What we look for

Building in or for Los Angeles

1

Or a meaningful UCLA-affiliated* connection to the ecosystem.

An MVP—even a rough one

2

We back builders

Early signals of traction

3

Users, pilots, waitlists, revenue — any of the above

Other investors in the round

4

We’ll help you with this part

Our investment process

Week 1-2: We meet the founder, learn the business, and decide if we want to dig deeper.
Week 2-5: Our team goes deep — market, product, team, traction. We may request follow-up calls or materials.
Week 2-5: We’ve already done our homework. This is your chance to address the risks we’ve found.
Week 5-8: We make a final decision/
Week 8-10: We move quickly once we’ve decided. Documents and wire within days of a yes.

Ready to connect?

Reach out directly. We read every email and repsond within a week.

sydney@a26.vc

Why do we invest in UCLA-affiliated?

A26 Ventures was founded by the 2026 MBA Class at UCLA Anderson.

UCLA-affiliated is defined as a startup founded or co-founded by a current or former UCLA student, faculty member, or professor; a participant in a UCLA-affiliated accelerator or incubator program; or a venture employing at least one UCLA-affiliated individual in a key leadership role (e.g., C-suite executive, founding team member). This definition also includes companies that have received formal support, mentorship, or funding from UCLA students, alumni, faculty, professors, programs, centers, or institutes.