1) Software and Technology-focused

Our investment focus at Eight ventures is on software and technology-driven startups that have the potential for venture-scale growth. This is because software and technology-based businesses have a low capital requirement and are highly scalable, allowing for rapid experimentation, validation, and expansion. We don’t limit ourselves to any specific industry and our investment scope extends globally.

2) Great Team with Strong Domain Expertise

Our investment strategy at Eight ventures centers around identifying startups with exceptional founding teams that possess a deep understanding of their industry. A strong team demonstrates a passion and unwavering focus on achieving their vision and bringing their product to fruition.
Furthermore, we look for teams with a combination of technical expertise, relevant experience, and complementary skill sets that can help the startup achieve initial scale and establish a good fit with their target market.
In addition to this, founders should have a well-defined plan for filling strategic positions in their company after the capital raise to prevent any talent gaps. They should also possess the self-awareness to recognize when their abilities may no longer meet the demands of the business as it grows.
Our goal is to invest in founders who are credible, resilient, driven, and possess a strong desire to build a team of talented individuals around them.

3) Post-Revenue with Signs of Early Traction

At Eight ventures, we seek to invest in startups that have achieved post-revenue status, meaning they have developed at least a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and are generating sales from external customers (i.e. not friends or family).
Our typical investment occurs once a startup has achieved $3k-$5k Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and can demonstrate consistent revenue growth over a period of 3-6 months. This revenue growth should be accompanied by feedback and reviews from early customers.
The early traction that comes from such revenue growth provides evidence of product-market fit, meaning the startup has successfully solved a legitimate pain point for a large enough consumer segment or target market.
Note: If your startup is pre-revenue, we still encourage you to complete our application form and make yourself known to us.

4) Early-Stage (Seed to Series A)

Our investment focus at Eight ventures is on early-stage startups, ranging from Pre-Seed to Series A funding rounds. By investing at this stage, we aim to acquire a significant ownership stake at a reasonable valuation, thereby reducing the impact of future dilution on our stake and creating long-term value for all stakeholders.
In addition, we only invest in startups where the founder has granted us pro-rata rights, meaning we have the option to invest in future funding rounds to maintain our equity percentage. This enables us to support the startup over the long term and maximize our potential returns.

5) Capital Efficient with a Path to Profitability

At Eight ventures, we prioritize investing in startups whose founders have a clear understanding of the importance of capital efficiency. We look for startups that have a minimum runway of 16 months following the capital raise and are focused on optimizing their growth engine flywheel to achieve attractive Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) metrics.
Additional funding should improve the startup’s CAC to Lifetime Value (LTV) ratio, leading to sustained profitability and a competitive edge. As venture investors, we believe that focusing on capital efficiency and improving unit economics is crucial for the long-term profitability and sustainability of a business. This approach also increases the startup’s appeal for future funding or acquisition.

6) Meaningful and Sustainable Differentiation

At Eight ventures, we invest in startups that have a unique and meaningful differentiation in the marketplace, leading to the creation of a larger market opportunity rather than simply competing for a larger share of an existing market. We avoid investing in « me too » products or services.
While not always necessary, we prefer startups with some form of intellectual property or technological advantage that provides a competitive edge and enables meaningful and sustainable differentiation.