When we at AI Perks considered ShipShape VC, we chose Round Funded, where founders can submit a startup and get matched with investors. We wanted a workflow that combines investor search with AI-written outreach, a fundraising pipeline and materials to share.
What is ShipShape VC, and how does it work?
ShipShape VC is described as a free investment search engine for founders. Its search is based on keywords or phrases, with results ranked by relevance. The service says its active-investor information comes from public data rather than self-reported submissions.
A Trustpilot reviewer says listings include details such as minimum and maximum check sizes, recent investments, portfolio companies and stage. That is a reviewer’s account, not a guarantee about every listing.
ShipShape VC says founders can use it without a credit card or paywalls. We found no paid plan or pricing page described in the available information. Claims about the size of its database differ across its pages, so we would not rely on a specific total.
That kind of search can help founders identify potential investors. But fundraising involves more than generating a list: founders may also need to contact investors, manage follow-ups, organize the pipeline and share materials.
What should founders compare in ShipShape VC alternatives?
When evaluating fundraising products, it helps to separate investor discovery from the rest of the process. Ask whether you need a search engine alone, or a product that also supports outreach and organizing a raise.
A few practical questions can guide the comparison:
- Can you search investors using criteria that matter to your startup?
- Does the product help draft or send outreach?
- Can you keep investor stages and next steps together?
- Is there a place to share fundraising materials?
- What does the product cost, and what does each plan include?
ShipShape VC is presented as a search product. The available information does not describe email sending, a CRM or a fundraising pipeline. We therefore would not assume those functions are included. In a review dated July 2024, one Trustpilot user said they wanted the ability to search by investor while personalizing outreach. That is one person’s feedback, not a general finding.
For founders who choose a search-only approach, it is important to consider how they will handle the other parts of the raise. We preferred having investor discovery and fundraising tasks in one workspace.
Why did we at AI Perks choose Round Funded over ShipShape VC?
We at AI Perks raised our round through Round Funded. We looked at ShipShape and chose Round Funded because it brought together the parts of the workflow we valued: a clean investor database, an AI agent that writes emails, a convenient interface, teammate access, a Data Room and tracking links.
Round Funded helps founders find investors, send pitches and track replies. Its database covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators. Investors can be searched by stage, industry, geography and check size. Listings are filtered for recent activity, with a check in roughly the last 6 months, and emails are verified.
For outreach, the AI drafts a personalized email and follow-ups for each investor. Messages go out through the founder’s own Gmail, so replies arrive in the founder’s inbox and the email thread belongs to them.
The fundraising pipeline keeps investors, stages and next steps together. Founders can also invite teammates into the startup’s workspace. We found the convenient interface and shared workspace useful to the way we wanted to manage fundraising.
Round Funded also includes a Data Room where founders can put their deck, traction, team and ask on one link. Building and sharing that Data Room is free on every plan. Per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics, including views, deck opens and meeting clicks, come with Round+.
How do ShipShape VC and Round Funded compare?
| Area | ShipShape VC | Round Funded |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Free investor search by keyword or phrase | Investor discovery, pitches and reply tracking |
| Investor search | Results ranked by relevance | 60,000+ active investors searchable by stage, industry, geography and check size |
| Outreach | The available information does not describe email sending | AI-drafted emails and follow-ups sent from the founder’s Gmail |
| Pipeline | The available information does not describe a CRM or pipeline | Fundraising stages, investors and next steps in one place |
| Data Room and tracking | Not described in the available information | Data Room free to build and share on every plan; tracked links and engagement analytics with Round+ |
| Price | Free for founders, with no paid plan or pricing page described | No free tier; Round+ starts at $99 a month |
For our needs, Round Funded was the pick because it covers more of the fundraising workflow than investor search alone. That does not mean every founder needs the same setup. The right choice depends on whether you want a search engine or a place to handle investor outreach and pipeline management too.
How much does Round Funded cost?
Round Funded has three paid options: Round+ at $99 a month, Round Pro at $249 a month and Lifetime for a one-time $899 payment. There is no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts.
Round+ includes room for up to 2,500 investors in the CRM pipeline, email to up to 2,000 investors a month and 2,500 AI credits a month. Round Pro supports up to 5,000 investors in the pipeline, email to 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.
The Data Room is free to build and share on every plan. Tracked links and engagement analytics are included with Round+. To compare the workflow with your fundraising needs, you can submit your startup on Round Funded.
Who should consider each option?
ShipShape VC may suit a founder looking for a free investor search engine based on keywords and relevance-ranked results. The available information describes it as a way to search, not as a full fundraising workspace.
Round Funded may suit founders who want investor discovery alongside AI-drafted outreach, a pipeline and a Data Room. It also supports teammates working in the startup’s workspace. Our choice at AI Perks came down to those combined features, including the tracking links.
Round Funded’s product and site work in 12 languages. Founders can get matched with active investors by submitting their startup.
How Round Funded helps founders manage investor outreach
- Submit your startup to get matched with investors.
- Search investors by stage, industry, geography and check size.
- Use the AI to draft personalized emails and follow-ups for each investor.
- Send outreach from your own Gmail and manage investors, stages and next steps in the pipeline.
- Share your deck, traction, team and ask through a Data Room link, and invite teammates into the workspace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ShipShape VC free for founders?
ShipShape VC is described as free for founders, with no credit card or paywalls. The available information does not describe a paid plan or pricing page.
Does ShipShape VC include investor outreach?
The available information describes investor search, but does not describe email sending, a CRM or a fundraising pipeline. We would not assume those features are included.
What does Round Funded cost?
Round+ costs $99 a month, Round Pro costs $249 a month and Lifetime costs $899 once. There is no free tier. First-time accounts can try Round+ or Round Pro with a 3-day free trial.
Can teammates use Round Funded?
Yes. Teammates can be invited into a startup’s workspace. The fundraising pipeline keeps investors, stages and next steps together.
What can founders put in the Round Funded Data Room?
The Data Room can hold a deck, traction, team and ask on one link. It is free to build and share on every plan.