20:41:30

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

STARTUP TOOLKIT

WE BACK THE KIND OF FOUNDER PEOPLE QUIT THEIR JOB TO WORK FOR

FOUR SIGNALS

WE TAKE SERIOUSLY.

The strongest founders make a new future feel both surprising and inevitable.

01

UNUSUAL INSIGHT

You see something important that others have missed—and you can explain why it matters.

02

A REASON TO WIN

Your experience and perspective make you uniquely equipped to build this company.

03

CATEGORY AMBITION

You can see beyond the first market and want to define a category, not simply enter one.

04

THE RIGHT MOMENT

New technology, behavior, or infrastructure makes this company possible now.

THE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS, ANSWERED.

Start here to see whether Ascend is the right first investor for your company.

01

What do you look for?

01

What do you look for?

01

What do you look for?

02

What kinds of companies do you invest in?

02

What kinds of companies do you invest in?

02

What kinds of companies do you invest in?

03

At what stage do you invest?

03

At what stage do you invest?

03

At what stage do you invest?

04

How much do you invest?

04

How much do you invest?

04

How much do you invest?

05

Do I need to be based in Seattle?

05

Do I need to be based in Seattle?

05

Do I need to be based in Seattle?

06

What happens after you invest?

06

What happens after you invest?

06

What happens after you invest?

OUR COMPANIES HAVE RAISED $3B+

IN VENTURE FUNDING.

MEET FOUNDERS,

OPERATORS, AND INVESTORS

Join Ascend and Seattle’s startup community at Founders Bash.

ASCEND COMMUNITY

FOUNDERS BASH 2024

SEATTLE · FOUNDERS · OPERATORS · INVESTORS

SEATTLE · FOUNDERS ·

OPERATORS · INVESTORS

SELL US ON YOUR CRAZY IDEA.

Tell us why your company needs to exist now—and why you are the one to build it.

FIRST-CHECK VENTURE CAPITAL FOR TECHNOLOGY FOUNDERS.

Ideas on founders, technology,
and what comes next.

© 2026 ASCEND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

FIRST-CHECK VENTURE CAPITAL FOR TECHNOLOGY FOUNDERS.

Ideas on founders, technology,
and what comes next.

© 2026 ASCEND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

FIRST-CHECK VENTURE CAPITAL FOR TECHNOLOGY FOUNDERS.

Ideas on founders, technology,
and what comes next.

© 2026 ASCEND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.