Ben Tossell
About Ben Tossell
Ben Tossell is based in London. He was previously Community Lead at Product Hunt. In 2019 he founded Makerpad, a no-code education platform. Zapier acquired it in March 2021.
In October 2022 he started Ben's Bites, a daily AI newsletter. His Substack profile lists more than 171K subscribers. The Ben's Bites team page says he also invests in AI companies through Ben's Bites Fund. His GitHub profile lists him as a former Sequoia and a16z scout. One profile site reports that he joined Factory.ai as Head of Developer Relations in September 2025, after investing in the company in 2023.
Tossell began with small checks on AngelList and Republic. In October 2020 he launched Makerpad Fund, a rolling fund for early-stage no-code and low-code companies, according to a Sacra interview. NFX Signal lists him as General Partner of Ben Tossell's Rolling Fund. Crunchbase shows 15 personal investments, including Typedream, Obviously AI, Adalo and Wrangle in 2021 and 2022. Its most recent listing is the Escargot seed round, dated February 2026.
His recent AI-related rounds include Sauna by Wordware (November 2024), plus Comp AI, Resolvd AI, Harmony and Anything (all 2025). In July 2026 he joined the $4.5M Pilot Protocol seed round. Version One Ventures led it, with Precursor Ventures, Night Capital, Todd & Rahul Capital and fellow angel Lenny Rachitsky. Pilot Protocol is building a network layer where AI agents can discover, trust and pay each other.
Public databases list him mainly at pre-seed and seed. His fund started in no-code and low-code and now covers AI tools for builders. His own site says he invests in tools for builders.
Check size is not stated in one place. NFX Signal lists a range of $10K to $100K with a $50K sweet spot. His site mentions "100k cheques". Other sites give different figures, so ask him directly.
- Supabase: open-source backend platform, listed on his site and in the Sacra interview, backed through Makerpad Fund.
- Factory: AI coding agent company, listed on his site. One profile says he invested in 2023.
- Etched: listed on his personal site.
- SF Compute: listed on his personal site.
- Anthropic: listed on his personal site.
- Earendil (Pi): listed on his personal site.
- Pilot Protocol: network layer for AI agents, $4.5M seed announced July 2026.
- Comp AI: pre-seed round, 2025 (Crunchbase).
- Resolvd AI: pre-seed round, August 2025 (CB Insights).
Investing activity
Ben Tossell appears in 1 AI deal tracked by the Lounge deals desk. The rounds are mostly Seed, with a median round size of $5M. The most recent is Pilot Protocol (Seed, $4.5M, Jul 2026).
Ben Tossell most often invests alongside Version One Ventures, The Todd & Rahul Angel Fund, Night Capital and Todd & Rahul Capital, and the companies they back on Lounge are mostly in AI.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Ben Tossell
Does Ben Tossell invest in AI startups?
Yes. He invests in AI companies through Ben's Bites Fund. In July 2026 he joined the Pilot Protocol seed round, and Crunchbase lists several 2025 AI rounds.
What is Ben Tossell's check size?
It is not published in one place. NFX Signal lists $10K to $100K with a $50K sweet spot, and his site mentions "100k cheques". Confirm with him before pitching.
What stage does Ben Tossell invest in?
Public databases list pre-seed and seed, with an occasional later round such as the Adalo Series A in 2021.
What companies has Ben Tossell built?
He founded Makerpad, which Zapier acquired in 2021, and Ben's Bites, a daily AI newsletter he started in October 2022.
Did Ben Tossell invest in Pilot Protocol?
Yes. Press releases name him as an angel in Pilot Protocol's $4.5M seed round, announced July 27, 2026 and led by Version One Ventures.
How can founders reach Ben Tossell?
He is on X as @bentossell and on LinkedIn. His personal site is bentossell.com.
Is Ben Tossell an angel investor?
Yes. Ben Tossell invests personally as an angel.
What AI companies has Ben Tossell invested in?
Ben Tossell's AI investments include Pilot Protocol. The 1 round on Lounge are listed on this page with amounts, dates and co-investors.
What stage does Ben Tossell invest at?
In the rounds tracked on Lounge, Ben Tossell has invested at Seed, with a median round of $5M.
Who does Ben Tossell co-invest with?
Ben Tossell's most frequent co-investors on Lounge are Version One Ventures (1 deal), The Todd & Rahul Angel Fund (1 deal), Night Capital (1 deal), Todd & Rahul Capital (1 deal) and Lenny Rachitsky (1 deal).