Investor behaviour

VCs breaking their thesis

A focused fund's first cheque outside its own track record: a new sector, a new region, or an entry far earlier than usual. The thesis is what each fund's earlier first cheques show (15 or more, 80% inside the focus). Follow-ons never count. Each deal is checked against the round's sources, and a deal whose article lists other investors and not the fund is left out.
907
VCs broke their pattern since 2020
495
of them in 2025 and 2026
14%
of focused VCs investing in 2026 (283 of 2023)
884 / 1087 / 31
new sector / region / earlier stage
VCs breaking their pattern, per month
Jan 2020Oct 2026

843 breaks are rounds known only by their year. They count in the totals and the list, not in the monthly bars.

  1. 2023
    MPM Capital backed SeaWolf at Seed
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 25 first cheques, 24 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 1 in Consumer, Lifestyle & Services.
  2. 2023
    MPM Capital backed Astronautx Limited at Series A
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 25 first cheques, 24 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 1 in Consumer, Lifestyle & Services.
  3. 2023
    Next47 backed Pando at Series B
    New sectorFirst Healthcare & Life Sciences cheque. Before: 47 first cheques, 29 in Software & Developer Tools, 9 in Industry & Hardware.
  4. 2023
    OCA Ventures backed Hublo at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in Benelux & France. Before: 31 first cheques, 26 in North America, 3 in UK & Ireland.
  5. 2023
    OCA Ventures backed AI Foundation at Series B
    New regionFirst deal in MEA. Before: 31 first cheques, 26 in North America, 3 in UK & Ireland.
  6. 2023
    OCA Ventures backed Amo at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in Benelux & France. Before: 31 first cheques, 26 in North America, 3 in UK & Ireland.
  7. 2023
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 27 first cheques, 19 in Software & Developer Tools, 3 in Finance & Blockchain.
  8. 2023
    New regionFirst deal in Benelux & France. Before: 54 first cheques, 49 in UK & Ireland, 4 in North America.
  9. 2023
    New regionFirst deal in CEE. Before: 54 first cheques, 49 in UK & Ireland, 4 in North America.
  10. 2023
    PayPal Ventures backed Virages at Series A
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 34 first cheques, 18 in Finance & Blockchain, 11 in Software & Developer Tools.
  11. 2023
    Perceptive Advisors backed Lincata at Pre-seed
    Earlier stageFirst entry as early as Pre-seed. Before: 62 entries with a sourced stage, 23 at Series B, 22 at Series C+.
  12. 2023
    Playground Global backed Robuste at Series A
    New regionFirst deal in LATAM. Before: 23 first cheques, 20 in North America, 2 in MEA.
  13. 2023
    PMV backed Animob at Series B
    New regionFirst deal in Southern Europe. Before: 33 first cheques, 27 in Benelux & France, 2 in DACH.
  14. 2023
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 41 first cheques, 32 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 4 in Software & Developer Tools.
  15. 2023
    Polytech Ventures backed Inpher at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in North America. Before: 15 first cheques, 12 in DACH, 2 in Benelux & France.
  16. 2023
    Praetura Ventures backed STIKI at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in APAC. Before: 51 first cheques, 47 in UK & Ireland, 3 in North America.
  17. 2023
    Prime Movers Labs backed Robuste at Series A
    New regionFirst deal in LATAM. Before: 20 first cheques, 16 in North America, 2 in UK & Ireland.
  18. 2023
    QBIC fund backed CDotBio at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in UK & Ireland. Before: 21 first cheques, 17 in Benelux & France, 3 in DACH.
  19. 2023
    QBIC fund backed PFx Biotech at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in Southern Europe. Before: 21 first cheques, 17 in Benelux & France, 3 in DACH.
  20. 2023
    QBIC fund backed Animob at Series B
    New regionFirst deal in Southern Europe. Before: 21 first cheques, 17 in Benelux & France, 3 in DACH.
  21. 2023
    QBIC fund backed Bugbiome at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in UK & Ireland. Before: 21 first cheques, 17 in Benelux & France, 3 in DACH.
  22. 2023
    Reach Capital backed Clayful at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in APAC. Before: 20 first cheques, 16 in North America, 1 in UK & Ireland.
    Source
  23. 2023
    Reach Capital backed Swing at Series B
    New regionFirst deal in DACH. Before: 20 first cheques, 16 in North America, 1 in UK & Ireland.
  24. 2023
    Real Ventures backed Tenstorrent at Series C+
    New regionFirst deal in MEA. Before: 52 first cheques, 45 in North America, 3 in DACH.
    Source
  25. 2023
    New sectorFirst Software & Developer Tools cheque. Before: 19 first cheques, 14 in Energy, Environment & Mobility, 4 in Industry & Hardware.
  26. 2023
    New sectorFirst Energy, Environment & Mobility cheque. Before: 32 first cheques, 29 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 2 in Software & Developer Tools.
  27. 2023
    S3 Ventures backed Sipera at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in APAC. Before: 26 first cheques, 24 in North America, 1 in DACH.
  28. 2023
    Sands Capital Ventures backed Hawk at Series B
    New sectorFirst Finance & Blockchain cheque. Before: 23 first cheques, 10 in Software & Developer Tools, 10 in Healthcare & Life Sciences.
  29. 2023
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 22 first cheques, 15 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 3 in Software & Developer Tools.
  30. 2023
    Seeds Capital backed Vannadium at Series A
    New regionFirst deal in North America. Before: 19 first cheques, 16 in APAC, 1 in UK & Ireland.
  31. 2023
    SHS Capital backed Crystal at Seed
    New sectorFirst Software & Developer Tools cheque. Before: 27 first cheques, 23 in Healthcare & Life Sciences, 4 in Industry & Hardware.
  32. 2023
    New regionFirst deal in APAC. Before: 31 first cheques, 25 in North America, 2 in UK & Ireland.
  33. 2023
    Sonae IM backed Medux at Series A
    New sectorFirst Healthcare & Life Sciences cheque. Before: 21 first cheques, 16 in Software & Developer Tools, 2 in Commerce & Marketing.
    Source
  34. 2023
    Sorenson Ventures backed Evo at Series A
    New sectorFirst Commerce & Marketing cheque. Before: 46 first cheques, 33 in Software & Developer Tools, 4 in Industry & Hardware.
  35. 2023
    Specialist VC backed AgileDD at Series A
    New regionFirst deal in North America. Before: 15 first cheques, 12 in CEE, 1 in UK & Ireland.
  36. 2023
    New sectorFirst Commerce & Marketing cheque. Before: 15 first cheques, 11 in Software & Developer Tools, 2 in Healthcare & Life Sciences.
  37. 2023
    Stage 2 Capital backed Terminal49 at Series A
    New sectorFirst Industry & Hardware cheque. Before: 15 first cheques, 10 in Software & Developer Tools, 2 in Healthcare & Life Sciences.
    Source
  38. 2023
    Ulu Ventures backed Banyan Nation at Series B
    New sectorFirst Energy, Environment & Mobility cheque. Before: 21 first cheques, 12 in Software & Developer Tools, 5 in Finance & Blockchain.
    New regionFirst deal in APAC. Before: 21 first cheques, 18 in North America, 1 in UK & Ireland.
  39. 2023
    Ulu Ventures backed Cenoa at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in MEA. Before: 21 first cheques, 18 in North America, 1 in UK & Ireland.
    Source
  40. 2023
    Underscore VC backed Cenoa at Seed
    New regionFirst deal in MEA. Before: 23 first cheques, 22 in North America, 1 in DACH.
    Source