The pre-seed slog is brutal—you need conviction capital 💸, fast feedback ⚡, and introductions that actually close deals 🤝. Funding tourists ghost; brand-name funds move slow. Enter Matthew Murphy, the solo GP behind M Social Capital and investing partner at Presidio Ventures. With 77 early-stage bets—including Pipe, Rippling, Alloy, and Modern Treasury—Murphy prioritizes founders at the napkin stage 📝 and sticks around through Series B follow-ons. If you’re building B2B software, fintech, or a marketplace, understanding his playbook could shave months off your raise 🚀.
Who Is Matthew Murphy and Why Founders Listen
Before launching M Social Capital, Matthew Murphy earned his stripes as both a founder-focused investor and a strategic operator. He brings a rare mix of early-stage hustle and corporate polish to the cap table. Founders respect him because he listens deeply, moves quickly, and backs his conviction with real support—not just capital.
• 📈 77 investments across M Social Capital, Presidio Ventures, and personal checks
• 💰 $50k-$250k first checks and “significant” follow-on reserves
• 🦄 Early investor in two unicorns (Pipe, Rippling) before $1 B valuations
• 🤝 Board-observer seats at Column Tax, Gable, Keeper Tax—hands-on, not hands-wavy
• 🧠 Finance pedigree—Deutsche Bank IB → Presidio Ventures partner → solo GP—gives him corporate and scrappy POVs
One-liner: Matthew Murphy is the go-to early-stage ally when you need fintech-savvy capital plus Fortune 500 signal.
Matthew Murphy’s Thesis — “Infrastructure First, Hype Later”
Murphy doesn’t chase shiny trends ✨—he funds what lasts. His thesis is rooted in the belief that real value lies in infrastructure 🏗️ that powers massive ecosystems, not just the apps that ride on top. He opens with a laser-focused thesis 🎯, then backs it with repeatable pillars.
Core pillars
• 🖥️ B2B Software Dominance—mission-critical tools with clear ROI.
• 💳 Fintech Rails—startups embedding payments, credit, or treasury into other products.
• 🌐 Network-Effect Marketplaces—supply-demand dynamics that compound over time.
• 🔌 API Economy—developer-first abstractions that become default plumbing.
• 🌍 Global-Ready DNA—products that can localize quickly, even if HQ is in the U.S.
Takeaway: If your deck screams “invisible infrastructure powering trillion-dollar flows,” you’re preaching to Matthew Murphy’s choir.
Angel Deal Terms at a Glance — Matthew Murphy’s Sweet Spot
Murphy meets founders where they are—early, messy, and moving fast. He writes flexible checks designed for speed, but doesn’t skimp on support or follow-ons. Murphy keeps term sheets founder-friendly yet meaningful.
| Stage | Typical Check | Sectors | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Seed | $50k – $150k SAFE | B2B software & fintech MVPs | U.S. (SF, NYC, LA) |
| Seed | $150k – $250k SAFE/Note | Marketplaces & API platforms | North America-first, open to global |
| Follow-On | Up to pro-rata through Series B | Existing portfolio only | Wherever company scales |
Takeaway: Expect a ~$175k SAFE at pre-seed with pro-rata love till Series B—speed now, depth later.
What Matthew Murphy Looks For (Beyond the Hype)
Murphy filters for founders who match his infrastructure-first mindset 🏗️. He’s not hunting for hype; he’s looking for the type of clarity, grit, and insight 💡 that signals long-term category ownership. If you’ve put in the work and can articulate the why, what, and how—this is your shot to impress 🎯.
• 🔍 Founder-Market Fit—years in trenches, not months on a notion.
• 🧠 Crystallized Insight—one counter-intuitive truth you can prove with early users.
• 💵 Clear Monetization Path—ROI math the CFO will love within 18 months.
• 🔐 Technical Moat—API depth, data advantage, or regulated licenses competitors must acquire.
• 🎯 Recruiting Magnetism—can you convince A-players away from FAANG?
