Funding Criteria

A rising tide. Built for maritime.

Maritime is capital-intensive, regulated, and unforgiving. So the Coast Guard Growth Fund writes meaningful checks — $50K to $15M — and pairs every dollar with stewardship: a senior operator mentor, quarterly operating reviews, and a structured track to raise founders up the same way the Academy did. Our purpose is simple: be the tide that raises every boat.

Start an application How the Fund works

Who is eligible

Graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy (New London). Verified via diploma, transcript, or Academy alumni confirmation. OCS, enlisted, and reservist pathways are not eligible for this fund.
Business operates in the maritime industry — vessels and propulsion, shipyards and repair, ports and terminals, marine electronics and software, commercial fishing and aquaculture, offshore energy, marine logistics and shipping, marine services, or maritime safety and training.
Founder or co-founder holding at least 20% of the company at the time of application.
US-incorporated entity (LLC, C-Corp, or S-Corp) in good standing. Pre-revenue is welcome.
Honorable or general (under honorable) discharge from active or reserve service.
Willing to complete a 12-month mentorship with an assigned operator from the mentor corps.

What we won't fund

Founders who did not graduate from the Coast Guard Academy — including OCS, direct-commission, enlisted-only, and reservist-only pathways. A separate Veteran track is in development.
Businesses outside the maritime industry — including general SaaS, consumer apps, retail, hospitality, and real estate that lack a direct maritime nexus.
Passive real estate flips, MLMs, payday lending, gambling, and adult entertainment.
Companies with active SEC, FINRA, or state securities enforcement actions.
Founders with a pending sustained UCMJ adverse finding involving fraud or financial misconduct.
Businesses where the Academy graduate is a name-only founder without operational role.

Funding tiers

Watchstander

$50K – $250K

Grant + contribution-in-kind, paired with a senior operator mentor

Validate the maritime opportunity, build the prototype, secure first letters of intent, make the first two key hires.

Stewardship

Weekly mentor check-ins, monthly milestone review, and a quarterly board-style readout to the Fund.

Rolling, 30-day decision. Monthly stewardship reviews for 12 months.

Cutter

$250K – $1.5M

SAFE — $3M cap, 20% discount, with assigned mentor and quarterly operating review

Launch into the maritime market — vessel, yard, or fleet pilots, first paid contracts, regulatory clearance, and operating team build-out.

Stewardship

Assigned lead mentor, a finance/ops coach, and a quarterly Investment Committee operating review with KPI targets.

Quarterly cohort, 60-day decision. Quarterly operating reviews for 24 months.

Sector

$1.5M – $5M

Priced round or convertible note, board seat, co-investment from Fund LPs

Scale a proven maritime playbook — multi-port expansion, fleet build, manufacturing capacity, key executive hires.

Stewardship

Board seat from the Fund, named executive coach, semiannual strategy offsite, and direct access to the Fund's LP and customer network.

Quarterly cohort, 90-day decision and full IC vote.

Flotilla

$5M – $15M

Lead or co-lead priced round, board seat, syndicate of mission-aligned capital

Category-defining maritime build-outs — shipyard expansion, fleet electrification, national service platforms.

Stewardship

Board seat, executive chair pairing, quarterly operating reviews, and a dedicated Fund partner embedded with the founder for the first 18 months.

Annual flagship selection, full diligence with maritime experts, IC + LP advisory vote.

Review process

01
Eligibility check
Submit Academy diploma or alumni verification, a maritime-industry brief describing where your business sits in the value chain, cap table summary, and a 90-second founder video. Pass/fail in 5 business days.
02
Application packet
Business plan or deck, 3-year financial model, customer evidence, founder background, and intended use of funds.
03
Mentor diligence
Two operators from the mentor corps interview the founder, validate market and unit economics, and write a recommendation.
04
Investment Committee
IC reviews diligence, sets tier and terms, and approves the public crowdfunding round or direct allocation.
05
Launch & mentorship
Round goes live on Semper Founders. On close, founder is paired with a mentor for 12 months of structured guidance.

How we evaluate

Founder: Service record, grit, coachability, domain credibility.
Market: Real pull, clear buyer, defensible wedge.
Model: Believable unit economics within 18 months.
Use of funds: Specific milestones tied to each dollar.
Mission fit: Hires veterans, serves the maritime community, or strengthens national resilience.

Investment offerings are made through registered intermediaries. Crowdfunded investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk, including loss of principal. Eligibility and terms above are summarized for clarity and do not constitute an offer to sell securities.