Startup Valuation Benchmarks by Stage
Written by Harry Prabandham
Curated by Rubric Financial
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Pre-Seed and Seed Valuations
- [Source: Carta State of Private Markets, PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor]
- Pre-seed median post-money cap: $6M-$10M (2024-2026), with a range of $3M-$15M depending on market, team, and sector
- Seed median post-money valuation: $12M-$20M, with the wide range driven by traction, sector (AI/biotech command premiums), and competitive dynamics
- The gap between median and top-quartile valuations has widened significantly. Strong companies raise at 2-3x the median
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About the author
Harry PrabandhamFounder & CEO
Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.
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