Hi friend,
We just wrapped a six-week recruitment cycle for Onward FX. Our team is reviewing close to 1,000 startups (mostly pre-seed through Series A).
And there’s a pattern that’s hard to ignore.
Traction that would’ve turned heads at seed two years ago is now the baseline at pre-seed.
Product velocity is faster. Revenue metrics are sharper. The founders applying are more prepared, more resourceful, and more disciplined than any cohort I’ve seen.
That should be a purely good sign. But it also points to something structural:
If pre-seed now requires what seed used to require… what fills the space pre-seed was originally designed for?
The thesis-stage founder. The first conviction check. The moment before metrics exist.
What we found says a lot about where pre-seed is right now and why the Heartland can't wait for the national market to rebalance.
I wrote about the shift, the opportunity, and what it looks like when a community decides to build the connective infrastructure itself.
Read about it here →
This spring's Onward FX is gearing up to be our strongest cycle yet. Mark your calendar for April 21st and be in the room. More details on speakers, panels, and programming will be dropping in the coming weeks.
Thank you for being part of our community.
