We back emerging
founders first.
Often alone.
Galileo backs exceptional emerging founders before most larger funds will. Pre-seed to seed, across AI, enterprise, climate, robotics, deeptech, and critical technologies. Cheque sizes are clear. The process is clear. So is the answer — always.
Emerging founders.
Earned insight.
Global ambition.
Scrappy, high-conviction founders — often in their first or second high-growth company — with an earned view on a problem and the ability to build quickly. We look for formidability before we look for polish. Strong co-founder teams are our preference; we stay open to exceptional cases.
Three patterns. One prerequisite.
You can arrive at formidability by different routes. These are the three we see most often. You don't need to fit a box — but you might recognise yourself here.
The hungry generalist.
- Young at heart, sense of urgency
- Thinks everyone on Earth needs this
- Global lens from day one
- Push shit uphill, happily
The scientific commercialiser.
- IP or novel tech needs a market
- Researcher, scientist, technologist
- Product-led, operationally involved
- Often one of a few in the world who can build it
The domain native.
- Vertical experience, about to reinvent it
- Sees the rising tide early
- Product acumen, earned insight
- Experts violently disagree. They're right anyway.
Clear cheques.
Clear stage.
We invest pre-seed and seed — usually the first or second equity round. Most cheques sit between A$200k and A$500k at pre-seed, scaling up to A$1m at seed when it fits. No tranches unless there's a reason. A standard SAFE or priced round.
First or second equity financing. Prototype through early-customer.
Typical first cheque. Flexible where it makes sense.
Where we lead or anchor the round.
Pro-rata preserved into Seed and Series A rounds.
The thesis is founder-led, not market-led. If you're exceptional and building something we don't list above — send it anyway.
Before most larger funds are comfortable.
Pre-incorporation is fine. If the company doesn't exist yet, we can still meet. We've written cheques before a corporate entity existed.
Prototype or early customer is typical. You don't need ARR to get our cheque. You do need a view and an ability to build.
Software and hardware. We back deeptech and physical products. Kite Magnetics and Andromeda are live proof of that.
Australia-first, globally-minded. Australia is our home market. We also back AU teams expanding into the US and maintain an active San Francisco arm.
Three weeks, max. Then a real answer.
The pre-seed market runs on gatekeeping, warm intros, and ghosting. That's the bar we're beating. Here's what happens the moment you send us something.
You send us a deck.
Or a Loom. Or a one-pager. Or a cold email with a link to a working prototype. No warm intros required.
We reply.
Every pitch gets a response. If it's a no, we tell you why in plain English — not a template.
Partner meeting.
One of three partners. Not an associate. Not a screener. 45 minutes, on Zoom or in person.
We do the work.
Customer calls. Technical diligence. Reference calls with founders who've worked with us. You meet the rest of the team.
Term sheet or clear no.
Standard SAFE or priced round. A$200k–500k at pre-seed, up to A$1m at seed. Follow-on reserved for pro-rata.
Cold email is fine. Pre-incorporation is not too early. If the answer is no, you'll get it in writing with a reason. Nothing dies in a CRM.
Apply to get fundedOperator-led support.
Not a program.
After we invest, support is practical and high-touch — the kind of help that operators run, not course content. You get partner time, a working network, and the specific humans who've done the thing you're about to do.
Regular working sessions with the partner on your deal. No associates between you and a decision.
Sales motion, positioning, pricing, first 10 customers. The operator side, not the consultant side.
Access to our network of operators, coaches and domain experts — and real help hiring the first 10–20.
Launch moments, story crafting, press access when it matters. We know what moves the needle in AU and SF.
Positioning for Seed and Series A, investor introductions, deck and data room work when you're ready.
Founder events, peer groups, SF office access, and a portfolio that actually helps each other.
The things founders ask.
No warm intro required. Apply directly via the form. We read everything and reply to everyone.
If the timing wasn't right last time, come back. Businesses change. So do we.
Not tranched milestones. If we believe, we write the cheque.
We can invest outside AU where it makes sense. Most of our founders have a strong AU tie.
Or be the anchor early investor. Then we help you run the next round.
Standard SAFE or priced equity. We'll be pragmatic where the round shape calls for it.
The receipts.
Three of our founders, and what the working relationship actually looks like.
Galileo backed Relevance at pre-seed in 2020, before agentic AI was a category. Through follow-on rounds led by Insight and Peak XV, the team has stayed close: hiring, US expansion, and real partner time when it counts.
Read the storyFirst-believer cheque on Kinder World. Galileo was deeply involved in the seed raise — investor intros, positioning, the hard moments before product-market fit. This is what hands-on actually looks like.
Read the storyDeeptech with a novel material. Galileo led pre-seed, then worked through hiring, fundraising strategy, and the strategic work that doesn't fit in a deck. Deeptech needs more than capital — we show up.
Read the storySend us the thing.
Pre-incorporation is not too early. Cold email is fine. No warm intro required. Apply direct. We reply to everyone.