We started writing small, no-strings checks at the idea stage because the best founders we met were stuck one step before the step a normal VC funds. They had conviction and no runway to prove it.
So we built a grant program: $5K to $75K, no dilution, no token, no board seat. Just enough to turn a strong idea into something real enough to evaluate honestly.
What a year of grant-stage bets taught us
- Cheap conviction is expensive later. The teams worth backing reveal themselves fast when given a little room.
- No dilution changes behavior. Founders build for the product, not the next raise.
- Grants are the best deal flow. Our strongest investments started as a grant we later doubled down on.
We've now put over $3.1M into 60+ teams this way. Most won't become a flagship. A few already have. The asymmetry is the entire point.
If you have an idea and no product yet, that's not a reason to wait until you look fundable. For us, that's often exactly the right time to talk.