SAIC Venture Capital (SAIC Capital)

SAIC Venture Capital (SAIC Capital) is the Silicon Valley-based corporate venture capital arm of SAIC Motor, China's largest automaker. Founded in 2014 and headquartered on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, California, the firm invests in early- and growth-stage US and global startups whose technology aligns with SAIC Motor's vision of intelligent, connected and sustainable mobility. Core investment themes include alternative and clean energy, lightweight and durable materials, human-machine interaction, autonomous driving, connected vehicles and IoT, fuel and powertrain technologies and big data. Typical check sizes range from $1 million to $20 million, with a historical focus on Series A rounds in US-based companies. Across 53 disclosed investments, the portfolio has produced 3 unicorns, 7 IPOs and 10 acquisitions. Standout portfolio names include Circle (financial services), Via (autonomous transit software, listed on NYSE at approximately $3.47 billion market cap) and GrubMarket (agri-tech commerce, first backed in the October 2020 Series D). The firm struck a formal innovation partnership with Plug and Play in December 2017. Recent investment activity includes Xage Security in December 2025 (the most recently disclosed deal), Energi Selalu Baru as a first-time investment in 2024, and a follow-on into AM Batteries. SAIC Venture Capital functions as a strategic financial investor that connects portfolio companies with SAIC Motor's global automotive and mobility ecosystem -- including manufacturing scale, distribution networks and OEM partnerships spanning China, Europe and the Americas. This platform access is a meaningful advantage for mobility, energy and autonomous technology startups that require commercial validation from a tier-one automaker to accelerate market entry.