Seed-stage VC, US
Haystack
Venture capital firm · San Francisco · Founded 2013
Quick read
Haystack is a seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, US. It focuses on backing founders at the earliest stages, before product-market fit is established. The firm is run by Semil Shah and has backed a number of notable consumer and enterprise companies.
Key facts
- Founded
- 2013
- Founders
- Semil Shah
- Employees
- 1-10
- Sectors
- generalist
- Website
- haystack.vc
Investment thesis
Haystack backs seed-stage founders across generalist categories, writing first checks before conventional traction milestones and maintaining close relationships with founders over multiple fund cycles. (inferred)
Recent activity
- Jul 2026investmentDagster, a Haystack portfolio company, was acquired by Prefect. Deal size undisclosed. tracxn.com
- Jul 2026investmentHaystack has made 11 investments in 2026 to date, with 10 new investments recorded over the prior 12 months. Total portfolio tracked at 257 companies, including 17 unicorns, 6 IPOs, and 32 acquisitions. tracxn.com
- Apr 2026investmentHaystack co-invested in Soma Energy's $7M Pre-Seed and Seed round alongside TO VC, Panache Ventures, Uncork Capital, and others. tracxn.com
- 2026investmentHaystack backed a Series C round of $25M for a New York-based company and a Series Unknown round (undisclosed amount) for a Phoenix-based company, among other recent deals. vcbacked.co
- 2025investmentHaystack participated in a $14M Series A for a Toronto-based startup and a $7M Seed round for a San Francisco-based startup, reflecting continued cross-border deal activity. vcbacked.co
- Apr 2026investmentHaystack participated in a $7M Pre-Seed and Seed round for Soma Energy, alongside TO VC, Panache Ventures, Uncork Capital, and four other investors. tracxn.com
- Jun 2026investmentHaystack has made 9 investments so far in 2026, putting it on pace to exceed its 2025 total of 10 investments for the full year. tracxn.com
- Jun 2026investmentHaystack's total portfolio reached 257 companies, with 11 new investments recorded over the prior 12 months. tracxn.com
Notable investments
- Integral Privacy TechnologiesSeed2026vcbacked.co
- Soma EnergySeedApr 2026tracxn.com
- Elsa FertilitySeries Unknown2026vcbacked.co
- RedpandaSeries C2026vcbacked.co
- Layup PartsSeed2025vcbacked.co
- HedgehogSeed2025vcbacked.co
- HausSeries A2025vcbacked.co
- DagsterAcquired by PrefectJul 2026tracxn.com
Sources
Other VCs in United States
- Sequoia Capital · Generalist VC, Menlo Park·
- Andreessen Horowitz · Generalist VC, Menlo Park·
- Benchmark Capital · Early-stage VC, San Francisco·
- Founders Fund · Contrarian VC, San Francisco·
- Khosla Ventures · Multi-stage VC, Menlo Park·
- Greylock Partners · Early-stage VC, Menlo Park
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Frequently asked
What is Haystack?+
Haystack is a seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, US. It focuses on backing founders at the earliest stages, before product-market fit is established.
Where is Haystack headquartered?+
Haystack is headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
When was Haystack founded?+
Haystack was founded in 2013 by Semil Shah.
What sectors does Haystack invest in?+
Haystack focuses on generalist. They primarily invest in these sectors.
How do I prepare for a meeting with Haystack?+
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Try Brief →Generated by briefthecall.com from public web sources. Last updated August 22, 2026. Each claim is linked to its source above.
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