millions of dollars into fintech-related startups and they focus on technical innovation and entrepreneurial excellence. 

Similarly, August Capital usually invests in companies that are gaining a lot of attention because of their products/ or have chances of securing a massive ROI. The investors also focus on businesses that are profitable for the VC firm and can generate at least 2-4x ROI within the first year.

August Capital will also be hosting multiple seminars this year as they have mentioned on their website. These seminars can be a great way for fresh startup leaders to meet some similar, like-minded people. 

Is California's Fintech Industry Growing?

Yes! The Fintech Industry in California is constantly growing and generating huge revenue.  In 2023, California-based fintech startups attracted over $15 billion in venture capital funding, a 20% increase from the previous year. The state is home to over 1,200 fintech companies, employing more than 50,000 people. 

With no surprise, Silicon Valley is a global fintech hub, with names like Stripe, Robinhood, and Square leading the sector.

Wrap-Up

As we have completed the list of the top Fintech investors in California, let us have a final discussion with some beneficial tips. 

Generally, startups face a lot of problems when pitching to angel investors, especially if it's their first time doing so. However, one way to overcome this is by researching the specific investor and presenting the most profitable aspects of your business. Because at the end of the day, angel investors are also looking for a startup that has a strong product/service that can be scaled internationally and generate massive ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions