AI & Deep Tech VC Funds

Twenty Two VC, founded by Katherine Caldwell, is an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California. The firm specializes in investing in ambitious founders who are building innovative companies in sectors such as SaaS, fintech, open source, marketplaces, and developer tools. Twenty Two VC stands out by investing earlier than most other investors, often engaging with companies before they have publicly launched. The portfolio of Twenty Two VC includes notable companies like Airbyte, an open-source ELT platform, BuildBuddy, which provides enterprise features for the Bazel build system, and Whatnot, the largest livestream shopping platform in the U.S. Other significant investments include Cron, a next-generation calendar for professionals, and PostHog, an open-source product operating system platform​. The firm has made over 85 investments since its founding in 2017 and is known for its quick decision-making and efficient execution, which is highly valued by founders looking to focus on their work without lengthy fundraising processes. Twenty Two VC seeks out magnetic, tenacious, and adaptable founders who are not afraid of big ideas and are committed to shipping great products.

Twilight Venture Partners, LLC is a life-sciences venture capital firm founded in September 2002 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, investing exclusively in early-stage biotechnology and medical-technology companies. The firm is distinguished by an operator-led partnership: its team of around six partners are former executives from the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries, including founders of Guidant Corporation, who collectively bring more than 150 years of life-science experience and have worked together for over 25 years. Each partner has CEO-level experience, which they use both to select outstanding companies and to provide hands-on strategic guidance. Twilight backs companies developing precision peptide therapies, minimally invasive surgical devices and innovative diagnostics, primarily investing at the Series A stage in US-based startups while increasingly orienting its strategy toward opportunities in the Asian market, offering capital alongside a global network, generally as a co-investor. The firm is led by Managing Partner Aaron Pearson and Senior Managing Partner James M. Cornelius, and has raised multiple vehicles, Twilight Venture Partners I and II. Across roughly 21 investments it has produced one IPO and several acquisitions, with named portfolio companies including MBX Biosciences, Endocyte, BioStorage Technologies, NeoChord and NICO, whose exit came in September 2024. Specific fund sizes and cheque ranges are not publicly disclosed. By pairing deep operating experience from the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries with early-stage capital, Twilight Venture Partners backs founders developing therapeutics, surgical devices and diagnostics, increasingly bridging US innovation with Asian market opportunities.

Twin Path Ventures is a dynamic venture capital firm based in London, specializing in early-stage investments across deep-tech and AI-driven sectors. Founded in 2023, the firm focuses on backing visionary startups that are poised to disrupt industries such as healthcare, fintech, and enterprise software. Twin Path typically invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with an average ticket size of £500,000. They lead most of the rounds they participate in but also co-invest alongside other strategically aligned VCs. Their fund structure is designed to optimize tax efficiency, blending SEIS, EIS, and non-tax funds, which allows them to offer investors tax-free capital growth through a diverse portfolio of tech-driven businesses. Notable investments include Causa Tech, a leader in AI-driven productivity software, and FinCrime Dynamics, which focuses on advanced fraud detection and prevention software. Twin Path operates with a hands-on approach, providing strategic guidance and operational expertise to help portfolio companies navigate growth challenges. The team is led by General Partner John Spindler, a seasoned investor with deep roots in the UK venture ecosystem, including his previous role as CEO of Capital Enterprise and co-founder of the London Co-Investment Fund. Katie Lockwood and Nick Slater, both partners, bring complementary expertise in bioscience, intellectual property, and deep-tech startups, creating a robust support network for the companies they back. Twin Path Ventures is gaining recognition in the UK, recently being named a finalist for the 2023 Seed VC of the Year at the UKBAA Angel Investment Awards.

Twin Ventures is an AI-focused angel and pre-seed fund founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, that builds and fosters AI-first startups. The firm was created by brothers Swapnil and Snehal Shinde, who previously co-founded the AI travel assistant Mezi, where Swapnil was CEO and Snehal was Chief Product Officer and CTO, before its acquisition by American Express. Drawing on that operating background, Twin backs entrepreneurs building disruptive ventures that solve real-world problems and aim to define new markets and become category leaders through Applied AI, offering hands-on technical, product and operational expertise in areas such as natural language processing, neural networks, human-assisted AI, machine learning, personalization, AI analytics, chatbots and messaging. As an early-stage investor it typically writes cheques of around $100,000 with follow-on capacity of up to roughly $150,000, and it frequently partners and co-invests alongside larger venture firms in seed and Series A rounds. The firm has invested in approximately 19 companies across the United States, India and Israel, spanning enterprise applications, high tech, retail and other sectors. Its most notable investments include Flam, an AI-native mixed-reality and interactive-content platform whose $4.57 million seed round Twin co-led with Inventus Capital Partners, and Oddr, a legal-tech platform that raised a $2 million seed round led by Saama Capital and Twin Ventures in October 2022. By combining founder-operator experience with early AI conviction, Twin Ventures backs Applied-AI founders and co-invests alongside larger firms as their rounds come together.

Twine Ventures is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, founded in 2021 by Leshika Samarasinghe. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in sectors like healthcare, climate tech, and financial empowerment, aiming to support mission-driven founders whose work ties purpose and profit. Twine invests primarily at the seed and Series A stages, offering check sizes ranging from $100,000 to $1 million. Their portfolio includes companies like Waltz Health, Rupa Health, and Alpha Grid, with a focus on leveraging technology such as AI and data science to drive improvements in healthcare and sustainability. Additionally, Twine is committed to diversity, with a strong emphasis on investing in ventures led by women and BIPOC founders. Twine operates with a hands-on approach, providing more than just capital by supporting founders with go-to-market strategies and scaling their companies through competitive fundraising.

Two Sigma Ventures, established in 2012 and based in New York, is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments. The firm focuses on sectors such as artificial intelligence, data science, healthcare, biotechnology, and fintech. Notable investments include companies like Recursion Pharmaceuticals, GitLab, and Ripple. They have a portfolio of 113 companies and have achieved 25 successful exits. Two Sigma Ventures typically invests between $500,000 to $5 million, leveraging its expertise in data and technology from its parent company, Two Sigma Investments, to support innovative startups​.

Type One Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2019 and based in Malibu, California. The firm is deeply focused on investing in early-stage, seed, and Series A companies, specifically in sectors driving humanity toward technological advancement. These include space technology, robotics, AI, automation, and nanotechnology, with a mission inspired by the Kardashev Scale to help humanity progress toward a Type I civilization. Type One Ventures backs transformative companies such as Gravitics and Lunar Outpost, both leaders in space exploration and infrastructure. They also invest in groundbreaking ventures across diverse fields, including human longevity and the future of mobility. The firm typically takes a hands-on approach, offering not just capital but strategic guidance, leveraging a team of founders, operational experts, and technologists to support the long-term success of their portfolio. With investments ranging from space tech to human health and automation, Type One Ventures actively seeks visionary founders who are solving complex, high-impact problems. Their geographic focus is global, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, and they often co-invest with other major firms in the deep tech and space industries. Key members of the team include founding partner Tarek Waked and general partner Abdo John Hajj, both of whom drive the firm’s forward-looking investment strategy.

Tyson Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Tyson Foods, one of the world's largest food companies, established in December 2016 and based at the company's headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas. Operating through the legal entity Tyson New Ventures LLC, the fund was seeded with $150 million from Tyson Foods to back startups changing the food industry through food technology, emerging sources of protein and sustainable nutrition, and has since deployed more than $100 million across emerging proteins, food and worker-safety technologies and sustainable food production. The fund concentrates on three priority pillars, emerging and alternative proteins, technology enablers and sustainability, with managing director Reese Schroeder citing key innovation themes spanning alternative proteins, environmental impact, digital platforms, shelf-life extension, animal well-being, consumer-driven platforms, and AI, machine learning and automation, typically as a strategic co-investor. As a strategic investor, Tyson Ventures has made roughly 42 investments and built one of the more closely watched alternative-protein portfolios in corporate venturing. Those include early stakes in cell-based meat companies Memphis Meats, now UPSIDE Foods, and Future Meat Technologies, and an early position in plant-based pioneer Beyond Meat that it exited in 2019 ahead of Beyond's IPO. More recent activity includes investments in JLE Truckwash in 2024 and Athian in late 2025, and the firm runs an annual Tyson Demo Day pitch event to source promising food-system innovators. By pairing capital with the scale and supply chain of a global food company, Tyson Ventures backs the technologies reshaping protein, food and sustainability.

UB Ventures, rebranded FIRSTLIGHT Capital in November 2024, is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm founded in 2018 as the corporate venture arm of Uzabase, the Japanese business intelligence company behind the SPEEDA and NewsPicks platforms. The firm invests in early-stage software and IT companies from seed to Series A, concentrating on SaaS, professional services, artificial intelligence, IoT, media, the metaverse and broader digital transformation, with a particular thesis around startups tackling the challenges of Japan's depopulating, aging society and modernising legacy industries. Its geographic focus spans Japan and the United States, generally as a co-investor. UB Ventures launched its first vehicle, UBV Fund-I, in June 2018 dedicated to digital media and B2B/SaaS, growing it to roughly JPY 1.53 billion after a second close in early 2019 with backing from investors such as Dentsu, Fukuoka Bank, Sankei Digital, GMO VenturePartners, Ricoh, Tokyu Land and Uzabase. It subsequently raised a much larger second fund of JPY 10 billion, around $64 million, aimed at innovation for a depopulating society. The firm is led by founder and general partner Osamu Iwasawa and runs a compact team. Across its funds it has made roughly 79 investments, with notable portfolio companies including the spaced-repetition learning app Monoxer, fitness-SaaS provider OptFit and LobbyAI, reflecting a focus on business-productivity and vertical SaaS software. By pairing capital with Uzabase's business-intelligence expertise and a thesis tuned to Japan's demographic challenges, UB Ventures backs software founders modernising legacy industries.

Ubiquity Ventures is a Palo Alto-based seed-stage institutional venture capital firm founded in 2017 by Sunil Nagaraj, managing approximately $200 million across three funds. The firm invests in what it calls 'software beyond the screen,' startups applying software, machine learning and artificial intelligence to physical-world problems through sensors, hardware, robotics and connected devices that you can touch, hear and feel. Ubiquity follows a self-described 'nerdy and early' philosophy, backing technical founders at the very earliest stages, often pre-incorporation, and typically writing cheques in the $1 to 5 million range, leading or co-leading seed rounds. Before founding the firm, Nagaraj spent the better part of a decade at Bessemer Venture Partners, where he led the seed rounds of Auth0, acquired by Okta for $6.5 billion, and Zapier and made early investments in Rocket Lab and Twitch, acquired by Amazon for $1 billion; earlier he founded and ran Triangulate, a machine-learning-driven online dating startup. Ubiquity closed its debut fund of $30 million in 2018, raised $51 million for Fund II in 2020, and secured $75 million for Fund III in January 2024 under a 'disciplined deeptech' thesis. The portfolio spans roughly 42 companies including two unicorns, with notable names such as Diligent Robotics, Esper, Kinetic, BusRight, Camino, Caddi and Eyebot, concentrated in enterprise applications, industrial technology, robotics and sustainability. By backing technical founders applying software to the physical world at the earliest stages, Ubiquity Ventures leads and co-leads seed rounds in deep-tech and robotics companies.

The UCL Technology Fund (UCLTF) is a venture capital fund established in 2016 to commercialize cutting-edge research originating from University College London (UCL). Managed in partnership with AlbionVC and UCL Business, the fund focuses on investing in intellectual property arising from UCL's research in life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. UCLTF plays a pivotal role in taking groundbreaking technologies from early-stage proof of concept through to commercialization, either via licensing or by forming spinout companies. With an emphasis on life sciences, the fund supports pioneering projects in areas such as gene therapy, oncology, and advanced materials. Notable investments include Orchard Therapeutics, a spinout specializing in rare disease gene therapies, and Bloomsbury AI, which developed natural language processing technology before being acquired by Facebook in 2018. The fund's portfolio is diverse, encompassing companies tackling global challenges like clean energy through firms such as Carbon Re, which is focused on decarbonizing heavy industries​. The fund’s mission is not only to support UCL's world-class academic research but also to deliver societal impact and substantial commercial returns. The first fund has seen impressive successes, including two Nasdaq IPOs and raising over £1 billion in external funding across its portfolio. Recently, UCLTF closed its second fund at £100 million, further strengthening its ability to back high-impact innovations in biotech, healthcare, and AI.

Ufi Ventures is the United Kingdom's specialist early-stage investor in vocational technology (VocTech), digital tools that help adults gain the skills they need for work and help businesses improve performance by developing their workforce. It is the investment arm of Ufi VocTech Trust, a London-based charity dedicated to unlocking vocational learning with technology, and it has been investing since 2019. Distinctively, Ufi Ventures invests its own capital rather than that of external limited partners, allowing it to focus entirely on social impact alongside commercial sustainability. The fund draws on deep sector expertise and a network of educators, developers, employers, investors and policymakers to support portfolio companies, typically writing early-stage cheques of roughly £250k to £1m, historically from £75k, generally as a co-investor, backing companies that get adults learning and progressing in work, with an ambition to build a portfolio of around 20 active businesses. In November 2024 it launched a second vehicle, the Ufi Ventures Challenge Fund, aimed at early-stage companies using vocational technology to make a scalable impact on skills development for the transitioning economy. The team is led by Director of Ventures Helen Gironi, a long-time early-stage and impact investor formerly of Nesta Impact Investments, supported by an associate director, investment associate and venture partners. To date Ufi Ventures has made around 26 investments, with portfolio companies including CertChain, Gladys, Assemble You, Purlos and Learnerbly, and it co-publishes quarterly VocTech Market Reports with Tyton Partners. By investing its own charitable capital, Ufi Ventures backs the technologies that build the adult workforce's skills.

Ulu Ventures, based in Palo Alto, is a leading seed-stage venture capital firm with strong ties to Stanford and Silicon Valley. They focus on funding diverse entrepreneurial teams, particularly those led by women and minority founders. Ulu Ventures has made over 200 investments, with notable exits including Proterra, Taulia, and Blue River Technology​​. Their investment strategy is data-driven, aiming to reduce cognitive biases and systematically identify key drivers of risk and uncertainty. They invest in sectors such as enterprise IT, EdTech, FinTech, healthcare, and sustainability​ (Ulu Ventures)​. With an emphasis on diversity, 76% of their funded companies have diverse founders​​. The firm is co-founded by Miriam Rivera and Clint Korver, who bring extensive experience in entrepreneurship and venture capital. Ulu Ventures is recognized for its thoughtful and rigorous approach to venture funding, which has resulted in a portfolio that includes companies like Guild Education, Genesis Therapeutics, and Lex Machina​

Unbridled Ventures is a founder-focused early-stage venture capital fund based in Louisville, Kentucky. The firm is built around a group of accomplished entrepreneurs and angel investors who contribute both capital and hands-on operating expertise to help founders build and scale their companies, framing an investment as the beginning of a long-term partnership aimed at maximizing value for all stakeholders. Unbridled invests primarily at the seed and Series A stages, with typical cheques in the range of roughly $200,000 to $500,000, generally as a co-investor, and takes a generalist but technology-oriented approach across sectors including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data analytics and business intelligence, SaaS, fintech, ed-tech, ad-tech, enterprise software, information technology, healthcare and media and entertainment. The fund is led by general partners Darren King, who has also been involved in launching the related Kentucky Select Fund angel vehicle, and Vik Chadha, supported by a deep bench of Louisville- and Kentucky-based limited partners and angel investors. Operating a relatively concentrated portfolio, Unbridled emphasizes a deliberate process and clear investment criteria before deploying capital. Disclosed and reported portfolio companies include Backstitch, Tailwind Imaging, Automotus and Gun Interactive, reflecting the firm's focus on backing regional founders and emerging software and technology businesses. By combining capital with the operating experience of its entrepreneur-led partnership and a strong Kentucky angel network, Unbridled Ventures backs early-stage technology founders and supports them as long-term partners through their formative growth stages.

Uncommon Capital, founded in 2014, is a venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage investments from pre-seed to Series A rounds. The firm is based in San Francisco and has a strong emphasis on software companies, particularly in sectors like B2B SaaS, marketplaces, consumer non-social, developer tools, and fintech. Uncommon Capital has a diverse portfolio with notable investments in companies such as Razorpay, a leading payment processing solution provider; Talkdesk, a cloud-based contact center software; and Function of Beauty, an internet-first brand offering customized skincare and haircare products. The firm also boasts investments in emerging companies like Morf Health, a health tech startup, and Antares Industries, focusing on environmental technology. The firm is led by experienced partners, including Tikhon Bernstam, co-founder of Scribd and Parse, and Jamie Quint, a seasoned product growth practitioner who has consulted for companies like Twitch, Everlane, and Substack​. Uncommon Capital distinguishes itself by providing hands-on operational support to its portfolio companies, helping them with product development, data infrastructure, marketing strategies, and engineering hiring.

Uncork Capital -- founded in 2004 as SoftTech VC by Founding Partner Jeff Clavier and rebranded in 2017 -- is a prominent San Francisco Bay Area seed-stage venture capital firm widely regarded as one of the original institutional seed funds in Silicon Valley. The firm leads and co-leads seed rounds, typically investing $750,000 to $2 million with a target ownership of 10 to 15% at entry. Sector coverage spans SaaS, developer tooling, marketplaces, consumer services, fintech, space, and frontier technology. The leadership team is now led by Managing Partner Andy McLoughlin alongside partners Susan Liu, Tripp Jones, and Amy Saper, with Jeff Clavier continuing as Founding Partner. Uncork has grown across eight core funds and four breakout vehicles: early funds scaled from under $1 million to $15 million, $55 million, $85 million, and $100 million, followed by combined raises of $200 million and then $300 million in 2019 and $300 million again in May 2025 -- Uncork VIII at $225 million plus Uncork Plus IV at $75 million, aimed at backing roughly 35 new companies over three years. Across 260-plus investments the firm has produced 10 unicorns and major exits including Postmates (acquired by Uber in 2020), SendGrid (IPO 2017, acquired by Twilio in 2019), Eventbrite (IPO 2018), Poshmark (IPO 2021), and Fitbit. Active portfolio includes LaunchDarkly, Tailscale, Carrot Fertility, Loft Orbital, Hallow, Wrapbook, ClassDojo, Front, Human Interest, and Gamma, which became a unicorn in 2025. Uncork's twenty-year track record across multiple market cycles -- and its discipline in backing founders at the earliest stage with meaningful ownership -- has established it as one of the most consistent seed-stage performers in Silicon Valley.

Uncorrelated Ventures, headquartered in San Francisco, specializes in early-stage investments in infrastructure software, decentralized finance, and fintech sectors. Founded by Salil Deshpande in 2019, the firm has a portfolio that includes companies like Tandem PV, HockeyStack, and Bodo.ai. They typically engage in Seed and Series A rounds, with an average check size of $17M. The fund is known for its hands-on approach, offering strategic support and leveraging a robust network to help startups scale. Uncorrelated Ventures values clear, innovative pitches that demonstrate significant market potential and technological advancement. Key team members include founder Salil Deshpande, a veteran in the venture capital space, and a dedicated team with diverse expertise in technology and investment management. Startups can approach Uncorrelated Ventures through their extensive network or direct outreach, emphasizing the unique aspects of their technology and market approach.

Underdog Labs is a pre-seed venture capital firm based in Sebastopol, California, with a focus on supporting early-stage founders as they navigate the critical first milestones of their startups. Founded by Alex Chang and David Hehman in 2019, the firm specializes in working with passionate entrepreneurs who have promising ideas but need guidance and capital to turn these into scalable businesses. Underdog Labs targets very early-stage companies, often being the first institutional investors after initial angel rounds. The firm is industry-agnostic, but it has a strong focus on sectors like artificial intelligence, SaaS, fintech, health tech, and consumer products. With a hands-on approach, Underdog Labs provides not just capital but also strategic mentorship, leveraging the extensive entrepreneurial experience of its founders to help startups achieve product-market fit and scale effectively. The firm typically invests between $100K and $500K per company and has built a diverse portfolio of startups across various industries. Underdog Labs is particularly known for its commitment to backing underrepresented founders, further cementing its role as a key player in the early-stage venture ecosystem.

Underline Ventures is a Bucharest-based, early-stage venture fund founded in 2022 by Romanian investor Bogdan Iordache, and is widely described as Eastern Europe's first solo-GP venture fund. The firm partners at the earliest stages, pre-seed, seed and late-seed, with Eastern European founders building high-growth technology startups with global ambitions, writing average cheques of around $500,000, and it is willing to lead. Underline closed its debut fund in November 2023 at roughly EUR 18.4 million, about $20 million, reaching its target with capital raised predominantly from successful tech founders and operators, alongside other business leaders and international funds-of-funds; operators from companies such as UiPath, Telerik and Bitdefender advise its portfolio companies. Investment themes centre on enterprise automation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, industrial and vertical software, IoT, fintech, climate and defence technologies, with a strong B2B and enterprise-software orientation. Iordache is a developer-turned-founder-turned-investor who founded the influential How to Web conference, co-founded TechAngels, Romania's first business-angel network, built and exited the email-marketing startup Conectoo, and has worked in venture capital since 2013 across Springboard, 3TS Capital Partners, MVP Academy and Gecad Ventures. To date the fund has made roughly 13 investments in startups across Romania, Croatia, Serbia and the broader Eastern European diaspora, spanning big data and AI, cybersecurity and e-commerce infrastructure. As a pioneering solo-GP fund backed by the region's leading operators, Underline Ventures gives Eastern European B2B and deep-tech founders an early, hands-on partner with global ambition.

Underscore.VC, established in 2015, is a Boston-based venture capital firm dedicated to early-stage B2B software startups. With a strong emphasis on community, Underscore integrates a unique Core Community of experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders who actively support portfolio companies. This approach ensures founders receive comprehensive guidance and resources tailored to their specific needs​. Notable investments by Underscore.VC include companies such as Project44, Salsify, Slang, Soofa, and TetraScience, showcasing their focus on B2B fintech, vertical SaaS, and emerging technologies​. The firm primarily invests in pre-seed and seed rounds, typically leading these rounds and committing substantial support beyond just financial backing. Their strategy is rooted in building strong, collaborative relationships with founders, emphasizing a partnership approach rather than just a financial transaction. They value transparency, long-term vision, and active involvement in the companies they support. This philosophy is reflected in their careful selection process and active participation in the growth and scaling of their investments​. For startups looking to engage with Underscore.VC, it's beneficial to demonstrate a strong alignment with their community-driven values and a clear, innovative vision for their business model. Approaching them with a well-thought-out plan and readiness to leverage their extensive network can significantly enhance the chances of forming a successful partnership.

Unicorn India Ventures is a Mumbai-based, SEBI-registered Category I Alternative Investment Fund founded in 2015 by Bhaskar Majumdar and Anil Joshi, focused on early-stage, technology-led startups typically from seed to pre-Series A. The firm backs dedicated entrepreneurs building market-leading companies that disrupt traditional sectors or solve real-world problems through innovative technology, deploying initial and follow-on cheques generally in the range of INR 1 to 10 crore and committing significant hands-on time to help founders scale, and it is willing to lead. Its investment themes span SaaS, deep tech, enterprise tech, fintech, healthtech, consumer internet and logistics. Unicorn India raised its first fund in 2015, backing 17 companies, a second fund around 2020 with about 20 companies, and in 2025 closed a INR 1,200 crore deep-tech-focused Fund III, exceeding its INR 1,000 crore target, that concentrates on semiconductors, spacetech and AI infrastructure, with plans to back roughly 20 startups at average ticket sizes of INR 10 to 15 crore. The firm has built a strong track record: Fund I delivered approximately 6.8x TVPI and 2.8x DPI by year eight, and a 2022 partial exit from neobank Open generated an 85 to 90x blended return. Notable portfolio companies include SmartCoin, Open, Sequretek, Pharmarack, Genrobotics and Clootrack. Across its funds the firm has made well over fifty investments and is led by managing partners Anil Joshi and Bhaskar Majumdar. By combining a decade of early-stage Indian investing with a new deep-tech mandate, Unicorn India Ventures backs founders across SaaS, fintech, semiconductors, spacetech and AI infrastructure.

Unicorn Venture Partners is a Los Angeles-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2018 by Dave Lin and Jonathan Hung, with Phillip Sarofim involved at its formation. The firm backs seed and early-stage rounds in US-based technology and consumer-focused startups, spreading its investments across sectors from consumer and retail to high tech, and pairs capital with hands-on engagement, strategically testing new business models and offering consulting-style support to help founders reach Series A, generally as a co-investor. The team describes itself as entrepreneurs, operators and 'finance geeks' with experience across nearly every role in the venture ecosystem, including founder, CFO, product management, growth marketing, sales, board directorships and M&A advisory, and collectively claims more than $2 billion in exits. Managing Partner and CIO Dave Lin previously served as CFO at Maker Studios and is a serial entrepreneur, while Managing Partner Jonathan Hung is a well-known Los Angeles angel investor who likens the investor's role to that of a college counsellor guiding founders to their next round. Launched with around $5 million of seed capital, the fund has built a concentrated portfolio of roughly 15 companies that has already produced two unicorns, one IPO and three acquisitions, with marquee early investments including Coinbase, Lime, Cerebral and Solugen. By combining operator and finance backgrounds with hands-on support, Unicorn Venture Partners backs early-stage technology and consumer founders and helps prepare them for their next institutional round.

Union Labs, founded in 2018 and based in San Mateo, California, is a deep-tech venture capital firm focusing on pre-seed and seed-stage investments. Co-founded by Nate Williams and Chris Kim, Union Labs primarily invests in startups tackling big challenges across sectors like robotics, AI/ML, IoT, and smart infrastructure. The firm aims to solve complex global problems through innovative technology, often working directly with founders to de-risk the journey to product-market fit. Union Labs has made 28 investments, with notable companies like Pico MES, which develops factory operations software, and Urban Machine, focusing on forestry processing. The firm incubates many of its companies, having initially grown out of Kleiner Perkins with backing from Google Ventures, allowing it to offer both financial and hands-on operational support. This approach ensures that its startups benefit from Union Labs' extensive network and expertise. Union Labs is committed to advancing deep-tech solutions that contribute to a smarter, more connected world.

Union Square Ventures (USV), a venture capital firm based in New York City, focuses on investing in early-stage technology startups. Their investment philosophy is centered on finding companies at the edge of large markets being transformed by technological and societal pressures. USV looks for new behaviors and business models enabled by technology, rapid experimentation, and broadening access to resources and opportunities. USV’s portfolio includes a range of notable companies such as Twitter, Etsy, MongoDB, and Twilio. They have invested across various sectors including social media, marketplaces, developer tools, health, fintech, web3, and climate tech. Their approach involves maintaining relatively small fund sizes and collaborating closely as a team to make investment decisions and support portfolio companies.

Union Tech Ventures is the technology investment arm of the Union Group, a family-owned Israeli holding company, and was founded in 2016 with headquarters in Tel Aviv. The firm is on a mission to discover what comes next in the digital disruption of traditional industries, partnering with entrepreneurs who have long-term vision and the ambition to build category-leading companies. It typically backs Israeli and Israeli-related founders, concentrating on mobility and retail technology while ranging more broadly across enterprise software, hardware, defense-tech and digital health. Union Tech Ventures invests primarily at the growth stages, most actively Series B and C, though it engages from Series A through to pre-IPO, and aims to grow alongside its portfolio companies over the long term, generally as a co-investor; its rounds have averaged roughly $12.5 million at Series A, $34 million at Series B, $130 million at Series C and $62.5 million at Series D. A key differentiator is the operational expertise, network and market insight it draws from the Union Group's businesses, which include Toyota and Geely in automotive, H&M and Daiso in retail, a partnership in Super-Pharm and Dyson, and real estate and infrastructure operations. The firm has participated in around 47 investment rounds across roughly 13 companies, including one unicorn, with notable holdings such as Tactile Mobility, Dynamic Yield, Quantum Machines, Triple Whale, Guardio, Candivore, XTEND and Eleos Health, its most recent disclosed deal being Eleos Health's Series C in January 2025. By drawing on the Union Group's industrial businesses, Union Tech Ventures backs Israeli founders disrupting traditional industries.

UNIQ Ventures is a fintech and insurtech venture builder, a 'startup factory' rather than a traditional venture capital fund, headquartered in La Massana, Andorra, with operations in Barcelona, Spain, and founded around 2019 by André Caçador. Positioned as the first venture builder specialised in fintech and insurtech in Spain, with the ambition of becoming a reference across Southern Europe and Latin America, the firm builds internet companies around proven business models: it scans the global market for successful digital businesses in finance, insurance and legal and recreates them in markets where it sees large untapped opportunity. UNIQ relies on an in-house team of specialists, engineers, product managers, analysts and designers, who form and test hypotheses, build prototypes, run experiments and launch new ventures; once a business model is validated, the firm injects further capital and recruits an entrepreneurial team to scale the startup into a global company. Its areas of focus include open banking, blockchain, artificial intelligence, banking-as-a-service, self-driving finance and digital assets. Early ventures built in-house include Octans, an AI-based open-finance platform that helps banks deliver new digital customer experiences, and Vesto, a mobile app that helps everyday users grow and manage their savings. The company mobilised around EUR 1.5 million into its first two initiatives and has signalled plans to launch roughly 20 fintech projects over five years, requiring more than EUR 10 million of investment. By building, validating and scaling fintech and insurtech ventures in-house, UNIQ Ventures operates as a startup factory targeting untapped Southern European and Latin American markets.

UNIQA Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of UNIQA Insurance Group AG, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Vienna, Austria. It is a pioneer of corporate-backed venture capital in Central and Eastern Europe and one of the most active startup investors in the region. The fund concentrates on the Future of Health, Mobility, Intelligent Home and Fintech/InsurTech, alongside enabling technologies such as IoT, blockchain and machine learning and AI, seeking synergistic capabilities such as telematics and digital health that can strengthen the wider UNIQA Group. UNIQA Ventures backs companies in the late-seed and early-growth stage, with its sweet spot around Series A and Series B; it typically writes tickets of EUR 0.5 million to EUR 5 million and looks for startups that have found product-market fit and have recurring revenues of roughly EUR 1 million annually, generally as a co-investor. Having doubled its growth capital, the fund commands an investment pipeline of around EUR 150 million, with about half earmarked for CEE startups as it hunts for the next regional unicorn after the likes of UiPath, Rohlik and Bolt. The portfolio spans roughly 52 companies and has produced one unicorn, the digital-assets platform Bitpanda, plus eight acquisitions including Paris-based home insurer Luko and business-data provider kompany; its most recent disclosed portfolio exit was the German digital-health platform doctorly in June 2025. The firm is led by founder, CEO and Managing Partner Andreas Nemeth. By pairing insurer-backed capital with a clear thematic focus, UNIQA Ventures is a leading CEE corporate venture investor.

Uniseed is Australia's longest-running venture capital fund, established in 2000, with a strong focus on commercializing innovative research from its partner universities and research institutions. These include leading institutions like the University of Queensland, the University of Melbourne, and Monash University, among others. Uniseed supports startups in various sectors such as biotechnology, quantum computing, pharmaceuticals, and green energy. As a seed-stage investor, Uniseed helps researchers turn their ideas into marketable products by offering seed capital, expert guidance, and access to an extensive network of industry professionals. The firm has overseen more than 60 startups and over 12 successful exits, including notable deals like the sale of Spinifex Pharmaceuticals to Novartis and Fibrotech to Shire. In partnership with UniSuper, Uniseed manages significant capital to support deep-tech startups aiming for global impact. Uniseed’s latest $75 million commitment ensures its continued support for emerging technologies, and with its growing network of academic and institutional partners, the fund is poised to lead more groundbreaking innovations to market.

United Ventures is an independent Italian venture capital firm founded in 2013 by Massimiliano Magrini, former country manager of Google Italy, and Paolo Gesess, and headquartered in Milan. The firm invests in digital technologies, software, enterprise software, fintech, cloud, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, marketplaces, B2B and B2C platforms and deep tech, backing visionary entrepreneurs who tackle critical, often underestimated problems and aim to digitise sectors that improve quality of life and promote sustainable development, and it is willing to lead. United Ventures invests primarily at the early stage across Western Europe, North America and Israel, with around 70% of its current portfolio companies being Italian. The firm manages two early-stage funds and a growth vehicle, UV T-Growth; the 2023 close of United Ventures III, a EUR 150 million early-stage fund that targets 15 to 18 European technology companies with initial tickets of EUR 1 million to EUR 8 million, brought total funds under management toward EUR 500 million. With a team of around 15 professionals, including investment partners Giulia Giovannini and Sara Lovato and operating partner Jacopo Drudi, United Ventures has built a track record of roughly 35 investments, several IPOs and notable exits, including 10x-plus returns on FACEIT and Musixmatch in 2022. Portfolio companies include wealthtech Moneyfarm, online grocery marketplace Everli, crypto exchange Young Platform, used-car platform Cazoo and fraud-prevention firm Cleafy, with its most recent disclosed deal being Cleafy's Series B in March 2026. As one of Italy's leading independent VCs, United Ventures backs digital-technology founders across Europe, North America and Israel.

UniWill Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2017 and based in Palo Alto, California, in the heart of the Bay Area. The fund invests in emerging technologies and the business models built around them, spanning ag-tech, fintech, ed-tech, clean-tech, artificial intelligence, space access, IoT, TMT, waste management, alternative protein and digital health, almost entirely in the United States. Its investment philosophy is organised around three guiding themes, 'Health,' 'Happiness' and a 'Young Entrepreneurial Spirit,' reflecting a conviction that technology should ultimately serve human wellbeing, and it has also championed impact-oriented investing. UniWill concentrates on seed and early-stage technology companies and runs a fund of around $40 million, generally as a co-investor. The firm is led by a two-partner team: co-founder Winston Sun, who established UniWill in 2017 and manages the Bay Area headquarters, and Crysti Chen, who holds a Master of Management in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University's Schwarzman College, an MS.Ed in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Political Economy and International Studies from the University of Washington. Across a portfolio of roughly 18 companies, UniWill has backed four unicorns, including construction-equipment marketplace EquipmentShare, 3D-printed rocket maker Relativity Space and fintech data network Plaid, and has seen one IPO and one acquisition; its most recent disclosed investment was in Soar Robotics in June 2023. By organising its thesis around human wellbeing and emerging technology, UniWill Ventures backs early-stage US founders across a wide frontier of sectors.

E14 Fund is an MIT-affiliated venture capital firm focused on supporting deep-tech startups emerging from the MIT community. Established in 2013 and rooted in the MIT Media Lab, the fund specializes in companies that are addressing critical global challenges through breakthrough science and engineering. E14 Fund invests in early-stage startups, typically from pre-seed to Series A, with a focus on industries such as robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and synthetic biology. Some notable investments include Formlabs, a leader in 3D printing technology, and Overjet, a pioneer in AI-powered dental care solutions. The fund is more than just a capital provider; it acts as a strategic partner, helping founders transition from academic research to building scalable businesses. E14 leverages the vast MIT network to connect entrepreneurs with industry leaders, mentors, and technical resources that can help accelerate their growth. A significant portion of the firm’s profits is reinvested into MIT, highlighting its commitment to fostering long-term innovation within the university ecosystem. Led by managing partners Calvin Chin and Habib Haddad, E14 Fund works closely with founders to address both scientific and business challenges, providing hands-on support throughout their journey. The fund’s portfolio companies typically possess unique intellectual property and a clear path to market dominance, reflecting E14’s focus on ventures with transformative potential. By supporting startups from their earliest stages, E14 Fund plays a crucial role in translating groundbreaking MIT research into impactful, market-ready technologies.

Unpopular Ventures is a venture capital firm founded by Peter Livingston, focusing on early-stage tech startups that are often overlooked by mainstream investors. They have invested in over 300 startups globally, with a portfolio spanning various industries and regions. Notable investments include Jeeves, a global business banking platform, Farcana, a battle royale shooter game, and Foundation Devices, developers of Bitcoin-centric tools. The firm's strategy is to find and invest in unconventional opportunities that have the potential for significant impact and growth. They emphasize global investments, particularly in emerging markets, driven by Livingston's own experience living and working around the world. This global perspective allows them to identify and support startups that are off the beaten path but have strong growth potential​. Unpopular Ventures operates both as a syndicate and a rolling fund on AngelList, providing flexible investment options to their backers. The firm's unique approach and diverse portfolio have made it a significant player in the venture capital landscape, despite its name.

Unshackled Ventures, founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting immigrant entrepreneurs. The firm focuses on early-stage investments, particularly in technology and innovation sectors. Unshackled Ventures aims to provide not only capital but also visa support, enabling immigrant founders to build successful companies in the U.S. Their investment portfolio includes a diverse array of companies. Notable investments include Lily AI, which uses AI to improve retail personalization, and Pod Foods, a B2B marketplace for food brands and retailers. Other significant companies in their portfolio are Plantible Foods, a sustainable food company, and Career Karma, a platform helping people find jobs through bootcamps. Unshackled Ventures has made a total of 86 investments and has seen 17 exits, highlighting their effectiveness in nurturing startups to maturity. Their approach involves investing at the very earliest stages, often at "day zero," to help founders navigate the complexities of building a business from the ground up. The team is led by co-founders Nitin Pachisia and Manan Mehta, who are committed to leveraging their own experiences as immigrants to support other immigrant founders. Their mission is to unlock the potential of these entrepreneurs by providing the necessary resources, guidance, and community support to achieve their visions.

Untapped Capital is a venture capital firm based in Bellevue, Washington, founded in 2020 by Jessica Jackley and Yohei Nakajima. The firm focuses on pre-seed investments, targeting unexpected and often overlooked founders who are pioneering the latest technologies to build a more abundant future. Untapped Capital operates as a generalist VC, meaning they do not limit themselves to specific industries but instead invest across a broad spectrum, with a particular interest in companies driving innovation in climate tech, healthcare, and productivity software. The firm is known for its hands-on approach, running itself much like a startup to better understand and support the challenges faced by the founders they back. Untapped Capital has made 36 investments to date, with notable companies in their portfolio including Covalent, a leader in climate tech, and Mars Materials, which focuses on sustainable environmental solutions. Their investment strategy is centered around early-stage companies, often being one of the first institutional investors to commit capital. The team at Untapped Capital leverages their deep expertise and network to provide strategic guidance, helping their portfolio companies scale effectively. They have also developed a reputation for integrating cutting-edge AI tools and methodologies to enhance the growth and development of the startups they support. This innovative approach has made Untapped Capital a distinctive player in the venture capital landscape, particularly in supporting founders who might otherwise be overlooked by traditional VCs​.

Unusual Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm founded in 2018 by John Vrionis and Jyoti Bansal. They focus on providing hands-on support to early-stage startups in sectors like infrastructure software, SaaS, fintech, and consumer applications. Notable investments include Arctic Wolf Networks, Carta, Robinhood, Harness, and Vivun. Unusual Ventures differentiates itself by embedding experienced operators with startups, offering deep operational support in areas such as marketing, sales, and recruiting. This approach helps founders navigate the challenging early stages of their business, working closely to find product-market fit and build a strong foundation for future growth. Their engagement model is designed to provide comprehensive support, acting as interim executives to ensure startups have the resources they need to succeed. The firm also emphasizes diversity and social impact, partnering with institutions that are positive forces in education, healthcare, and the arts. This mission-driven approach ensures that the returns generated contribute to meaningful progress. With offices in Menlo Park, San Francisco, and Boston, Unusual Ventures has raised multiple funds, including their recent $485 million Fund III, bringing their total assets under management to over $1 billion. This commitment underscores their dedication to supporting seed-stage founders with unparalleled resources and expertise.

UOB Venture Management (UOBVM), a subsidiary of United Overseas Bank (UOB), was established in 1992 and focuses on venture capital and private equity investments, primarily in Southeast Asia, Greater China, and the United States. The firm targets growth-stage companies across various sectors, including healthcare, advanced manufacturing, consumer services, and digital economy ventures. UOBVM is known for integrating ESG principles and impact investing into its strategy, as demonstrated by its Asia Impact Investment Fund series. UOBVM has a significant portfolio with over 164 investments, and some notable exits include Gojek and Nanosys. They emphasize supporting businesses that contribute to sustainable development and innovation, particularly those improving livelihoods in the region. The firm manages several funds, including the ASEAN China Investment Fund and Asia Impact Investment Fund II, which raised over $60 million for initiatives in underserved markets​. The firm's leadership includes CEO Kian-Wee Seah, with key members like Mark Yeo and Jean Thoh, all based in Singapore, where the company is headquartered.

