Pre-Seed Capital
VCD Fund
Pre-seed capital for student and alumni founders. Sourced from campus.
What VCD Fund is
The check no one else is ready to write.
We back founders before they have an obvious track record — because by the time they do, everyone else is already in line.
VCD Fund writes pre-seed checks into student and recent-alumni founders — sourced directly from campus by a network of Fellows.
Each opportunity is led by Nicole DeTommaso, working closely with the Fellow who sourced it to build conviction before capital moves.
It’s an extension of VC Demystified’s mission to demystify venture and open doors.
Explore
Everything you need to know
How it works
A path from campus to capital
Step 1
Fellows source
Campus Fellows surface promising student and alumni founders from inside their universities — the deal flow most investors struggle to access.
Step 2
Nicole & Fellows lead diligence
Nicole works closely with the sourcing Fellow to evaluate each opportunity together — combining her investment experience with the Fellow's on-the-ground context.
Step 3
Nicole commits capital
Once diligence is done, Nicole commits the fund's earliest capital — backing the founders who make it through.
Step 4
Founders get capital + guidance
Founders receive early capital plus direct access to Nicole's network and her guidance on navigating venture as a first-time founder.
Portfolio
Where the earliest capital goes
The founders we back are building from dorm rooms, labs, and first apartments — often before anyone else is paying attention.
Our first investments are coming soon.
We’re meeting student founders now — check back as the portfolio comes together.
Back the founders building before anyone’s watching.
Apply to be a Campus Fellow and help source the next generation of student and alumni founders.