Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels)
Venture capitalSanta Monica Β· Pre-SeedβSeed Β· 1 people tracked
Investment thesis
Picks and Shovels is an operator-led investment firm focused on pre-seed and seed stage startups. Its thesis centers on companies that sell tools and infrastructure to other businesses β the 'picks and shovels' for those 'digging for gold' β rather than betting on the end markets themselves. This approach targets the enabling layer of emerging industries, backing founders building foundational products and platforms that others depend on.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team Β· 1 people
from the firm's website
Josh Schlisserman is a solo GP focusing on picks-and-shovels crypto/fintech infrastructure, writes $0β100k pre-seed/seed first-in checks pre-lead, is employee #1/Chief of Staff at Series, and obsessively studies VC.
What they invest in
from 4 of 33 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning Γ3Developer Tools Γ2Enterprise Software Γ2Digital Health Γ1Fintech Γ1Mental Health Γ1
Investments Β· 33 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathMultiplayer identity SDK for the internet
Anon builds agentic AI solutions that deploy AI agents from prototypes to production systems for SMBs and Fortune 500 companies.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise Software
Accessibility compliance platform (described as 'Drata for Accessibility')
Payments platform for digital assets (described as 'Melio for digital assets')
Protection of non-stable collateral in DeFi lending
AI for insurance accounting teams
3D IDE and design platform for professionals and teams
Helps top litigators find critical case data
Integrating the alcohol beverage supply chain
Security tooling for Web3 (described as 'Snyk for Web3')
Empowers business analysts to create their own data flows
B2B fintech fraud consortium leveraging ML
Enabling payment-based MEV in Cosmos blockchains (acquired by ICF)
Foundational data model for psychology
Building Ash develops a foundation model for psychology delivered through Ash, an AI application that provides mental health support to individuals.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthMental Health
Technical requirements for the modern industrial base
Error monitoring and incident response platform
Tools to make NFTs interactive and composable
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) invest at?
- Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels)'s typical check size?
- Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) typically writes checks of $100K β $100K.
- What sectors does Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) focus on?
- Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) focuses on Crypto & Web3, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, Developer Tools, Enterprise Software.
- Where is Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) located?
- Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) is headquartered in Santa Monica, US.
- Does Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) lead rounds?
- Picks and Shovels (Picks & Shovels) typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
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