Fools, the friends, family and fools round.
Raise your first round from the people who already believe in you.
Small checks from early believers, made legal and legible, for founders without a wealthy network. Honest about the risk, by design.
For founders
Run the round yourself.
Your pitch in your own words, your contacts and follow-ups, your timeline and filings checklist. Fools drafts nothing and sends nothing for you.
For backers
Back people you believe in.
Watch pitches in a neutral screening room, read the risks before anything else, and hold everything you back in one place.
What is live today
- Now
- The founder workspace. A pilot founder is running a Reg CF round with it today, on a licensed funding portal.
- Next
- Partner rails. We requested API access from a licensed portal on Aug 31, 2026. When it lands, commitments made there appear in the workspace without the founder typing anything.
- Later
- Backing on Fools. The screening room, the risk register, the portfolio and the discussion channel are a preview with sample companies until our partner agreement and counsel review are complete. Fools is not currently offering securities.
How it works
- 01
The founder writes the pitch
Video, skin in the game, receipts, terms. In the founder's own words. Fools drafts nothing.
- 02
Backers watch in the screening room
Newest, closing soonest, alphabetical. No default order, by law and by choice.
- 03
Backing starts with the risks
One checkbox per statement. Your limit in one sentence. The cancellation window on screen the whole time.
- 04
Money moves through a licensed partner
Escrow, identity checks and filings run on a registered portal's rails. Fools never holds funds.
You'll probably never see this money again.
Most startups don't make it. A Crowd SAFE only pays if the company later raises a priced round or is acquired. Back people because you believe in them.
The pilot round
One pilot founder is running a round with the founder workspace now. Figures appear here as the round runs.