Foreword Fund

Foreword Fund Research Overview Foreword Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm led by solo GP Declan Kelly (known as "Dec"). The fund backs daring founders in their "first chapters" — typically at pre-seed or seed stage, often as the first check in. The fund's name reflects its mission: to write the foreword to a founder's story, supporting them at the very beginning of their journey. Declan Kelly is an early Web Summit employee who built his network through years of working with founders at one of Europe's largest technology conferences. Based in San Francisco, he has cultivated a community of over 200 founders and operators who have built world-class technology companies. This community forms the backbone of Foreword's value-add model, providing portfolio companies with access to deep operational expertise and networks across multiple sectors and geographies. Kelly's LinkedIn bio succinctly captures his approach: "Solo GP. First check. Europe & US." He has 6K+ followers and is educated at Dublin City University. Investment Thesis Foreword works with daring founders at their earliest stages, often first-check or first-round. The fund seeks out exceptionally focused teams with large ambitions, partnering with approximately 10 companies annually. The fund's philosophy centers on being more than just capital. As a solo GP operation, Foreword can move quickly and make decisions without bureaucratic delays. The 200+ founder/operator community provides portfolio companies with mentorship, customer introductions, hiring help, and strategic guidance. The fund particularly loves helping founders shape their rounds — being the first check in and helping to bring together the right syndicate of investors for each company's specific needs. Fund Details Fund Size : €6M (micro-fund) Check Size : $100K - $250K Stage : Pre-seed, Seed Investment Pace : ~10 companies annually Founded : 2021 Location : San Francisco, CA (invests globally) Contact : [email protected] , [email protected] Twitter/X : @deckelly, @forewordvc Portfolio Foreword has invested in 43+ companies across diverse sectors including AI/ML, fintech, developer tools, enterprise software, and consumer applications. The portfolio spans both Europe and the United States. Notable Portfolio Companies: AI & Automation: Fyxer (fyxer.com) — AI-powered email and productivity tool Gradient Labs (gradient-labs.ai) — AI research and infrastructure Peec AI (peec.ai) — AI-powered analytics Bottlecap AI (bottlecapai.com) — AI automation platform Plato App (platoapp.ai) — AI-powered coaching/mentoring Kernel AI (kernel.ai) — AI infrastructure Turba (turba.ai) — AI-powered platform Alchemi (alchemi.bio) — AI for biology/biotech Developer Tools & Infrastructure: Aikido (aikido.dev) — Security platform for developers Speckle (speckle.systems) — Data platform for AEC industry GitButler (gitbutler.com) — Git client and version control Anytype (anytype.io) — Decentralized knowledge management Evervault (evervault.com) — Data privacy infrastructure Trace Space (trace.space) — Space industry software Superlinked (superlinked.com) — Vector computing infrastructure Fintech: Deblock (deblock.com) — Financial services platform Yuno (y.uno) — Latin American fintech Orus (orus.eu) — Insurance technology Swypex (swypex.com) — Corporate cards and spend management Loctax (loctax.com) — Tax technology Flint (withflint.com) — Financial infrastructure Enterprise & B2B: Delphi (delphi.ai) — AI knowledge platform Kota (kota.io) — Employee benefits platform Complyance (complyance.com) — Compliance automation Jeeves (tryjeeves.com) — Global financial stack Isembard (isembard.com) — Infrastructure for manufacturing Graneet (graneet.com) — Construction management Rollee (getrollee.com) — Income verification Outverse (outverse.com) — Knowledge base platform Handly (handly.app) — Service business management Consumer & Marketplace: Sorare (sorare.com) — Fantasy sports NFT platform (unicorn) Wayflyer (wayflyer.com) — E-commerce financing Localyze (localyze.com) — Relocation platform Mercaso (mercaso.com) — Marketplace Allo (allo.restaurant) — Restaurant technology Hardware & Climate: Starcloud (starcloud.com) — Space technology Infinite Machine (infinitemachine.com) — Electric vehicles Zero (zero.inc) — Climate/sustainability Nodal (nodal.io) — Climate technology Saris (saris.ai) — AI for climate Other Notable: Lette (lette.ai) — Communication platform Roadie (roadie.io) — Logistics and delivery (acquired by UPS) Lead Tendency & Decision Process Lead Tendency : Both — Foreword is comfortable leading rounds or participating alongside other investors. The fund often helps founders shape their rounds from scratch. Decision Process : Solo GP — Declan Kelly makes all investment decisions independently, allowing for fast decisions without committee delays. Decision Timeline : Typically 2 weeks or less, reflecting the fund's ability to move quickly when conviction is established. Approach : First-check investor who loves helping founders shape their rounds. Takes a collaborative, community-driven approach leveraging the 200+ founder/operator network. Founder Preferences Daring founders — those with large ambitions and the drive to achieve them Focused teams — exceptionally focused on their problem space, not scattered across multiple opportunities Early-stage preference — first-check or first-round situations preferred Global mandate — invests in exceptional talent wherever found, with focus on Europe and US Both B2B and Consumer — no sector dogma, focuses on the quality of the founder and opportunity Sector Focus AI/ML Applications — Applied AI across sectors (strongest cluster in portfolio) Developer Tools — Tools that help developers build faster Fintech — Financial infrastructure and services Enterprise Software — B2B SaaS and platforms Climate Technology — Sustainability and clean tech Consumer Technology — Selective consumer plays Geographic Focus Primary : Europe, United States Approach : Global mandate — supports exceptional talent wherever it's found Recognition Featured in Sifted's "Meet Europe's growing crowd of solo GPs" (November 2022) Listed in Signature Block's Emerging 50, recognizing rising fund managers Partner fund with Seedcamp portfolio Contact Email : [email protected] , [email protected] Website : foreword.vc LinkedIn : linkedin.com/in/kellydeclan/ Twitter/X : @deckelly, @forewordvc