Investing with conviction in visionary, technical founders inventing a better future.
First Star is a pre-seed fund that backs visionary research-driven founders. We have the network, expertise, and complementary skills to be the absolute best partner from zero to series A and beyond.
Thesis
As computing evolves, it keeps eating more of the world. Robots gain spatial intelligence and take on complex real-world tasks. Genomics, CRISPR, and GenAI merge software with biology. AI brings not just automation, but creative reasoning. We back the engineers and researchers surfing these new computing waves as they transform massive industries from the ground up.
Our Companies
First Star has been fortunate to partner with amazing founders in energy, biotechnology, cybersecurity, robotics, and more.
PlusOne
Robotics
“First Star was one of the first to recognize the value of what Plus One is building. They were incisive in their diligence and showed a true depth of understanding… Millie proved super helpful in our A-raise, as she helped us run our process and made key introductions for us. It was one of First Star’s intros that completed our round. When we hit a rough spot, Millie was right there to hear me out. Her counsel – and her sympathetic ear – were invaluable to me.”
Oort
“First Star made a quick decision to lead our pre-seed, back when it was just me and a slide deck and have been great partners since, never wavering in their support and conviction in Oort’s vision. Drew’s been a valuable resource for fundraising, team building, and operations. I’d strongly recommend him to any founder.”
Swiftly
“As we’ve gone through our funding journey at Swiftly, we’ve had many options. Teddy and the First Star team stood out with their focus on fundamentals mixed with an eye toward the biggest opportunities. Our business continues to grow at a rapid pace, supported by their critical ear and feedback on big decisions, and even their help hiring key roles such as our CFO. We are proudto have them as a partner.”
