VC Firm Scouts Technical Founders

Entrepreneurs First (EF) was founded in 2011 by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck, two former McKinsey & Company consultants. They pioneered the "talent investing" model, which focuses on backing individuals before they have a co-founder or even a concrete business idea. The firm's portfolio of over 600 companies is collectively valued at more than $13 billion as of 2025. The firm's backers include a roster of high-profile tech founders such as Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Patrick and John Collison (Stripe), and Demis Hassabis (DeepMind). In July 2022, EF raised a $158 million Series C round with participation from these and other notable figures in the tech industry. This funding fuels their global expansion and investment in new cohorts of founders. EF's 12-week "FORM" program is designed to facilitate co-founder matching and idea development. Participants receive a stipend to cover living costs during this period, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the process of finding a partner and validating an initial concept. The program emphasizes pairing individuals with complementary "Edges," or unique advantages in their respective fields. Upon completion of the initial phase, teams pitch to an Investment Committee for pre-seed funding. Successful companies can receive up to $250,000, which includes an optional investment from Transpose Platform for teams that incorporate in Delaware and relocate to San Francisco. Following this, startups participate in "LAUNCH" to further develop their businesses and prepare for a Demo Day in front of top venture capitalists. One of EF's most notable early successes is Magic Pony Technology, a machine learning startup acquired by Twitter in 2016 for a reported $150 million just 18 months after its founders met through the program. Other significant companies from their portfolio include the insurtech unicorn Tractable and the AI-powered financial management app Cleo. Initially launched in London, Entrepreneurs First has expanded its operations globally, with offices in cities like Paris, Bangalore, New York, and San Francisco. In a strategic shift, all startups from its international hubs are now required to relocate to San Francisco and incorporate in the U.S. to better connect with the Silicon Valley ecosystem.