Introduction
Earlyfollow tracks new AI startups that VCs follow on X.
What is Earlyfollow?
Earlyfollow is an AI startup tracker that watches public X follows from 500+ venture capitalists, angels, founders, and operators. It surfaces new AI startups when those tracked accounts start following them, and it records who followed and the day the signal was first spotted. The product solves a simple research problem: by the time a startup appears in newsletters, launch lists, or funding announcements, many people may already have seen it. Earlyfollow aims to show attention earlier, using public follows as a lead rather than as a prediction. The free new AI startups list is updated daily but delayed 14 days; Pro users see live signals, full follower lists, custom watched accounts, exports, and API access. It suits investors, scouts, founders, and developers who want an evidence-based view of AI startups to watch.
Key Features of Earlyfollow
Daily Tracking of X Follows
Earlyfollow checks 537 tracked X accounts once a day and lists new AI startups that those accounts start following. Each startup signal links to public follow activity, so users can review the source instead of relying on an opaque score.
Evidence Behind Every Signal
Every entry shows the company, a one-line description, tracked follow count, first spotted date, and similar startups. Company pages list the first three follower names, while full follower lists are available on Pro.
Company Pages with Context
Open a company page to view its follow timeline, followers, and related companies in the same sector. These pages help users compare AI startups to watch without switching between multiple tabs or spreadsheets.
Custom Watched Accounts on Pro
Pro users can add up to 100 X accounts they care about and see those accounts’ new follows after the next daily check. This supports a more personal investor follows workflow for funds, scouts, and operators.
CSV Export, API, MCP, and CLI
Export startup signals to CSV for a CRM, or pull them into scripts and AI agents through the HTTP API, MCP, or CLI. The Pro plan includes 10,000 calls a month, making the AI startup tracker usable inside research and data workflows.
Free Browsing and Weekly Email
Anyone can browse the new AI startups list and company pages without signing up. A free account adds a weekly email with the ten most-followed startups, while the public list remains 14 days behind live signals.
Use Cases for Earlyfollow
VCs and Angel Investors
Investors can scan new AI startups before announcements and use public VC follows as a starting point for deeper research. The platform does not predict fundraising, but it can help surface companies that respected accounts are paying attention to.
Scouts and Analysts
Scouts can bring partners a company name with evidence attached: who followed it, when it was spotted, and which similar startups sit nearby. This adds context to an investor follows signal and reduces manual list-building.
Founders and Operators
Founders can monitor which teams in their space are getting attention from tracked investors and operators. Operators can also study new AI startups to watch as part of market and competitor research.
AI Agent and Data Workflows
Developers can connect Earlyfollow to Claude Code, Codex, or custom scripts through MCP, CLI, or HTTP API. This lets an agent query startup signals, look up a company, or search a sector and return structured data for analysis.
How to Use Earlyfollow
- Visit Earlyfollow and browse the free new AI startups list. No sign-up is required to view company pages and basic signal details.
- Open a company to review its description, tracked follow count, first spotted date, follower names, and similar startups.
- Create a free account if a weekly email with the ten most-followed startups is useful for ongoing research.
- Upgrade to Pro for live signals, full follower lists, daily emails, custom watched X accounts, CSV export, and API access.
- For agent workflows, connect over MCP or use the CLI and HTTP API to pull structured startup signals into existing tools.
Target Audience for Earlyfollow
- Venture capital partners, angel investors, and investment scouts
- Startup founders and operators tracking early-stage AI attention
- Market researchers and analysts who follow AI startup signals
- Developers and data teams building agent or API-based research workflows
- Users who want a free new AI startups list without a sign-up
Is Earlyfollow Free?
Earlyfollow offers free browsing and a paid Pro plan. The free list is delayed 14 days. Pricing is shown below based on the product information available.
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Browse the new AI startups list and company pages without sign-up; free account adds a weekly email with the ten most-followed startups |
| Pro | $99/month or $950.40/year | Live signals, full follower lists, up to 100 custom watched X accounts, daily emails, CSV export, API/MCP/CLI access, and 10,000 API calls per month |
Earlyfollow's Pros and Cons
| Aspect | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Data source | Signals are traced to public X follows with who followed and when it was spotted | Only tracks a selected set of 537 X accounts, not the entire market |
| Freshness | Pro shows new AI startups as soon as they are spotted, with daily checks | The free list is delayed 14 days |
| Research workflow | Company pages include timelines, followers, and similar startups | Full follower lists and custom watched accounts require Pro |
| Integration | CSV export, API, MCP, and CLI support agent and data workflows | API access is tied to the Pro plan |
| Scope | Focuses only on AI companies and excludes several categories | A follow is attention, not proof of fundraising or investment advice |
Frequently Asked Questions about Earlyfollow
Where does Earlyfollow get its new AI startups data?
Earlyfollow uses public follows on X. It tracks 537 accounts, mostly VC partners and angels at about 200 firms, plus some founders and researchers. It does not use private messages, protected accounts, or LinkedIn.
Does a follow mean a startup is about to raise?
No. A follow means that a tracked investor or operator is paying attention. It should be used as a lead for research, not as a prediction or investment advice.
How current are the startup signals?
Pro users can see live signals as soon as Earlyfollow spots a new follow. The free new AI startups list is delayed 14 days, and every page shows when it was last updated.
Why do some companies show “Baseline” instead of a date?
A “Baseline” label means the company was already among an account’s latest follows when tracking began. Follows spotted after that receive a date.
Is Earlyfollow free?
Browsing is free and requires no sign-up. A free account adds a weekly email with the ten most-followed startups. Pro costs $99 per month or $950.40 per year and adds live signals, full follower lists, custom watched accounts, daily emails, CSV export, and API access.
Can users track their own X accounts?
Yes, on Pro. Users can add up to 100 X accounts, and new follows from those accounts appear in the dashboard after the next daily check.
Earlyfollow Tags
new AI startups, AI startup tracker, new AI startups list, AI startups to watch, VC follows, investor follows, startup signals, X follows, AI startup signals, early-stage AI companies, AI startup research, AI investment signals
