Lead Investor
The investor who sets the terms and contributes the largest share of a funding round.
A lead investor negotiates the term sheet, performs the deepest due diligence and often takes a board seat, giving other investors confidence to follow. Securing a credible lead is often the hardest and most important part of closing a round.
Examples
A VC leads a £1m seed with £600k and three angels fill the rest. — A startup struggles to close until a respected angel agrees to lead.
How it relates to The Startup Foundry
Through Investor Match and the Sprint, the Foundry can introduce you to lead and co-funding partners — and may itself invest up to £250k from its own fund.