Choosing where to raise capital is as important as how you do it. This guide summarizes ten reputable platforms founders actually use—from equity crowdfunding to curated investor marketplaces and accelerator networks—plus when each is best suited.

Rather than blasting generic outreach, you’ll move faster by aligning your channel with stage, market, and traction narrative. Community rounds convert customers into investors. Angel syndicates unlock speed and flexibility. Data platforms sharpen targeting so you spend time where probability is highest.

1) Invesho

Invesho helps founders raise smarter by matching you with relevant investors, generating AI‑personalized outreach, and organizing your capital raise workflow end‑to‑end. Founders use it to accelerate warm intros, improve reply rates with context‑rich messaging, and keep a clean pipeline from first touch to close.

Core modules include Investor Matching (curated lists by thesis, stage, and geography), an Outreach Assistant that drafts context‑aware, founder‑authentic emails, and a lightweight Raise CRM to capture conversations, artifacts, and next steps—reducing drop‑offs between meetings.

Teams typically run 2‑week sprints: research → targeted outreach → learnings → iterate. With Invesho, you can templatize your narrative, A/B test variants, and centralize updates such as traction snapshots and investor FAQs so every touch compounds credibility.

Best for: Targeted investor matching; AI‑personalized outreach; streamlined raise management.

2) AngelList

AngelList remains one of the most established hubs for startups and investors. Syndicates enable angels to pool capital; Roll Up Vehicles simplify SPV administration; and Talent tools help with hiring alongside fundraising.

If you’re assembling a fast syndicate, consider Roll Up Vehicles to streamline SPV admin and cap table impact. Pair this with targeted outreach to lead angels who have previously backed your category—AngelList profiles and deal histories make that research straightforward.

Best for: Seed to Series A; angel syndicates; quick SPV setup.

3) Crunchbase

While not a fundraising platform per se, Crunchbase is invaluable for targeted investor research: build lists by stage, geography, and sector; monitor recent deals; and spot active partners by thesis.

A practical workflow: export recently active funds in your niche, enrich with partner emails, and prioritize by deal cadence. Reference specific portfolio wins in your outreach to create relevance and increase reply probability.

Best for: Sourcing prospects; prioritizing active investors; market mapping.

4) Gust

Gust connects startups with angel groups and accelerators. Standardized company profiles make it easier for angel networks to review opportunities, and founders can apply to many groups efficiently.

Create a crisp profile: 1‑sentence positioning, 3‑5 traction bullets, and a short demo. Angel groups review many applications—clear, skimmable materials dramatically improve selection odds.

Best for: Angel networks; early-stage visibility; structured applications.

5) SeedInvest

A leading equity crowdfunding platform for U.S. companies, SeedInvest performs due diligence before listing, which can increase credibility with retail investors.

Founders who succeed here treat the campaign like a product launch: crisp storytelling, strong social proof, and consistent community updates.

Line up early commitments from customers and advisors, and maintain a weekly update cadence. Momentum is a signal; consistent updates increase conversions throughout the campaign.

Best for: Consumer-facing companies; community-driven funding; Reg CF/Reg A+.

6) Republic

Republic offers equity crowdfunding, venture opportunities, and community‑backed raises. Strong distribution helps founders turn customers into investors.

Lean into artifacts: short demo video, traction snapshots, and a clear use-of-funds chart improve conversion.

Repurpose your best customer stories as investor‑facing social proof. Feature metrics that compound month‑over‑month so visitors can see progress at a glance.

Best for: Brand/community-driven raises; broad investor reach.

7) Wefunder

Another major Reg CF platform with flexible minimums and strong community engagement, Wefunder is a good fit for pre‑seed to seed companies with engaged users.

Best for: Early-stage community rounds; storytelling-led campaigns.

8) PitchBook

Institutional‑grade database for investors and transactions. While pricey, PitchBook is the gold standard for building highly targeted investor lists and benchmarking terms.

Best for: Later-stage raises; detailed diligence; comparable deal analysis.

9) CB Insights

Research and market intelligence used by corporates and funds. CB Insights is useful for sizing categories, tracking momentum, and adding credible signals in your deck.

Best for: Market validation; category tracking; deck research.

10) F6S

Global directory for accelerators and grant programs. Use F6S to efficiently discover open cohorts and apply with reusable profiles.

Best for: Accelerator applications; grants; broad discovery.

11) Y Combinator Startup School & Directory

YC’s resources, community, and the investor directory (for YC companies) can accelerate outreach quality. Even non‑YC founders benefit from the curriculum and templates.

Use the lectures to sharpen your narrative and metrics; if you get into a YC batch, the partner and alumni network significantly improves warm‑intro density and fundraising velocity.

Best for: Learning best practices; network leverage; later access if accepted.