The company before the Aror Capital seeds has a new fund of $ 185 million and a new program to help the founders find ideas

Above Capital, a company that claims to be the largest specialized investor before seed is based on the idea that the first check In a new startup, it should be greater than what most accelerators and investors offered at an early stage. When it raised its third $ 150 million fund in 2022, the company wrote checks ranging from $ 1 million to $ 2 million, which General partners Anamitra Banergy and Guaust Jaen say the companies will grow faster.

The strategy of the company works. Today, his portfolio of 200 companies has a collective estimate of more than $ 13.5 billion, and in the last year, above, it has returned $ 47 million (1X first fund) to its limited partners. So Neo Financial., Lanternand HIGHTOCHwho closed a $ 80 million round of $ 1.2 billion this week.

Despite the early success of Apore, Banerji and Jain say that not all young start -ups need as much capital as the company offers. On Thursday, before, he revealed his fourth $ 185 million fund and a new strategy, which the company calls seeds 2.0 in advance. Partners describe the exquisite approach to investment in one word: flexibility.

“We can write a small check, we can write a bigger check, but the idea is that we want to help you take off the business off the ground,” Banerji said.

For the founders who already know what they want to build, the company will still consider investment up to $ 2 million. However, above also wants to rely on ambitious entrepreneurs who have not yet come up with a specific startup idea. These people may not need such funding, because in many cases they are yet to leave their jobs or are still students.

Prior to the launch of an eight -week founder (FIR) program for the founders, who are still in the stage of their idea. The company claims that FIR is very different from an accelerator like YC. Each cohort consists of only five to eight founders who are given the opportunity to explore start -up ideas. “The goal is to think. The goal is to build. The goal is not to raise funds, “Jain said.

Unlike YC, which offers standard conditions for any company, he has previously tried to customize any investment for its FIR founders, depending on the needs of the start.

“We are the polar opposite of an accelerator. Or we don’t try to accelerate anything. We are trying to come up with a product with our founders, “Banerji said, adding that the company wants to give the startup a chance to rotate or repeat without pressure.

From his fourth fund, he will invest in approximately 35 to 40 companies before the seeds and 50 to 75 founders passing through his FIR program.