Blue Bear Ventures

Blue Bear Ventures (BBV) is a venture capital firm focused on deep tech innovations emerging from top research institutions, especially within the University of California system. Founded in 2017, BBV backs startups at the frontier of science and technology, particularly in areas like AI, synthetic biology, energy, and gene therapy. They work closely with founders who are often scientists and engineers, helping translate cutting-edge research into scalable businesses. The firm builds on its roots in the CITRIS Foundry accelerator at UC Berkeley, where it has nurtured groundbreaking startups. BBV typically invests in early-stage companies, emphasizing the impact of technology on sectors such as healthcare, energy infrastructure, and materials science. Some of their portfolio companies include Ayar Labs (optical data transmission), Clarity (air quality monitoring), and Coreshell (battery nanotechnology)​. BBV is committed to supporting deep tech entrepreneurs through a combination of financial investment and hands-on guidance, fostering startups that aim to solve global challenges.