Inside Matthew Murphy’s Portfolio
Murphy’s picks show pattern recognition more than luck.
| Company | Sector | Round | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pipe | Fintech | Seed | Turned recurring revenue into tradable asset—pure fintech rails. |
| Alloy | B2B SaaS | Seed | KYC/AML APIs—mission-critical compliance infrastructure. |
| Modern Treasury | Fintech | Seed | Payment ops plumbing for enterprises—API economy bet. |
| Arc Technologies | Marketplace/Fintech | Seed | Non-dilutive capital marketplace—network effects + fintech. |
| Rippling (Presidio) | B2B SaaS | Series A | Multi-product HR/IT platform—sticky infrastructure. |
Takeaway: Murphy funds the boring-but-vital layers that make flashy apps possible.
Cold Outreach Playbook: Stand Out in Matthew Murphy’s Inbox
Subject: “$420k ARR API Fintech Solving Treasury Pain—YC W24”
• ⚡ One-sentence hook: “We turn corporate treasury ops from 10 days → 10 minutes.”
• 🤝 Social proof: “Backed by former Stripe, Intuit execs; piloting with 3 Fortune 500 clients.”
• 📩 Ask: “Seeking a $150k SAFE within a $2 M pre-seed; Murphy’s fintech depth would be game-changing.”
• 📈 Teaser metric: “Already moving $12 M in monthly volume after 60 days.”
• 📅 CTA: “Can I send a 3-slide brief or book 20 min next week PST?”
Skip the fluff—data, fit with his thesis, and a warm intro forward crush cold walls.
Life After the Wire: What Founders Actually Get
The real relationship starts after the check clears. Murphy isn’t just a line on your cap table—he’s an active ally who opens doors, solves problems, and gets in the weeds when it counts. If you want an investor who’ll help accelerate your hiring, enterprise traction, and boardroom confidence, here’s what working with him looks like:
• 👥 Recruiting help—intro’d first backend engineer to Column Tax within two weeks.
• 🌏 Customer corridors—Presidio’s Sumitomo network opens enterprise doors in Asia.
• 📲 Board-quality feedback—fast text replies, monthly deep-dives if you want them.
• 🔁 Follow-on firepower—reserves to at least Series B plus intros to a16z, GC, Sequoia.
Anecdote: Column Tax’s CEO tweeted that “Matt’s intro to our first compliance lead shaved three months off launch.” (source: public Twitter thread, 2023)
Red Flags That Make Matthew Murphy Ghost Your Round
Even great startups can get ghosted if they signal the wrong things. Murphy doesn’t waste time on fuzzy pitches, messy cap tables, or teams without a solid foundation.
Some founders get silence; here’s why.
• 🚫 “We’ll figure out pricing later.” No revenue model, no Murphy.
• 🛑 Unwilling to grant info rights—he needs data to help you.
• 📉 Vanity metrics over user love—DAU/MAU without dollar context.
• 🧑💻 No technical co-founder in a software-infrastructure play.
• 🧾 Unprepared cap table—stacked SAFEs at wild caps scare follow-ons.
• 📤 Spray-and-pray fundraising—cold BCC to 50 investors shows lack of strategy.
Takeaway: Signal seriousness, clarity, and a clean structure or expect radio silence.
Final Thoughts: Matthew Murphy as Your Infrastructure Co-Pilot 🏎
Matthew Murphy blends the speed of an angel ⚡ with the stamina of a corporate VC 🏢. His $50k-$250k first check comes uncluttered, but the real value is the compounding support—recruiting pipelines, Fortune 500 channels 🌍, and later-stage introductions. If your startup’s core story is infrastructure that quietly powers billions in flows, few investors will grok it faster.
Approach him with a warm intro, a crystal-clear monetization path 💸, and readiness to engage. Nail those, and you’ll have a responsive partner who texts back at midnight and still shows up with pro-rata at Series B. For founders building the rails beneath tomorrow’s economy, Matthew Murphy is the co-pilot you want in your cockpit. ✈️
