Skip to main content

Entrepreneurs

We connect high potential companies to strategic private capital.

Why work with Varia?

New capital pathway outside traditional industry or bootstrapping 

Access to strategic support to build your company

Investments by partner VC funds in your industry enhance the credibility of your business and team

Potential opportunity to compete in business plan (i.e. Shark Tank) competitions, with separate cash awards

APPLY FOR FUNDING TODAY!

Each of our venture funds has its own investment criteria. Learn more about each fund here and apply for funding by clicking the fund links below:

Not yet ready for funding? Email info@varia.com to learn more about how our network and experience can set you up for success.

Varia Fund 1SINC Opportunity Fund 1 (SAGES)GI Opportunity Fund 1 (AGA)

How Can We Help?

Strategy

Legal

Team-Building

Strategic Partners & Business Development

Branding & Marketing

Technology & Product Development

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your investment process?

  1. Written application: You will need to fill out a written questionnaire, submit a pitch deck, and upload supporting documents. This process takes about 10 minutes. We’ll look at the materials and determine whether your business fits our basic investment criteria and ensure that it’s not directly competitive with any of our existing investments.
  2. Pitch Presentation: If you’ve made it past our initial screen, we’ll schedule a call with members of our team. This is an opportunity for you to share the specifics of your business.
  3. Follow-up: We may ask for additional information or schedule follow-up calls. This ensures that all questions are addressed and gives us the ability to probe more deeply.
  4. Due Diligence: If you proceed to due diligence, we will ask you to submit additional documents and ask to speak with certain key stakeholders to help us complete our more thorough due diligence.
  5. Investment: If you proceed, we will seek to reach acceptable investment terms and conditions with you unless you have a key strategic or lead investor that has already done so.  

How much do you usually invest in a company?

Typically, our investments range from $250,000 to $500,000, and we strive to support our portfolio companies with follow-on investments.

What size rounds do you participate in?

We generally invest in Seed, Series A and Series B companies.  We typically follow a key strategic or lead investor.

On what terms do you invest?

  • If we are participating in a current investment round with a qualified strategic or lead investor, we typically sign the paperwork you already have in place, sometimes with a management or information rights side letter.
  • If you do not have a key lead, we will seek to negotiate an agreeable valuation with you.  We typically invest through convertible notes with management or information rights side letters, or Series Seed Preferred or NVCA documents (see www.nvca.org).

Do you sign confidentiality agreements?

No, as it slows down the investment process and we see many applicants every year in the same or similar industries. We do not complete diligence or invest in companies that are directly competitive with our existing portfolio.  

How does your single investment vehicle work?

  1. All investments are through a special purpose vehicle (an LLC) that is specifically formed to aggregate investments from investors into your company, a common structure in early-stage investing. This keeps your ownership table clean and reduces your investor relations burden.
  2. We must be able to share your approved pitch deck and certain additional information about your business with potential investors.
  3. There must be sufficient investment interest from investors to close the financing—and all investors in your financing must be “accredited investors.”

Do I need to be part of a partner organization?

No, but it does help if you have a connection to one of our partners or a member of our investment team.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please email info@varia.com and a member of our team will reach out to you to discuss.

How can I apply for funding for my company?

Email info@varia.com for more information on how to apply today!

Varia Ventures Headquarters
50 Fountain Plaza
Suite 1436
Buffalo, NY 14202
info@varia.com

Follow Us On

This is not an offering and is for information purposes only. Nothing herein is a recommendation that you purchase, sell or hold any security, or that you pursue any investment style or strategy. Nothing herein is intended to be, and you should not consider anything herein to be, investment, accounting, tax, or legal advice. The past performance of any investment, investment strategy, or investment style is not indicative of future performance. You are responsible for making your own assessment. 

© 2022, Varia Ventures. All rights reserved