Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund

# Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund: A Founder-First Approach to Early-Stage Investing

High-Level Overview

Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund operates as a founder-centric venture capital firm dedicated to supporting ambitious entrepreneurs building exceptional products in high-growth markets[3]. The fund's mission centers on democratizing access to capital and strategic guidance for early-stage startups, combining financial backing with hands-on operational support. Their investment philosophy prioritizes generalist investing across diverse sectors—including SaaS, consumer products, developer tools, APIs, crypto, VR, and longevity—rather than restricting themselves to narrow verticals[2].

The firm has established itself as a trusted partner in the startup ecosystem through a combination of meaningful capital deployment and deep founder expertise. To date, they have invested over $50 million across 120+ startups, writing checks in the $300,000 to $500,000 range[3]. Their approach reflects a belief that early-stage founders need more than just money; they need strategic counsel, market access, and a partner who understands the unique challenges of building from zero to product-market fit.

Origin Story

Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund was founded by Todd Goldberg and Rahul Vohra, both accomplished entrepreneurs and Y Combinator alumni who had been co-investing together as angels for nearly a decade before formalizing their fund[3]. Their complementary backgrounds provide the foundation for their investment thesis and operational support model.

Todd Goldberg founded Eventjoy, a platform that was subsequently acquired by Ticketmaster, giving him deep expertise in building consumer-facing products and scaling distribution channels. Rahul Vohra built Superhuman, an AI-powered email client that became known for exceptional product design and user experience, as well as Rapportive, which was acquired by LinkedIn. Both founders bring firsthand experience in the challenges of product development, fundraising, and scaling—knowledge they now leverage to support their portfolio companies[3].

The formalization of their angel investing into a structured fund represents a natural evolution of their long-standing partnership. Rather than operating purely as individual angels, they scaled their impact by creating an institutional vehicle backed by 150+ world-class founders, operators, and investors who actively support and evangelize their portfolio companies[3]. This network effect amplifies the value they deliver beyond capital alone.

Core Differentiators

Founder-First Operating Support

Unlike traditional venture firms that primarily provide capital and board oversight, Todd and Rahul embed themselves in three critical areas where early-stage founders struggle most[3]:

• Product Strategy & Market Fit: Drawing on their combined experience building beloved products, they help founders refine product strategy and design to accelerate the path to product-market fit. This is particularly valuable at the pre-seed and seed stages when product direction remains fluid.

• Go-to-Market Acceleration: They provide comprehensive guidance on customer acquisition, product marketing, launch strategy, and direct introductions within their founder and LP communities. This support spans both strategic thinking and tactical execution.

• Fundraising Expertise: They actively support founders through subsequent fundraising rounds, offering pitch preparation, strategy guidance, and warm introductions to quality investors. This creates a compounding advantage for portfolio companies seeking Series A and beyond.

Speed and Decisiveness

The fund makes investment decisions quickly, a critical differentiator in competitive early-stage markets where founders often face multiple term sheets and tight decision windows[3]. This responsiveness extends beyond initial investment—founders report that Todd and Rahul remain available when needed but maintain a "high value-add, low maintenance" approach that respects founder autonomy[3].

Curated Network Effect

Backed by 150+ world-class founders, operators, and investors, the fund provides portfolio companies with access to a carefully curated network that actively supports and evangelizes their work[3]. This network becomes a tangible asset for portfolio companies seeking partnerships, talent, customer introductions, or follow-on funding.

Generalist Thesis with Operator Credibility

While the fund invests broadly across sectors, their generalist approach is grounded in deep operator credibility. The fund managers have successfully navigated over 50 deals across technology and healthcare sectors, with a track record of notable exits in North America and Europe[1]. This combination of breadth and depth allows them to identify emerging trends while maintaining the domain expertise to provide meaningful guidance.

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund operates at a critical inflection point in venture capital: the democratization of early-stage funding and mentorship. Historically, access to quality early-stage capital and founder guidance was concentrated among a small number of prestigious accelerators and top-tier venture firms. This fund represents a broader trend toward founder-led investing, where successful entrepreneurs leverage their networks and expertise to support the next generation.

The timing is particularly relevant as the venture landscape has become more competitive and capital-efficient. Founders increasingly expect their investors to provide strategic value beyond capital—they want partners who have "been there" and can offer concrete guidance on product development, distribution, and fundraising. Todd and Rahul's fund capitalizes on this shift by positioning founder expertise as a core competitive advantage.

Additionally, their generalist approach reflects the reality that exceptional founders and products can emerge across any sector. By remaining sector-agnostic while maintaining high standards for founder quality and market opportunity, they position themselves to capture breakout companies that might be overlooked by more specialized funds. Their portfolio diversity—spanning SaaS, consumer, developer tools, crypto, and longevity—demonstrates their ability to identify and support category-defining companies regardless of vertical.

The fund also influences the broader ecosystem by raising the bar for what early-stage investors should provide. Their emphasis on product-market fit, go-to-market strategy, and fundraising support has become increasingly expected by founders, creating competitive pressure on other early-stage investors to offer similar value-add services.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund is well-positioned to continue scaling their impact as the venture ecosystem increasingly values founder-led investing and operational support. Several trends will likely shape their evolution:

Institutional Scaling: As they grow their fund size and portfolio, they will face the classic challenge of maintaining their "high touch" approach while supporting more companies. Their ability to leverage their 150+ backer network and potentially develop junior partners will be critical to sustaining their value proposition.

Sector Tailwinds: Their generalist thesis positions them well to capture opportunities in emerging categories. As AI, longevity, and creator tools continue to attract ambitious founders, their willingness to invest across these spaces—combined with their operational expertise—should yield strong returns.

Follow-On Investing: Their track record of supporting founders through multiple rounds (Series A, B, and beyond) creates opportunities for deeper engagement and larger returns. As portfolio companies mature, their ability to lead or participate in follow-on rounds will amplify their impact and returns.

Network Effects: The fund's greatest asset is its network of founders and operators. As this network grows and becomes more valuable, it creates a virtuous cycle—better companies want to work with them, which attracts better backers, which strengthens the network further.

In essence, Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund represents a new model for early-stage investing: one where founder credibility, operational expertise, and a curated network replace traditional institutional hierarchy. As the venture landscape continues to evolve toward founder-led capital and value-add investing, this fund exemplifies the direction the industry is moving. Their success will likely inspire other successful founders to formalize their angel investing into structured vehicles, further democratizing access to quality early-stage capital and mentorship.