UP.Partners is a venture capital firm dedicated to transforming the mobility sector. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, UP.Partners focuses on investing in groundbreaking technologies that improve the movement of people and goods. The firm targets early-stage ventures in various mobility sectors, including air, land, sea, and space. The fund's strategy emphasizes investment in enabling technologies, such as software for precise positioning, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and sustainable aviation fuels. UP.Partners' notable investments include Skydio, a leader in flight autonomy; Beta Technologies, which develops eVTOL aircraft; and UnitX, a manufacturing quality assurance platform. UP.Partners manages a $230 million venture fund and collaborates with major corporations like Alaska Airlines, ARK Invest, and Woven Capital, the investment arm of Toyota's Woven Planet Group. The firm also hosts the annual UP.Summit, a pivotal event for the mobility community, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to drive innovation in transportation. The firm was co-founded by aviation and technology entrepreneurs Ben Marcus and Cyrus Sigari, along with Adam Grosser, a veteran investor with a strong background in climate-focused companies. They are supported by a team of experts, including Ally Warson and industry leaders like Brian McClendon and Eric Hirshberg. UP.Partners seeks out bold entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that can transform mobility, aiming to make transportation cleaner, faster, safer, and more cost-effective. The firm provides not only capital but also strategic partnerships and resources to help startups scale effectively.

UP2398 is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Redwood City, California, established in 2015 by Alexander Poon, Randy Ching, and Pierre Omidyar. Specializing in pre-Series A investments, the firm focuses on high-growth sectors including artificial intelligence, blockchain, SaaS, and high-tech industries. The firm has a diverse portfolio of 34 investments, including standout companies such as Standard Fleet, MakerDojo, and Slapdash. UP2398 often targets companies that leverage technology to disrupt traditional sectors, from automotive software and AI-driven analytics to consumer technologies and e-commerce platforms. UP2398’s strategy involves providing early-stage capital and hands-on support to foster innovation and help startups scale rapidly. The firm co-invests with leading venture capital firms like SV Angel, Soma Capital, and Intel Capital, emphasizing a collaborative approach to venture investing. In addition to its focus on cutting-edge technology, UP2398 has supported companies in industries such as renewable energy, IoT, and machine learning, helping them navigate early growth stages and achieve successful exits. The firm has successfully guided multiple companies to acquisition or scaling, with notable exits including Convex and INDUS.AI. With its team’s deep experience in entrepreneurship and venture capital, UP2398 continues to identify and support companies that are transforming their industries. By focusing on sectors with high innovation potential, UP2398 remains a prominent player in the early-stage investment landscape, helping to fuel the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

Upfront Ventures, founded in 1996 and based in Santa Monica, California, is a prominent venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology investments. With over $2 billion in total funds raised, the firm has supported more than 200 companies across various sectors, including digital media, SaaS, consumer internet, and retail innovation. Notable investments include well-known companies like PayPal Credit, thredUP, Apeel Sciences, and Ulta. The firm's investment strategy typically involves leading seed and Series A rounds, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and resources to help startups scale. They have a strong presence in the Los Angeles tech ecosystem, contributing to the growth of Silicon Beach. Upfront Ventures is also known for hosting the annual Upfront Summit, a major tech conference in Los Angeles that gathers industry leaders and innovators. Led by managing partners Yves Sisteron and Mark Suster, Upfront Ventures combines extensive industry experience with a commitment to transparency and long-term partnership with entrepreneurs. Their investments are global, with a focus on leveraging their strategic location in Los Angeles to support the thriving local startup scene. For startups looking to engage with Upfront Ventures, a clear demonstration of innovative solutions and strong market potential is key. The firm values introductions through its network and prefers pitches that align with its investment focus and ethos​.

Upheaval Investments is a venture capital firm based in Chicago, focused on early-stage investments in disruptive technologies. The firm actively seeks out companies that are leveraging innovative solutions to tackle fundamental problems, particularly within the technology, healthcare, and industrial sectors. They invest globally, supporting startups from pre-seed through Series A rounds. The fund's approach is characterized by a commitment to partnering closely with entrepreneurs to accelerate growth and build impactful businesses. Their portfolio spans a diverse array of sectors, including AI, cleantech, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. Upheaval Investments is led by Riley Florsheim, who emphasizes a hands-on approach to fostering innovation and guiding companies from their earliest stages. While specific portfolio companies are not widely publicized, the firm's strategy revolves around identifying visionary founders with the potential to drive significant change across industries.

UpHonest Capital, founded in 2015 and based in Santa Clara, California, is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments. They invest across various sectors, including consumer, enterprise, deep technology, and web 3.0, supporting companies from Seed to Series A stages. The firm has built a substantial portfolio, investing in over 400 companies, with 28 unicorns and 23 exits via M&A or IPO. Notable investments from UpHonest Capital include companies such as Checkr, an AI-based platform for employee background verification; Hims & Hers, a telehealth service; Rippling, a human capital management software; and Instacart, a leading online grocery platform. Other significant investments include Turing AI, Golden, and Substack. UpHonest Capital is known for its sector-agnostic approach and its active support for portfolio companies, often co-investing with major firms like Sequoia, Accel, and Andreessen Horowitz. The firm also emphasizes building a vibrant ecosystem for entrepreneurs and investors through initiatives like the UpHonest Scouts and Beta Fellowship programs.

Upside Partnership, founded by Kent Goldman in San Francisco, is a seed and pre-seed venture capital firm known for its early-stage investments in technology and software sectors. Some notable companies in their portfolio include Hims & Hers, Allbirds, and Life360, highlighting their ability to identify high-growth potential startups. Upside Partnership is industry-agnostic, focusing on purpose-built teams and companies with a strong vision and operational efficiency. They invest primarily in the U.S. market, often being the first institutional investor to commit, which allows them to shape the initial growth trajectory of their portfolio companies. Their strategy involves writing initial checks of around $500K, with 70% of their fund reserved for supporting founders in subsequent rounds. They place a high value on long-term partnerships and are known for their hands-on approach, guiding startups through their growth phases with a combination of mentorship and strategic advice. Kent Goldman, previously a partner at First Round Capital, brings extensive experience in early-stage investing. Christina Hunt, another key partner, has a strong background in both startup operations and venture capital, ensuring that Upside Partnership provides comprehensive support to its founders. This blend of expertise and a founder-first philosophy makes Upside Partnership a distinguished player in the venture capital space.

Upswell Ventures is a dynamic early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2020 and based in Cottesloe, in the Perth area of Western Australia. The firm is dedicated to backing the next generation of great Australian founders, concentrating on B2B software and deep-technology companies at the seed and Series A stages. Its portfolio spans a broad set of categories, enterprise applications, auto tech, high tech, consumer, travel and hospitality tech, and energy tech, with a tilt toward enterprise B2B and SaaS businesses. Upswell typically writes first cheques of around $500,000 and above, investing primarily in Australian startups and frequently co-investing alongside other parts of the Australian early-stage ecosystem, including Startmate, Blackbird Ventures and Common Sense Ventures, and it is willing to lead. The firm runs a lean team of about four people, including two partners. As of mid-2024 it remained an active investor with a portfolio of roughly seven companies; among its most recent activity, Upswell led the A$617,000 seed round of Lasertrade alongside Startmate, with Blackbird Ventures and others participating. Its combination of a Western Australian base, somewhat outside the dominant Sydney and Melbourne hubs, and a focus on deep-tech and B2B software positions it as a regionally distinctive backer of early-stage Australian innovation. By writing first cheques into founders outside the country's largest venture centres, Upswell Ventures supports the growth of Western Australia's startup ecosystem while reaching nationally.

