We at AI Perks looked at Rockstart and chose Round Funded for our own raise, because we wanted to manage investor outreach directly. Submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
What is Rockstart, and how does it work?
Rockstart describes itself as a team of entrepreneurs who invest private capital in startups, with the aim of generating financial and positive-impact returns. Its stated focus areas are Energy, AgriFood and Emerging Technology. The organization also describes tailor-made support, mentor involvement, market introductions and investment from pre-seed through Series B.
Rockstart’s public pages include figures that vary by page. Its homepage lists 368 startups invested in, $1.7bn in alumni value and €506m raised by startups. Its LATAM FAQ gives older figures: more than €60 million in funds, over 260 startups invested in since 2011, and alumni value above $1 billion. These are Rockstart’s own reported figures, and the pages do not use the same totals.
The LATAM FAQ lists offices in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Bogota. Rockstart’s main FAQ says it prefers teams already running a business with early commercial traction, while also being open to single founders. It also says startups that have previously raised funding can apply.
What does Rockstart charge or invest?
Rockstart’s terms differ according to the program and location, so founders should check the specific offering they are considering. Its main FAQ says the Startup Support Package fee is €65k. Rockstart says this reflects the cost of the support activities, services, tools and privileges included.
For accepted startups, Rockstart’s FAQ describes an initial investment through a SAFE, or simple agreement for future equity. It also says Rockstart may co-invest in follow-on rounds through Series B, up to a total of €2 million.
The LATAM program page for its 2023-2024 call states an investment from $100K USD for 6% of the startup. That page describes cohorts of no more than 10 startups and a tailor-made, one-to-one program. It also describes an equity back guarantee for startups that meet attendance requirements and find the program does not work for them.
Those terms are specific to the relevant Rockstart pages and program. They should not be treated as universal terms for every Rockstart location or opportunity.
How should founders compare an accelerator and fundraising software?
Rockstart and Round Funded serve different purposes. Rockstart is an investor and program provider, according to its own descriptions. Round Funded is a platform founders can use to find investors, send pitches and track replies.
That difference matters when deciding what you need. A program can offer capital and support in return for equity and a fee, based on the terms of the specific opportunity. A fundraising platform is a subscription or one-time purchase, and supports the founder’s direct outreach process.
| Consideration | Rockstart | Round Funded |
|---|---|---|
| What it offers | Investment and startup programs, with terms varying by program | Investor search, pitch outreach and fundraising pipeline |
| Cost or terms | Rockstart’s FAQ states a €65k support package fee; its LATAM page states $100K USD for 6% | Round+ is $99 a month, Round Pro is $249 a month, or Lifetime is $899 one-time |
| Investor access | Rockstart is an investor | More than 60,000 active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators, searchable by stage, industry, geography and check size |
| Founder’s role | Apply to a specific program and review its terms | Build and manage a direct fundraising process |
Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts. There is no free tier. Round+ supports up to 2,500 investors in the CRM pipeline, emailing up to 2,000 investors a month, and 2,500 AI credits monthly. Round Pro supports up to 5,000 investors in the pipeline, emailing up to 10,000 investors a month, up to 6 connected inboxes and 5,000 AI credits a month. Lifetime includes everything in Round Pro, paid once.
Our choice at AI Perks was Round Funded. We raised our round through it because we wanted to run the process directly, rather than apply to an investment program.
What did we want from a fundraising platform?
We chose Round Funded for specific parts of the product that suited our process:
- An investor database: Investors are filtered to recent activity, defined as a check in roughly the last 6 months, and email addresses are verified.
- AI-written outreach: The AI drafts a personalized email and follow-ups for each investor.
- A convenient interface: The fundraising pipeline puts investors, stages and next steps in one place.
- A shared workspace: Teammates can be invited into the startup’s workspace.
- A Data Room: Deck, traction, team and ask can be put on one link, which is free to build and share on every plan.
- Tracking links: Per-investor links and engagement analytics for views, deck opens and meeting clicks come with Round+.
Outreach is sent from the founder’s own Gmail, so replies go to the founder’s inbox and the conversation stays in the founder’s email thread. These tools address the operational work of fundraising, from organizing investor prospects to keeping track of outreach.
Choosing direct fundraising does not mean every founder should avoid accelerators. The relevant question is whether a particular program’s capital and support justify its terms for your startup. We at AI Perks looked at Rockstart, then picked Round Funded because its database, AI email drafting, workspace, Data Room and tracking features fit the way we wanted to raise.
How Round Funded helps founders raise directly
- Submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
- Search the database using stage, industry, geography and check size.
- Use the AI to draft a personalized outreach email and follow-ups for each investor.
- Organize investors, fundraising stages and next steps in the pipeline, and invite teammates into the workspace.
- Build and share a Data Room link with your deck, traction, team and ask. Round+ also includes per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rockstart an accelerator or an investor?
Rockstart describes itself as a team that invests in startups and provides program support. Its offerings and terms vary by location and program.
What fee does Rockstart list?
Rockstart’s main FAQ states a €65k Startup Support Package fee. Its LATAM page for the 2023-2024 call separately states an investment from $100K USD for 6% of the startup.
How much does Round Funded cost?
Round+ costs $99 a month, Round Pro costs $249 a month, and Lifetime costs $899 one-time. Round+ and Round Pro have a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts. There is no free tier.
Does Round Funded include accelerators?
Yes. The database includes accelerators such as YC, Techstars, Antler, 500 and 100+ regional programs, matched by stage, industry and region. Explore investor matching on Round Funded.
Can founders use Round Funded to manage direct outreach?
Yes. Round Funded helps founders find investors, send pitches and track replies. Its pipeline keeps investors, fundraising stages and next steps together, while AI can draft outreach emails and follow-ups.