Tier 1 VC validation
A B2B SaaS startup enters the MaxedS database when cited by a Tier 1 VC — a published list, ranking, or partner thesis we can point at. Public validation is the discovery leg. Then our algorithm ranks them.
What VC citation is — and isn't
It is a way in: a named, dated, public citation from one of the firms below. Every citation is attributed — “Cited by Bessemer (Cloud 100 ’26)” — never asserted in our voice.
It isn't a score. The F Score is built only from verified enterprise traction — meetings, pilots, paid contracts. VC vibes never touch the ranking. A VC-cited startup with zero traction outranks nothing.
Scope is deliberately narrow: B2B tech SaaS only. No consumer, no marketplaces, no exceptions.
The insight cloud
Where Tier 1 firms are placing public bets in B2B SaaS — their lists, their theses, their sectors. Sized by how often they publish.
The firms
Seventeen firms with dedicated enterprise / B2B SaaS practices and public, citable artifacts. If a firm isn't here, its citation doesn't open the door.
India — the VCs we take seriously
A separate list for the India-origin hub. Same rules: B2B SaaS only, citation is the way in, our algorithm ranks. Their portfolios feed the India hub's base list.
Israel — the VCs we take seriously
Israel-origin hub. Same rules: B2B SaaS only, citation is the way in, our algorithm ranks.
France — the VCs we take seriously
France-origin hub. Same rules: B2B SaaS only, citation is the way in, our algorithm ranks.
Industry analysts we take seriously
Analyst recognition is a cited bonus signal in ranking — never a core input, never a substitute for verified traction. Every recognition we count names the report, year, category, and position, with a link. Sparse by nature (most startups never appear); capped so briefing budgets can't buy the leaderboard.
The artifacts
The actual citable sources. Each is named, dated, and attributable.
| Artifact | Published by | Cadence | What it measures |
|---|
How the pipeline works
Base list. Startups cited by Tier 1 VCs in the artifacts above enter the corpus — with the citation named and dated.
Eligibility gate. Active, standalone startups only. Bankrupt, acquired-and-absorbed, or product-line entities are flagged or removed — a citation doesn't override the gate. Gate failures stay visible with the reason shown.
Rank them all. Everyone who clears the gates gets a rank, ordered within their shelf by score. The formula is published verbatim and version-pinned — same inputs, same rank, anyone can recompute it.
Present the Top 100. The public leaderboard shows the awarded cut per sector. But every startup sees its own full standing privately — where you stand, with the receipt, and exactly how to move up.
Corrections welcome. Spot a wrong citation, a dead company wearing a live badge, or a firm we missed? Tell us — the list is maintained in the open.
Building in the open: this page, the firm list, and the methodology evolve with the product. Last updated October 2026. Nothing here is investment advice and nothing here is a promise — it's how we decide what's worth ranking.