Hustle Fund

Hustle Fund is a venture capital firm investing in pre-seed startups and supporting founders through capital, education, community, and investor-network access. It also runs Angel Squad for people who want to learn angel investing and join selected deals.

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Overview

Hustle Fund is a venture capital firm that invests in very early-stage startups, with a stated focus on pre-seed companies. The homepage describes the firm as investing in “hilariously early startups,” and the FAQ clarifies that its initial investments are at the pre-seed stage.

The firm says it looks for founders with hustle and backs software-oriented businesses rather than narrow vertical categories. Its public materials also emphasize more than capital: faster decisions, founder education, community events, and access to a larger network of investors and operators through Angel Squad and Hustle Commons.

Hustle Fund also runs Angel Squad, a membership community for people who want to learn angel investing and participate in selected deals alongside the firm. The site presents this as a way for members to learn, network, and invest with minimums that can start at $1,000 per deal.

What Hustle Fund offers

Fast investment decisions

The fund says it can make an investment decision within one to two meetings and wire within a week, which is designed to keep founder fundraising moving quickly.

Founder education and support

Hustle Fund says it adds value beyond capital through Redwood School, its sales and customer acquisition program, plus mentors and growth support for portfolio companies.

Network access

The firm says its network includes more than a thousand VCs and a broader group of angels and operators through Angel Squad, giving founders access to a larger investor and advisor ecosystem.

Angel investing community

Angel Squad members get investor education, live pitch sessions, and the ability to invest alongside Hustle Fund in selected early-stage startups.

Events and community programming

The company hosts online and in-person events under Hustle Commons, including founder and investor events in multiple cities.

Educational content

Hustle Fund publishes tactical newsletters for founders and investors, including The Founder Playbook and Small Bets.

Common ways people use Hustle Fund

Early fundraising for startups
Founders raising a first institutional round can approach Hustle Fund for a pre-seed investment and, if it is a fit, expect a relatively quick response and wire timeline.
Pre-seed software companies
Teams building software products in categories such as B2B, fintech, digital health, or SaaS can use the fund’s generalist approach instead of trying to fit a narrow thesis.
Learning to angel invest
People who want to learn angel investing can join Angel Squad to study the process, attend pitch sessions, and invest alongside the Hustle Fund team.
Networking through events
Operators and investors looking for a community can use Hustle Commons events and meetups to connect with founders, angels, and other members in specific cities.
Ongoing education and updates
Founders and investors who want tactical content can follow the newsletters for practical fundraising, acquisition, and investing material.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Decision-making can be fast, with responses often within 24 to 48 hours after a founder call and wires within a week.
The fund provides support beyond capital through education, mentors, and Redwood School.
Founders can tap into a broad network of VCs, angels, and operators.
Angel Squad creates a separate path for people who want to learn angel investing and access selected deals.
The site emphasizes events and newsletters that keep the community active between investments.

Cons

The FAQ says Hustle Fund is not an accelerator and does not coach outside of the fund.
The firm says it does not invest in several categories, including deep tech, most hardware, and most brick-and-mortar businesses.

FAQ

What stage and company profile does Hustle Fund look for?

Hustle Fund invests primarily in pre-seed startups. The FAQ says the fund is not an accelerator and that its sweet spot is companies that have built at least a minimum viable product (MVP).

Where does Hustle Fund invest?

The FAQ says Hustle Fund invests mostly in the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia, with some selective investments in Africa and Latin America.

What kinds of companies does Hustle Fund back?

Hustle Fund says it is a software generalist fund and does not favor particular verticals. Its portfolio is described as heavily weighted toward B2B, fintech, digital health, and SaaS.

How quickly does Hustle Fund decide, and what is the check size?

On the FAQ page, Hustle Fund says it typically replies within 24 to 48 hours after a founder call and that its first check is $150K.

What does Hustle Fund not invest in?

Hustle Fund says it does not invest in deep tech, most hardware, pharmaceutical or medical device companies, art or film projects, land, restaurants, physical retail, or traditional brick-and-mortar small businesses.

Quick Facts

Category: Venture Capital / Angel Investing
Primary users: Pre-seed founders and aspiring angel investors
Main product: Early-stage venture investing, founder support, and Angel Squad membership
Website: hustlefund.vc
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Geography: Mostly the United States, Canada, and Southeast Asia