There are approximately 5,000–7,000 active venture capital firms globally, of which roughly 2,000–3,000 are US-based. The number fluctuates significantly — many micro funds launch and wind down each cycle. Active deployers (investing in the last 24 months) number closer to 1,500–2,000 in the US. The number of institutional LP-backed VC firms with $50M+ AUM is approximately 500–700 in the US.

To find the right VC: (1) match stage — seed VCs don't write Series B checks; (2) match sector — a consumer-focused fund won't understand deep B2B enterprise; (3) match check size — if a VC typically writes $500K checks and you need $5M, it's the wrong fund; (4) find firms that have invested in adjacent companies but not direct competitors; (5) prioritize warm introductions over cold outreach — VCs fund 80%+ of deals through their network.

Seed funds invest at the earliest stages — pre-revenue or very early revenue, typically at pre-seed or seed rounds. Check sizes are typically $250K–$2M. Growth funds invest in later-stage companies with proven product-market fit, typically Series B or later with $10M+ ARR. The investment thesis, portfolio construction, and return expectations are fundamentally different — seed funds need one 100x to make the fund; growth funds target 5–10x on larger positions.