Gen 1 Capital

Gen 1 Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on deep tech innovations, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The firm invests in transformative technologies and disruptive products across diverse sectors, including artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, and health tech. With a mission to support original and groundbreaking ideas, Gen 1 Capital prioritizes companies that are working on complex solutions in industries like autonomous transportation, IoT, and digital automation. The firm takes a founder-first approach, seeking visionary entrepreneurs who demonstrate resilience, integrity, and a commitment to long-term impact. Gen 1 Capital is particularly interested in technologies that can revolutionize the future of work, education, health, and environmental sustainability. The firm has backed notable companies like Zippedi, a retail-focused computer vision platform, Skyryse, an autonomous aerial transportation company, and Deako, a smart home IoT platform​. Gen 1’s strategy includes leveraging strong partnerships with universities and corporate players to help founders incubate and commercialize their technologies. They place a strong emphasis on collaboration, aiming to be deeply involved in their portfolio companies' journeys, offering not just capital but also strategic advice, technical expertise, and access to their extensive network​.