1st Course Capital

What is 1st Course Capital?

1st Course Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered at 541 Jefferson Ave., Suite 100, Redwood City, CA 94063, specializing in early-stage investments in the realms of AgroTech, Retail (including E-Commerce), Food & Beverage, Impact, and Online Social industries.

With a commitment to fostering sustainable growth and positive change within the food system, 1st Course Capital focuses on supporting entrepreneurs who are developing innovative solutions that benefit environmental, human, and social health.

Their investments span the entire food system, from agricultural inputs and processes to distribution, retail, and ultimately the consumer's health. Operating with the belief that a well-funded and intelligently guided startup can significantly transform how food is grown, produced, and distributed, they aim to aid companies who share their vision of a food system for the future we want.

The firm offers financial support ranging from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $5,000,000, with a sweet spot for investments around $1,500,000. 1st Course Capital's investment specialties include Seed, Early Stage, Series A, and Series B rounds in companies that propose innovative business models and technologies in their target industries. The content from their website reinforces their mission to invest in exceptional entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing our food systems and their constant endeavor to learn more about food system innovation and entrepreneurship.

What they say:

We are early stage investors in the food system, investing in entrepreneurs who are building innovations that will improve the human, environmental, and social health of the food system.

What we look for: We invest in business model and technology innovations across the food supply chain, from inputs and agriculture, through processing, distribution, retail, all the way to consumer health.

How we help: We provide a range of advice and counsel to our portfolio company entrepreneurs in go-to-market, marketing, sales, operations, finance, legal and talent. We also offer executive coaching as well as access to our deep network across the food supply chain.