SIGNAL by TREEO VC.
Too early for most. Too good to ignore.
We’ve often found that the most ambitious founders are also the most overlooked. Signal is our $30K first check for the ones who are too early for most.
The first yes is the toughest to secure. Designed for founders who take action.
Some founders don’t wait. They don’t wait for the degree, the perfect co-founder, or someone to tell them they’re ready. They start building – in dorm rooms, at kitchen tables, between classes, or after work hours. Treeo VC was conceived to back founders who are early, ambitious, yet often overlooked.
With Signal, we’re taking that one step further.
This is your signal
If you’re building something real and need your first yes, we want to hear from you.
Here's how it works:
- $30K investment for 1 – 3% equity based on stage of development
- 10 startups funded between May and December 2026
- Three rolling submission review windows – apply when you’re ready
- Up to 3 founders may receive follow-on investment from Treeo VC in 2027
- No program. Just capital, road maps and conviction.
Submission deadlines:
- First window: May 30, 2026
- Second window: August 31, 2026
- Third window: November 30, 2026
Who should apply:
- College and graduate students
- Recent graduates (last five years)
- Dropouts who left school to build
- Building in AI, machine learning, deep tech, or frontier technology
- Aligned with Treeo VC’s thesis: AI-native, B2B-focused, with global ambition
- Willing to be based in and focus on the U.S. market
Designed for founders who crossed borders to build. Signal is your first yes.
Signal is not an accelerator. It's not a program. It's a check.
$30,000 for 1 – 3% equity based on stage – written to 10 founders building in AI and deep tech who are too early for most investors but too good to ignore.
Students, recent grads, and dropouts who have something to show and the drive to keep going.
Why “Signal”? Because a first check isn’t just money. It’s a signal to the market – to future investors, to potential co-founders, to customers – that someone looked at what you’re building and said yes.
We’re not asking for revenue. We’re not asking for traction. We’re asking: what are you building, why does it matter, and why are you the one to build it?
I'm ready. Back me.
