Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have an overview I can share with my team?
Yes, here’s a link to a short presentation which covers our investment parameters, team, portfolio examples, popular resources and case studies.
What markets do you invest in?
Intelligent business software. We believe that the trends in cloud, AI, and data are combining to transform the entire enterprise stack and expanding the markets software can address. We call this new megatrend Cognitive Applications and if you’re a founder focused on these trends in markets like DataOps, DevOps, Digital Health, Fintech, Open Source, Productivity, Security and Vertical SaaS, we’d love to talk to you.
What stage(s) do you invest in?
Scale is an early-stage venture capital firm. We typically lead Series A or Series B rounds after you’ve signed your first customers and when you’re ready to move from founder-led growth to a repeatable, go-to-market machine. We also invest in later stage opportunities (Series C or beyond), focused on markets where we have strong conviction on the size of the opportunity. Across our funds we can support our companies through multiple rounds of financing all the way to an IPO.
What do you look for in a startup?
We look for founders who are developing technology to transform the way we work, collaborate, or live. Their companies are in the early stages of revenue with vocal customer champions and they’re looking for capital to rapidly scale and achieve category leadership.
How do you select investments?
Scale has a formal and repeatable process for identifying, evaluating and selecting specific markets and technology investments. We develop forward-looking opinions on the dynamics of emerging trends impacting enterprises and how people work. Then we search for the companies benefiting from—sometimes even defining—these trends.
How do you support your portfolio companies?
Scale plays an active role in its portfolio companies, including in most cases serving on the board.
A dedicated Operating Partner also serves as each company’s point of contact, leveraging our Scaling Platform that uses executive networks, go-to-market playbooks, private communities, and Scale Studio benchmarks to help you move from founder-led growth to a repeatable go-to-market machine.
What tools do you have to support founders?
Our Four Vital Signs of SaaS eBook is a comprehensive guide to the metrics that matter as startups accelerate the journey from founder-led sales to a repeatable sales motion. You can download the eBook here. You can also check out Scale Studio for tools and templates to help you understand your performance and make better decisions about your path forward.
How much capital have you invested?
Scale raised its $900 million Fund VIII in September 2022. Total assets under management stand at $2.8 billion.
In what geographies do you invest?
Scale invests in great software companies wherever they are located. Our portfolio includes companies based throughout the United States, in Europe, and Israel.
Can I pitch my company to your team?
Absolutely. We welcome unsolicited pitches that describe a must-have technology with initial revenue and the strategy for attaining category leadership. You can reach us broadly at hello@scalevp.com.