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§ Venture Capital · Vilnius, Lithuania
Venture capital fund and accelerator providing €100K-€500K pre-seed investments and hands-on support for Baltic tech startups.
FIRSTPICK is a venture capital fund and startup accelerator based in Vilnius, Lithuania, that provides first-check investments to inception and pre-seed stage technology startups across the Baltic region. The firm operates with a recently launched €25 million fund, following a prior €20 million vehicle, and writes initial checks ranging from €100,000 to €500,000 with follow-on capacity up to €1 million. Its investment strategy targets founders in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania building artificial intelligence, financial technology, deeptech, and consumer marketplace platforms, often backing talent without traditional credentials like FAANG experience. Since its launch, the firm has invested in 43 early-stage companies, including portfolio startups such as Samphire Neuroscience, which subsequently secured a $5 million seed funding round led by Inventure. FIRSTPICK was founded in 2022 by Managing Partner Dmitrij Sosunov and General Partner Andra Bagdonaitė.
Key people at FIRSTPICK.
Key people at FIRSTPICK.
FIRSTPICK is a high-speed venture capital fund and accelerator based in the Baltics that invests primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages. Its mission is to back ambitious founders and help grow startups from initial ideas to potentially €1 billion valuation companies. FIRSTPICK focuses on sectors including fintech, SaaS, deeptech, and consumer marketplaces, offering fast investment decisions typically ranging from €50K to €250K. Beyond capital, it provides hands-on support through pre-acceleration and acceleration programs, combining investment with knowledge sharing and a strong founder network to help startups scale globally[1][3][5].
Founded in 2022, FIRSTPICK emerged from a team with extensive experience supporting over 100 startup founders in early stages. Key partners include Jonė Vaitulevičiūtė, with a background in advising startups and managing VC funds; Marijus Andrijauskas, an entrepreneur and technologist with international experience; and Tadas Gudauskas, an acceleration expert with a background in investment consulting and economic development. The fund evolved to fill a gap in the Baltic startup ecosystem by providing rapid funding decisions and deep operational support, leveraging the founders’ prior experience and networks to accelerate startup growth[1][3][5].
FIRSTPICK rides the growing trend of early-stage tech investment in emerging European ecosystems, particularly the Baltics, which are gaining recognition for fintech, SaaS, and deeptech innovation. The timing is favorable due to increasing global interest in Baltic startups and supportive local government programs like Lithuania’s INVEGA fund. FIRSTPICK’s rapid investment pace and acceleration programs help startups capitalize on these market forces, fostering innovation and contributing to the maturation of the regional tech ecosystem. Its focus on impact technologies and fintech aligns with broader digital transformation trends worldwide[1][3][5].
Looking ahead, FIRSTPICK aims to continue scaling its portfolio companies toward unicorn status by deepening its acceleration programs and expanding its network. Trends such as increased digitalization, embedded finance, and deeptech breakthroughs will shape its investment focus. As the Baltic startup scene grows in prominence, FIRSTPICK’s influence is likely to expand beyond the region, positioning it as a key player in early-stage European venture capital. Its founder-first philosophy and fast decision-making model may set new standards for VC engagement in emerging markets[1][3][5].
FIRSTPICK has 10 tracked investments across 10 companies. The latest tracked deal is $3.0M Seed in WhiteBridge in March 2026.
