Entrepreneur First (EF), known as the world’s first "Talent Investor," has inaugurated a new office in South Park, San Francisco. The aim is to facilitate connections between top-tier entrepreneurial talent worldwide and the robust funding ecosystem available in the city.

As part of the initiative, five Indian companies nurtured through EF's Bangalore program will receive invitations to relocate to San Francisco subsequent to EF's pre-Seed Investment Committee evaluation.

EF's new San Francisco hub will support Indian startups in accessing US investors and markets. The inaugural batch comprises 33 global teams working on diverse projects. EF has also enhanced investment terms for selected teams, offering a $125,000 investment and a pre-seed advance of up to $5,000 per founder.

The immersive program follows the launch of the graduate program in India in March 2023. Successful teams received tools, advisory support, and funding to launch their startups. EF India mentored 30 individuals, preparing them to create value for a global customer base from inception.

Alice Bentinck, EF's co-founder and CEO, highlighted the importance of the SF hub for providing access to top investors and fostering a supportive ecosystem for EF founders.

Rahul Samat, EF's Partner and India Head, emphasized the program's role in empowering Indian founders to build global companies from the start. He praised the growth of the participating startups and their potential to make a significant impact on the global startup ecosystem.

EF's post-funding support includes matching founders with Silicon Valley advisors, weekly discussions with industry experts, and pitching to top investors at an in-person Demo Day hosted by Reid Hoffman. EF India's successful startups span various sectors, including Fello, a gamified investment platform with over 1 million users and US$4M in funding, and Beatoven, an AI-powered platform empowering content creators in composing original soundtracks.

Entrepreneur First, founded in 2011 by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck, is a pioneering investor in entrepreneurial talent. Their portfolio companies, backed by investors like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, are now valued at over $10 billion.

EF has offices in London, Paris, Bangalore, and San Francisco. They focus on funding early-career, technical founders before they even have a team or idea, with backing from industry giants like Reid Hoffman and Taavet Hinrikus.

Image source: The Economic Times