Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund
Supports Equity co-investment of matched with private capital for NY-main office early-stage tech startups.
The Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program (NYVPSSF) provides equity investments of $50,000 to $250,000 to early-stage technology startups headquartered in New York State. Funding comes from the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), with $40 million allocated to this vehicle. Every dollar of state investment must be matched 1:1 by qualified private sector capital — the state mirrors the private round terms (convertible debt, SAFE, or equity). Eligible companies must be pre-seed or seed stage with no more than $2 million in prior dilutive funding. At least one C-suite employee must be based in New York State, and the company must be registered in good standing in New York. The program prioritizes underserved geographies and historically marginalized founders across technology sectors including advanced manufacturing, agtech, climate/energy, SaaS/AI, life sciences, and medtech. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; weekly office hours are held on Mondays.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.