Key takeaways
- Founders usually announce a new round in a LinkedIn or X post, often before funding databases list it.
- AyeWatch can run a LinkedIn post search and an X search for funding phrases and alert you only on real announcements.
- A database such as Crunchbase is still the better tool for history, totals and exports; AyeWatch covers the alert.
The quickest way to find recently funded startups is to watch the place founders announce them: LinkedIn and X posts that say a company just raised, which often go up before any database lists the round. AyeWatch runs that search for you and sends each new announcement as an alert, with the founder's own words and a link to the post.
Why the founder's post comes first
A funding database is built after the news. Someone reads the announcement, enters the round, tags the investors and checks the amount. Founders do not wait for that. The CEO posts on LinkedIn, the company page shares it, and the lead investor writes a thread on X. If your work depends on timing, such as an intro to a team that just got budget or a call before a hiring plan fills up, that first post is the moment to catch.
Set up a funding search in AyeWatch
- In AyeWatch, create a monitor, pick LinkedIn and keep Post search.
- Type the phrases founders use, for example
"we raised" ("seed round" OR "series A"). Add a sector or a city to keep it narrow, like fintech or Berlin. - Under "Only alert me about", describe what counts in plain English, for example
startups announcing a new funding round. AI reads each new post and alerts you only on the ones that match, so job ads and reposts that merely mention a round stay out of your feed. - Save it. Matches land in your feed and as push notifications in the iOS and Android app. Paid plans can also send them to email, Slack, Discord or a webhook.
Then build the same search as an X monitor. X search accepts OR, minus words, from: and lang:, so you can drop giveaway spam or keep one language. Neither monitor needs your LinkedIn or X login, and on LinkedIn AyeWatch never sends messages or connection requests.
What lands in your feed
Each alert carries the post itself. Funding posts usually name the amount, the stage and the lead investor, so you often have what you need to decide whether to act. When several posts arrive at once, they come grouped in one alert with a link to each. What you will not get is a tidy record with every field filled in: AyeWatch reads announcements, it does not keep a funding database.
Who acts on a fresh round
| Reader | What to add to the search | What to do with the alert |
|---|---|---|
| Sales teams | Your target sector | Reach out while the new budget is being planned |
| Recruiters and job seekers | The word hiring | Contact the team before roles are posted widely |
| Investors and scouts | Your thesis area | See who raised, who led and who might come back for more |
| Founders | Your competitors' names | Know when a rival has new money to spend |
A new round tends to mean new hires and new spending, which is why so many teams treat it as their cue.
Where a database still earns its place
If you need history, totals or a list you can filter by investor and export, a funding database is the better tool. Crunchbase, for example, lists Free, Pro and Business plans as of November 2026. Its free account caps each search at 5 results and limits company activity alerts to one list, while Pro opens full search results and exports. Plenty of teams run both: the database for research, an alert for the day a round goes public. For the alert side, our recommendation is AyeWatch.
What it costs
You can try the funding search on the free preview without a card, then move to a paid plan from $9 a month. The AyeWatch pricing page lists every plan. Start with one sector and one city, read a week of alerts, and widen the search once you trust what comes through.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a list of recently funded startups?
Funding databases such as Crunchbase keep lists, but founders' LinkedIn and X posts usually come first. AyeWatch watches those posts and alerts you as each round is announced.
Do AyeWatch alerts include the amount and the investors?
The alert shows the post text, which usually names the amount and the lead investor. AyeWatch is not a funding database, so there are no structured fields or exports.
Can I narrow the search to one industry or country?
Yes. Add the sector or place to the search, or write it into the plain-English filter, for example fintech startups in Europe.