Family offices: patient money with one decision-maker.
A family office manages one family's wealth, and some invest straight into startups. Here is how they decide, what they ask for and how to reach one.
At a glance
Stages
Seed to growth
Pre-seed · Seed · A · B+ · Growth
Decision time
Weeks to months
Slower than angels, faster than a committee
Who decides
One principal
A small team advises; one person signs
Leads rounds?
Rarely at seed
Usually follows a lead they trust
What a family office is
A private company that manages the money of one wealthy family, or several. Most of it goes into public markets, property and funds. A growing share goes directly into startups.
Because the money is their own, there is no fund clock forcing an exit and no outside investors to answer to. That makes them patient.
It also means there is no public mandate to read. Each office invests where the family's interests, history and advisers point it.
Single-family office
One family. The principal or a chief investment officer decides. Fast once interested.
Multi-family office
Several families pooled. A small committee and a mandate they must stick to.
How they decide
Fit with the family
They invest where the family made its money, or in causes it cares about.
A trusted co-investor
Most follow a lead they know. Have your lead in view first.
Principal meeting
One conversation decides it. Expect questions on people and downside.
Personal diligence
Fewer data-room requests than a VC. More reference calls about you.
What they look for
A founder to trust for ten years
They back people before plans.
Capital efficiency
A path that doesn't need endless rounds.
A credible lead
Co-investors already committed.
A link to the family
Their industry, region or values.
Downside they understand
Pro-rata and information rights.
How to reach one
Most don't take cold pitches. Go through someone the family already trusts.
The principal
Writing cold? Five lines, the link to the family, and the name of your lead.
- Their lawyer or adviser
- A portfolio founder
- A co-investor in your round
- A banker who serves them
Is your deck ready for a family office?
We read it the way a principal would: the team slide, the downside, the use of funds. You get a score and the three slides to fix first.
Questions founders ask
Do family offices invest in pre-seed?
Some do, usually through angel-style checks from a family member rather than the office itself. Most come in at seed or later, alongside a lead.
Will a family office take a board seat?
Rarely at seed. Observer seats and information rights are more common.
Can I find family offices here?
Not on public pages. Investor matching is coming to your free account, where it can use your stage, sector and city.
Sources
Sources: regulator definitions of family offices; investors' published criteria; industry reports. Editorial content, reviewed quarterly. Not financial advice.
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