CRV

CRV, formerly Charles River Ventures, stands as one of the most enduring and respected venture capital firms in the United States, having been founded in 1970. With a rich history spanning over five decades, the firm has consistently focused on identifying and nurturing groundbreaking technology companies from their earliest stages. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with an additional presence in Boston, CRV has established itself as a prominent early-stage investor, primarily targeting Seed, Series A, and Series B rounds across the enterprise, consumer, and deep tech sectors.

The firm's investment philosophy centers on building deep, long-term partnerships with founders, often taking a lead role in funding rounds. CRV is known for its high-conviction approach, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to help portfolio companies scale rapidly. Their expertise spans a wide array of technological innovations, from SaaS and cybersecurity to fintech, developer tools, and consumer platforms. This broad yet focused strategy has enabled them to back numerous category-defining companies that have gone on to achieve significant market impact.

CRV continues to be an active and well-capitalized investor in the venture ecosystem. In March 2024, the firm announced the closing of CRV XVIII, a new fund totaling $700 million dedicated to early-stage technology investments. This latest fund underscores their ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of innovators. Typically, CRV's initial check sizes range from $1 million for promising Seed-stage ventures to upwards of $20 million for leading Series A or B rounds, reflecting their flexibility and capacity to support companies through critical growth phases. Their impressive portfolio includes notable successes such as DoorDash, Zendesk, Snowflake, Airtable, and Datadog, among many others, showcasing their consistent ability to identify and back future market leaders.