NextFab Ventures
NextFab Ventures is a Philadelphia-based pre-seed catalytic investor that pairs $60,000 SAFE-based checks with hands-on engineering support, business coaching, manufacturer introductions, and downstream investor access for US-based hard-tech startups in robotics, automation, cleantech, and physical AI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What NextFab Ventures does
NextFab Ventures is a Philadelphia-based pre-seed catalytic investor and product development partner focused exclusively on US-based hard-tech startups. The firm deploys structured initial investments of $60,000 ($50,000 cash plus $10,000 in-kind support) via post-money SAFE notes, supplemented by milestone-driven follow-on investments typically ranging from $50,000 to $150,000. It targets companies operating in robotics, automation, cleantech, physical AI, and other sectors where early technical risk limits access to institutional capital, with a sourcing preference for the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.
The core offering bundles capital with hands-on engineering support, business coaching, introductions to vetted contract manufacturers, and access to a downstream network of VCs and angel investors. This integrated model is delivered by a compact team led by Dr. Evan Malone (President), Todor Raykov (Managing Partner), and Matt Bell (Venture Partner), supported by in-house Lead Mechanical and Senior Electrical Engineers and external advisors. NextFab Ventures operates within a broader NextFab hard-tech ecosystem that includes a 60,000 square-foot Philadelphia facility housing approximately 500 members and subtenants, plus affiliated entities Solid Labs (coworking) and Solid Product Design (consulting).
The firm has cumulatively deployed over $3 million across approximately 30 portfolio companies, which have collectively raised more than $100 million from angels, venture capitalists, and government grants. Notable portfolio outcomes include Burro (autonomous agricultural carts scaled from $5,000 of initial capital to $12-14 million raised with around 100 systems in production) and Hexmodal (smart hospital compliance devices taken from ideation to mass manufacturing). Deal flow is sourced through a rolling Airtable application portal, portfolio and ecosystem referrals, and regional hard-tech events, and the fund explicitly excludes non-US startups from its investment universe.
NextFab Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NextFab Ventures
- Legal name
- NextFab Ventures
- Website
- https://nextfabventures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NextFab Ventures is a Philadelphia-based pre-seed catalytic investor that pairs $60,000 SAFE-based checks with hands-on engineering support, business coaching, manufacturer introductions, and downstream investor access for US-based hard-tech startups in robotics, automation, cleantech, and physical AI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NextFab Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pre-Seed Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where NextFab Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
NextFab Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Seed Capital Investment (SAFE Notes): NextFab Ventures provides initial investment of $60,000 broken into $50,000 cash and $10,000 in-kind support, structured as a post-money SAFE note that converts into equity when the company raises a qualified round of financing.
- Follow-on Investment Funding: Follow-on investments typically range from $50,000 to $150,000, provided at critical growth junctures as portfolio companies achieve key milestones.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Seed Investment with Engineering Support |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Ideal Candidate Profile |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
NextFab Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NextFab Ventures is a pre-seed, hardware-focused catalytic investor and product development partner. It provides initial SAFE-note investments of $60,000 ($50,000 cash plus $10,000 in-kind support) to US-based hard-tech startups, combined with hands-on engineering expertise, business coaching, introductions to vetted contract manufacturers, and connections to downstream VC and angel investors. Follow-on investments of $50,000 to $150,000 are deployed at milestone-driven junctures to help founders move from validated prototype through Series A.
Product overview
NextFab Ventures operates as a unified catalytic investment platform offering pre-seed capital combined with hands-on product development support for hard-tech startups. The core offering integrates four interconnected services: Catalytic Capital Investment (the $60k pre-seed funding vehicle), Product Development Support (direct engineering expertise and technical advisory), Business Coaching & Mentorship (fundraising strategy and advisor introductions), and Contract Manufacturer Introductions (access to vetted manufacturers for scaling). Together, these components systematically derisk breakthrough technologies by helping founders move from concept to validated prototype and into institutional follow-on capital.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Catalytic Capital Investment
Quantifiable outcome
- Portfolio companies have collectively raised over $100 million from angel investors, VCs, and government grants
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use NextFab Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
NextFab Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NextFab Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AgTechLogicminorNextFab Ventures has invested in AgTechLogic, which developed the Agtellio platform - an AI-powered intelligent spray command center for precision agriculture. NextFab Ventures expressed support for what it called transformative impact in sustainable agriculture, with a stated goal of reducing chemical use by 1 billion pounds by 2028.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NextFab Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boost VC: Boost VC is an early-stage accelerator and fund that invests in startups building transformative technology, with strong emphasis on hardware, crypto, and frontier tech. Comparable as investor-operated accelerator providing pre-seed capital plus intensive founder support.
