San Francisco, CA — July 2025 — The Ventures, a Global Startup Awards and Venture Club, has shared insights into current investor priorities and behaviors shaping the early-stage funding landscape in 2025.
Drawing on participation from over 100 venture capital funds, angel investors, and corporate VCs involved in The Ventures Awards across major global tech hubs — including San Francisco, New York, London, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Chicago, Miami, and others — the team observed a strong focus on AI-driven startups, increased seed-stage activity, and rising interest in emerging markets.
In 2025, investors are actively prioritizing AI technologies — particularly in enterprise software, healthtech, and workflow automation. Nearly 60% of investors engaged through The Ventures indicated that they are seeking startups with robust technical foundations and clearly defined, domain-specific AI applications — rather than those leveraging AI as a general positioning tool.
“Chicago Ventures was a rare blend of innovative tech and scalable business models. The quality of the founder stories and the traction made it clear that this isn’t just another pitch event. Thank you so much for highlighting the innovation that’s happening here in the Midwest.”
— Billy Ndizeye, Program Manager, Innovation Labs at 1871
Check size trends highlight strong early-stage momentum:
— 45% of investors typically write checks ranging from $100,000 to $500,000
— 30% invest between $500,000 and $2 million
— 25% commit over $2 million
The investor landscape is notably diverse: 20% represent top-tier venture firms, 35% are mid-sized or sector-focused funds, 30% are angel investors and microfunds, and 15% are corporate VCs, including Meta, Google, IBM, and Chevron.
Nicole Fortes, CMO at Ecom Express, who served as a jury member at The Ventures Awards, noted:
“Today, investors demand more than cutting-edge technology — they seek startups with a clear and compelling go-to-market strategy. Effective marketing is no longer optional; it’s a critical driver of early-stage investment success.”
Investment geography is also evolving. Alongside traditional tech hubs, regions such as Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are seeing increased investor engagement and a growing share of deal volume.
About The Ventures
The Ventures is a global startup awards platform and venture club connecting emerging tech startups with capital, strategic partners, and visibility. Launched in Silicon Valley, The Ventures has hosted events across San Francisco, New York, London, Tokyo, and beyond — with support from over 100 investment firms and institutions including Google, Stanford, and Plug and Play.For more information about The Ventures Awards — or opportunities to get involved as a startup, investor, or ecosystem partner — visit www.the-ventures.com.
Written in partnership with Tom White
