Notation

Notation began with a conviction that technical founders building new products needed a committed investor from the very start, not only after a business had taken shape. Founded in 2015 by Alex Lines and Nicholas Chirls, Notation describes itself as New York City's first dedicated pre-seed fund. Based in Brooklyn, the firm works with product-obsessed teams from the earliest stages, sometimes when a company is still an idea, and typically leads a startup's first financing round.

Notation's approach is intentionally not tied to a single investment thesis: it seeks founders creating fundamentally new customer experiences and invests across changing areas of interest. The firm presents itself as a community as well as an investor, connecting portfolio founders with its advisors, limited partners, and broader network. Its portfolio spans areas including infrastructure, developer tools, blockchain, healthcare, logistics, climate, and financial services. Alongside investing, Notation publishes writing and produces Origins, a podcast exploring the limited partners and institutions that invest in venture capital funds.