The fund for consumer AI and Web3 founders at Network School.
Curious is the pre-seed fund backing founders building the next generation of consumer apps at the Ârc × Network School accelerator. We live inside the programme, beside the builders. We write the first check when it matters.
The consumer internet is forking.
Software that does
AI is moving from copilots to autopilots. We back verticalised, full-stack apps that own the end-to-end workflow.
The agent economy
AI is re-pricing human time. We back micro-earning platforms where humans and agents transact together.
Distribution, not infrastructure
Web3 infra already exists. We don't fund another chain or another wallet. We fund the consumer apps that ride on what's already there.
More important than any of the above: you. Thesis is a starting point, not a filter. Exceptional founders beat perfect thesis fit every time.
Curious will fund these ideas today. Why not you?
A different way to fund founders.
Most pre-seed investors meet you once, do a call, maybe take a second meeting, and decide. We don't. Curious lives inside Ârc at Network School — beside the builders, every day, for as long as they're here.
We see the work
We watch founders ship, iterate, and talk to users in real time. The pitch deck is a summary, not a performance.
We're your first partner
The first check matters more than any other. It names your company's trajectory. When the next round comes, we're already in the trenches with you.
We back dark talent
Not everyone at Network School is ready for institutional capital on day one. We back the founders the market hasn't priced yet.
Ârc at Network School. The programme Curious backs.
Community
Live and work alongside the ambitious people already building at NS. Every part of the frontier represented.
Co-founders and teams
Arriving solo is not a problem. The density of capable builders at NS makes the hire that would take a year somewhere else take a week.
Scholarships
When we want to invest but aren't quite ready, a scholarship bridges the gap. Covered residency at NS, rolling month by month.
A continuous programme. Arrive when you're ready.
An offer from Ârc is an invitation, not a free ride. Ship something once you're here, make progress we can point to, and the scholarship — and the first check — follow.
One accelerator. Two funds. Shared programming.
Operators, not observers.
Ashish Sood
Operator during the Fintech and BNPL boom. Five years in Web3 at Polytrade. Previously: J.P. Morgan, PayU, PaySense, Mastercard.
James of Ârc
Brings the on-ground view of who's shipping, who's serious, and who's ready to raise at Network School.
Ready to build?
Apply to the accelerator at Ârc × Network School. We read every application. If you're the right fit, Ârc will be in touch within ten days — and Curious will be waiting when you arrive.
Co-investors and ecosystem.
We're actively speaking with co-investors and ecosystem partners who want exposure to the talent coming through Network School. If that's you, get in touch.
Get in touch →