- Highway1 (PCH): Highway1 is a hardware accelerator that combines seed investment with structured product development, manufacturing, and supply chain support for hardware startups. Direct peer as investor-operated accelerator with hands-on hardware engineering support model.
- Root Ventures: Root Ventures is a seed-stage fund focused on founders building technically hard companies in robotics, hardware, and scientific computing. Direct peer given similar early-stage hard-tech thesis and operator-driven support model.
- Tandem Capital: Tandem is a seed-stage venture firm investing in hardware and robotics companies, providing capital alongside operating support. Comparable to NextFab Ventures in pre-seed/seed hard-tech focus with technical and operational value-add.
- Lemnos Labs: Lemnos Labs is an early-stage venture fund focused on hardware startups, often investing at the seed stage with deep technical support. Directly comparable to NextFab Ventures in pre-seed/seed hard-tech investing with engineering-heavy value-add.
- Bolt (hardware venture firm): Bolt is a pre-seed/seed venture firm with explicit focus on hardware startups, combining capital with hands-on technical and product development support. Most directly comparable to NextFab Ventures in stage, hard-tech focus, and integrated engineering support model.
- HAX (SOSA): HAX is a hardware-focused accelerator and investor providing seed capital paired with intensive engineering and product development support, primarily to consumer and industrial hardware startups. Direct peer as investor-operated accelerator offering capital plus hands-on engineering for hard-tech founders.
Broad incumbents
- Eclipse Ventures: Eclipse Ventures is a venture firm investing in enterprise solutions at the intersection of physical industry and software, with strong focus on robotics, automation, and industrial tech. Comparable in hard-tech/robotics focus but typically invests at Series A and later, making it more of a downstream investor from NextFab's portfolio.
- Founders Fund: Founders Fund is a major venture firm with significant exposure to deep tech, aerospace, biotech, and hardware. Broader incumbent with overlapping hard-tech thesis but operates across stages and sectors with much larger fund size, making it a category competitor for top founders.
- Lux Capital: Lux Capital is a venture firm investing in deep tech, including hard sciences, robotics, AI, and frontier technology. Comparable in hard-tech/physical AI investment thesis but operates at later stages (Series A+) and with a much larger fund size, making it both a category peer and a potential downstream LP/co-investor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NextFab Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceNextFab Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NextFab Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
NextFab Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NextFab Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NextFab Ventures
What does NextFab Ventures do?
NextFab Ventures is a pre-seed, hardware-focused catalytic investor and product development partner. It provides initial SAFE-note investments of $60,000 ($50,000 cash plus $10,000 in-kind support) to US-based hard-tech startups, combined with hands-on engineering expertise, business coaching, introductions to vetted contract manufacturers, and connections to downstream VC and angel investors. Follow-on investments of $50,000 to $150,000 are deployed at milestone-driven junctures to help founders move from validated prototype through Series A.
Is NextFab Ventures a public or private company?
NextFab Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NextFab Ventures founded?
NextFab Ventures was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NextFab Ventures based?
NextFab Ventures is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does NextFab Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Seed Capital Investment (SAFE Notes) is the primary driver. The others are follow-on Investment Funding.
Who are NextFab Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boost VC, Highway1 (PCH), Root Ventures, Tandem Capital, Lemnos Labs, Bolt (hardware venture firm) and HAX (SOSA). Broad incumbents are Eclipse Ventures, Founders Fund and Lux Capital.
Does NextFab Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for NextFab Ventures.
What industry is NextFab Ventures in?
NextFab Ventures's product category is Pre-Seed Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed), with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.