Sequoia Capital

Investment thesis

Sequoia backs founders at the earliest stages — sometimes when a company is, in their words, no more than an idea. They point to Apple pre-revenue, Nvidia with only a founding team, and Wiz before there was a clear idea. They also run Arc, a twice-yearly open call for pre-seed and seed founders.

What this means in practice: Stage is not the barrier here. Access is. Arc is one of the few structured routes in that does not require a warm introduction.

Key facts

• Stage: Pre-seed to IPO and beyond
• Geography: Global
• Open route in: Arc — bi-annual open call
• Access: Very difficult without a warm intro

Profile checked

Thesis and details verified against the firm's public materials and recorded in the Pitchtree investor database.

• Official website: sequoiacap.com
• Full profile, including current activity and contact routes: available in the Pitchtree investor database (login required)

Investor details change. Always verify against the fund's own site before you pitch.

Questions and answers

What stage does Sequoia invest at?

From pre-seed and seed through to IPO. They have repeatedly backed companies before revenue or before the product existed.

Can I approach Sequoia without an introduction?

Cold outreach is rarely effective given their inbound volume. Their Arc programme is the exception — an open call held twice a year for pre-seed and seed founders.

What sectors do they focus on?

They do not publish a narrow sector filter. Their public thesis is about the founder and the ambition of the idea rather than the category.

Who should not pitch Sequoia?

Founders looking for a small first cheque with no path to a very large outcome. Their model depends on outlier returns.