Refer a startup to us.
Earn 10% of our carry on it.
If we back a founder you send us, you can earn 10% of our carry on that company. We write checks up to $3M, and you put up no money.
The math of making money being a fund scout
Carry, short for carried interest, is how venture investors get paid for picking well. When a company exits, the fund's investors get their money back first. The remaining profit is then split, with 80% going to them and 20% going to us. That 20% is our carry, and a signed scout agreement gives you 10% of it on the company you referred.
Example deal
Change the numbers to see what one deal can pay.
Illustrative math, not a forecast or a promise. It shows one deal on its own and ignores fund losses and fees, which can reduce or wipe out a payout.
Why you should refer founders to Julian Capital
VCs rank us in the top 2%.
In a survey run by Deep Checks, which we built, 200+ deeptech VCs named the funds most helpful to founders. That put us in the top 2% tier of 400+ early-stage funds. "I love investing with them because they're always working so hard for their founders," says Turner Novak of Banana Capital. See the data.
We built Deep Checks.
We know almost every deeptech VC. When we invest, they notice, and the rest of the round can fill within days.
No fund is better connected in deeptech.
Thousands of engineers know and trust us. Founders get intros to most of their first customers and suppliers, plus critical hires.
Growth team included.
Julian was VP of Marketing at Webflow and ran growth at Heap. We design founders' sites and join their weekly growth sprints.
A decision in 7-14 days.
We invest $300K to $3M, even at the idea stage. Extropic was just an idea when we backed it.
Up to $15M more.
We keep investing in our best companies. We've been in every Extropic round since day one.
Hey [name], I think you should meet Julian Capital.
They back people building physical things at pre-seed and seed, and they decide in 7-14 days.
They built Deep Checks, so they know almost every deeptech VC, and other funds pay attention when they invest. They also design your site and act as your growth team, which they've done for Aalo and Extropic.
I scout for them and may earn carry if they invest, so you know where I stand. Want an intro?
The details
This page summarizes the program. It isn't an offer of carry, securities, or fund interests. Nobody earns anything until a written agreement is signed, and that agreement sets the final terms.
Exactly what do I earn?
Your agreement gives you 10% of the carry attributable to that company. Carry is our share of the fund's investment profits. At a 20% carry, that's 2% of the fund's profit on the company.
When do I get paid?
You get paid when the fund pays carry. That happens after a company exits and after the fund has returned its LPs' capital, which can take years. A fund pays carry on its overall results, so losses on other companies can reduce, delay, or wipe out your payout. If the company you referred fails, you earn nothing.
Who gets credit for a referral?
We have to receive the deal through you first. If the founder or company is already in our pipeline, or someone else sent it before you, we'll tell you and no carry applies.
How is this taxed?
It depends on how your agreement is set up, so ask your own tax advisor. Carry is usually held as an interest in a partnership. That tax treatment generally requires services to the fund, which your agreement will set out. Partners are taxed on their share of gains when those gains are allocated, so you could owe tax before you receive cash, even though you put up no money. Long-term capital gains rates on carry generally require the fund to hold the investment for more than three years.
What happens after I refer someone?
We read it and reply within days. If we want to meet the founder, we email you both, and we decide 7-14 days after that.
What do I have to do beyond the intro?
Help us with diligence. We'll ask what you know about the founder and their technology, and the written agreement sets out what's required. We handle price, terms, and negotiation, so please leave those to us.
Do I have to sign anything to start?
Only the referral terms on the form. If we decide to invest and your referral qualifies, we sign an agreement before we close. You earn nothing without it.
Will you tell me why you passed?
We'll tell you when we pass and share what we can.
Can I refer a company that has already raised?
Yes, if it's pre-seed or seed and we can still invest.
Who to send us
Refer a founder
We read every referral and reply within days. If we'd like to meet the founder, we'll email you both.
Any questions, email Jacob Jackson at jacob@julian.capital.
