Who Funds Defi Startups in California?

Real, verified funding sources for defi founders in California: VC funds, accelerators, angel networks, and active grant programs — sourced from SEC filings and Grants.gov, not estimates.

Defi Funding Snapshot — California (as of July 2026)

  • 1
    2 VC fundsheadquartered in California with "Defi" in their name
  • 2
    8 acceleratorsopen to defi founders in California (including globally-available programs)
  • 3
    6 angel networksbased in California
  • 4
    52 open grantsin the Technology category, refreshed nightly from Grants.gov

Defi VC Funds in California

Define Ventures Fund II, L.P.

📍 San Francisco, CA📅 Filed October 2020

General partners: Lynne Chou O'Keefe

$200M
Effective fund size

Define Ventures Fund I, L.P.

📍 San Francisco, CA📅 Filed October 2018

General partners: Lynne Chou O'Keefe

$87.6M
Effective fund size

Defi Accelerators Open to California

8 programs

Contrary Capital

San Francisco, CA

Contrary Capital

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Pear VC Accelerator

Palo Alto, CA

Pear VC Accelerator

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Y Combinator

San Francisco, CA

Y Combinator

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Mucker Capital

Santa Monica, CA

Mucker Capital

$250K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

500 Global

San Francisco, CA

500 Global

$250K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Techstars Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Techstars Los Angeles

$120K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

AngelPad

San Francisco, CA

AngelPad

$120K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Neo Scholar Program

San Francisco, CA

Neo Scholar Program

$100K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Angel Investor Networks in California

6 networks

Keiretsu Forum

👥 3000 members💰 $25K - $2M check range

📍 San Ramon, CA

TechnologyHealthcareConsumerFintechSaaS

Stanford Angels and Entrepreneurs

👥 200 members💰 $25K - $500K check range

📍 Stanford, CA

TechnologyHealthcareConsumerFintechSaaS

UCLA Anderson Angels

👥 100 members💰 $25K - $200K check range

📍 Los Angeles, CA

TechnologyHealthcareConsumerFintechSaaS

Haas Angels

👥 100 members💰 $25K - $200K check range

📍 Berkeley, CA

TechnologyHealthcareConsumerFintechSaaS

Angel Capital Association Silicon Valley

👥 100 members💰 $25K - $500K check range

📍 San Jose, CA

TechnologyHealthcareConsumerFintechSaaS

Keiretsu Forum

👥 1000 members💰 $25K - $2M check range

📍 Palo Alto, CA

TechnologyHealthcareCleanTechConsumer

Grants in the Technology Category

Defi falls under the broader "Technology" category in federal grant data. These are federal programs open to eligible founders nationwide (including California) — live from Grants.gov, refreshed nightly.

?Defi Funding FAQs — California

Are there defi VCs headquartered in California?

Yes — 2 funds headquartered in California have "Defi" (or a close synonym) in their legal name, based on SEC Form D filings. This is a name match, not a verified thesis, so it understates true local investor interest.

What accelerators in California support defi startups?

8 accelerator programs open to California-based defi founders are in our database, including programs based in California and globally-available programs.

Are there angel investor networks in California?

Yes — 6 angel investor networks based in California are in our database, ranked by member count with defi-relevant groups surfaced first where our sector data supports it.

What grants are available for defi founders?

52 currently open federal grant programs are tagged under the Technology category, which is where defi falls in our grant classification. These are federal programs open to eligible founders nationwide (including California), pulled live from Grants.gov and refreshed nightly.

Your Defi Funding Action Plan

1

Research & Prepare

  • Review the 2 defi-matched funds above and their filing history
  • Check each fund's website for current investment criteria before reaching out
  • Prepare a pitch deck and financial projections tailored to your stage
2

Apply & Connect

  • Apply to the 8 accelerator programs listed above
  • Reach out to the 6 angel networks in California
  • Check eligibility for the 6 open grant programs above
3

Follow Up

  • Track deadlines for any application-based programs above
  • Look for warm introductions through your existing network before cold outreach
  • Revisit this page periodically — fund and grant data refreshes nightly