Mode VC
California

Picks and Shovels

Picks and Shovels is a California-based generalist investor backing infrastructure and developer tools startups at Pre-Seed and Seed stages, with checks of $25k to $100k, typically following other investors.

Website
Entry stagePre-seed, Seed
Check size$25K to $100K
Leads roundsMostly follows
FocusGeneralist
Latest fundn/a
Investing team1 peopleNo activity since Sep

Who you would pitch at Picks and Shovels

1 person on the investing team, 1 of them partners who can make the call. Partners are listed first.

Josh SchlissermanGeneral PartnerHe also serves as the chief of staff at Series.

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Writes $25K to $100K checks. Its smallest check is larger than 1% of firms in the atlas.

Bars: how many firms in the atlas report each band. Highlighted: this firm.

No recent activity since September 2026. Quiet does not mean closed.

Weekly count of activity updates. Activity is not a confirmed deal.

Notable investments

AnonCedarConcreteIon ProtocolMorph AIOlympixSkipSlingshotSwitchboardVaporware

In their words

Picks and ShovelsInvesting in non-consensus companies before they become consensus.www.picksandshovelsvc.com
Founders and investors at a Mode VC gathering

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Raising a pre-seed or seed round? We write $1M to $5M first checks and help founders with distribution. A partner reads every deck.

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Alert me when Picks and Shovels is active

One email when this firm shows new activity. Nothing else.

Firms like Picks and Shovels

Rabbit Ventures$25K to $250K
Blue Moon$100K to $250K
Credibly Neutral$25K to $250K
Firestreak Ventures$25K to $250K
Hustle Fund$25K to $100K · active Oct 1
OneSixOne Ventures$25K to $250K

On these lists

Seed dev tools and infra investors in California85Pre-seed dev tools and infra investors in California56Seed investors in United States2836Pre-seed investors in United States1561Seed investors in California699Pre-seed investors in California434Seed dev tools and infra investors162Pre-seed dev tools and infra investors108

Questions

What stage does Picks and Shovels invest in?

Picks and Shovels reports entry at pre-seed, seed.

How much does Picks and Shovels invest?

Picks and Shovels reports checks of $25K to $100K.

Does Picks and Shovels lead rounds?

Picks and Shovels mostly follows other investors.

Who are the partners at Picks and Shovels?

Josh Schlisserman (General Partner).

Is Picks and Shovels active right now?

No recent activity since September 2026.

Work at Picks and Shovels? Claim or correct this profile.