Notable startups backed by Afore include Modern Health, BenchSci, Neo Financial, and Hightouch, the latter recently raising $80 million at a $1.2 billion valuation.

The pre-seed 2.0 strategy introduces a flexible investment approach, accommodating both seasoned entrepreneurs and those still formulating their startup ideas.

Afore's portfolio consists of 200 companies with a combined valuation exceeding $13.5 billion, and the firm has returned $47 million to its limited partners from its first fund.

In 2022, Afore successfully raised a $150 million fund, providing investments ranging from $1 million to $2 million, which significantly contributed to accelerating startup growth.

Afore Capital has launched its fourth fund, totaling $185 million, alongside a new initiative known as pre-seed 2.0 to bolster support for startup founders.

Afore's Founders-in-Residence (FIR) program features small cohorts of five to eight founders, emphasizing product development over traditional acceleration methods.

This eight-week FIR program is designed to assist aspiring entrepreneurs in exploring their startup concepts rather than focusing solely on fundraising.

From this latest fund, Afore aims to invest in about 35 to 40 pre-seed companies and support between 50 to 75 founders through the FIR program.

Since its founding in 2017, Afore Capital has established itself as the largest dedicated pre-seed investor, offering larger initial checks compared to conventional accelerators.