UpWest, a Silicon Valley-based seed fund, focuses on investing in Israel’s most promising entrepreneurs targeting the US market. Founded in 2012, UpWest has made over 111 investments and facilitated 21 successful exits. The firm emphasizes early-stage investments, typically participating in pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding rounds​. UpWest's portfolio includes companies across various sectors such as AI, machine learning, proptech, fintech, cybersecurity, and SaaS. Notable investments include SentinelOne, which specializes in endpoint security software, HoneyBook, a project management tool, and CyCognito, a company focusing on uncovering and eliminating IT risks​​. The firm is led by founding partners Shuly Galili and Gil Ben-Artzy, who bring extensive experience and a strong network to support Israeli founders. UpWest has helped its portfolio companies raise over $3 billion in follow-on investments, underscoring its commitment to fostering growth and innovation.

Urban Innovation Fund, founded in 2016 and based in San Francisco, focuses on investing in early-stage companies that enhance the livability, sustainability, and economic vitality of cities. The fund supports startups at the pre-seed and seed stages across various sectors including transportation, climate tech, proptech, edtech, fintech, public health, civic tech, and food systems. Notable investments include Electriphi, a software company for electric fleet management acquired by Ford, and codeSpark, an educational platform teaching kids to code, which was acquired by BEGiN. Other significant investments are BookNook, a tutoring platform for improving reading skills, and Jeeves, a global payment network for small businesses that has recently seen its valuation rise to $2.1 billion. The fund, co-founded by Clara Brenner and Julie Lein, provides not only capital but also regulatory support to help entrepreneurs navigate complex urban challenges. Their portfolio reflects a commitment to tackling key issues facing urban areas today, from sustainable finance to community health.

The USC Marshall Venture Fund is a student-run, early-stage evergreen venture fund created by the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the USC Marshall School of Business. Launched in November 2018 and based in Los Angeles, the Fund invests in and takes equity in ventures founded or led by USC students, alumni, faculty and staff, helping to bridge the funding gap for early-stage USC-affiliated companies. It typically participates in a company's first institutional round, writing checks of roughly $25,000 to $50,000 and looking for ventures that already have a product and ideally some early market traction, with a goal of making at least two investments per year, generally as a co-investor. Beyond capital, the Fund serves an educational mission: MBA and undergraduate students source, evaluate and conduct due diligence on prospective deals under the guidance of a 17-person investment committee of experienced venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and operators, learning first-hand how to evaluate, make and manage venture investments. The initiative also engages USC alumni, advisors and domain experts to mentor founders and to strengthen the broader USC and Southern California entrepreneurial ecosystem, while returns from successful exits are recycled back into the Fund. Disclosed portfolio companies include Flaus, Kenko, Engage and ChainOpera AI. By combining real institutional capital with a hands-on educational mission, the USC Marshall Venture Fund backs USC-affiliated founders at their first institutional round while training the next generation of investors.

V-Sharp Venture Studio is an early-stage venture capital firm and venture studio based in Prague, Czech Republic. Launched in 2021, originally as V-Sharp Alpha, as part of the Reticulum group, it was founded by Michal Menšík, CEO of the fast-growing last-mile logistics group DoDo, and Zdeněk Šoustal, CEO of the Reticulum investment group. The studio backs promising startups in Central and Eastern Europe across three core verticals, e-commerce, logistics and financial technology, investing at the pre-seed, seed and Series A stages with tickets of up to roughly EUR 1 million and hundreds of millions of Czech korun available to deploy, and it is willing to lead. Rather than spreading capital thinly, V-Sharp deliberately invests in a small number of carefully selected companies each year and commits fully to each one, supplementing its capital with hands-on operating expertise, an extensive contact network, and shared services in marketing, legal and IT. The founders bring deep operating credibility: Menšík has spent more than 15 years in e-commerce and scaled DoDo into one of the Czech Republic's fastest-growing technology companies, while Šoustal's Reticulum group also backs Accolade, in commercial real estate and industrial parks, and MJM agro. The studio's disclosed portfolio of around eight companies includes Oxus.AI, Tapline and Vocalls. By combining studio-style company support with concentrated early-stage capital and the operating experience of its founders, V-Sharp Venture Studio backs CEE founders in e-commerce, logistics and fintech.

V1.VC is a venture capital firm based in Boulder, Colorado, founded in 2015. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in internet, B2B software, consumer, financial, crypto, and deep tech companies across North America. V1.VC focuses on being patient, long-term capital partners for ambitious founders, leveraging their experience as current and former operators to support startups from initial stages to successful exits. Co-founded by Brett Jackson and Benny Joseph, V1.VC aims to be the most supportive investor in a founder’s journey. Brett Jackson brings extensive experience from roles at AVX Aircraft and Crocs, while Benny Joseph is known for his tenure as CTO at Allbirds and his role in founding GoodApril, which was acquired by Intuit. V1.VC has a diverse portfolio that includes notable companies like Allbirds, DoorDash, and OpenSea. They have made over 86 investments and have achieved 27 exits. The firm is dedicated to helping startups navigate the critical early stages of development and scale successfully. The team at V1.VC emphasizes a collaborative approach, working closely with startups to provide strategic guidance, resources, and connections to ensure their growth and success in the competitive market.

Valar Ventures, co-founded by Peter Thiel, Andrew McCormack, and James Fitzgerald, has made a significant mark in the venture capital world by focusing on fintech startups with a global reach. Notable investments include Wise, Xero, Petal, N26, and Stash, highlighting their commitment to backing transformative financial technology companies. These investments demonstrate Valar's ability to identify and nurture groundbreaking startups. The firm primarily invests in early-stage companies, often leading funding rounds with checks ranging from $1M to $10M. Their geographic focus spans North America and Europe, allowing them to tap into diverse markets and innovative ecosystems. This strategic approach ensures they are well-positioned to support startups poised for international growth. Valar Ventures operates with a clear investment strategy: they seek out companies with innovative fintech solutions that have the potential to disrupt traditional financial services. They are known for their hands-on approach, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance to help their portfolio companies scale effectively. The team, based in New York, brings deep fintech expertise and a strong network, which is invaluable to the startups they invest in. Founders looking to partner with Valar should present a clear, innovative fintech proposition with a strong potential for transformative impact. Valar Ventures is particularly interested in businesses that can demonstrate a solid growth trajectory and a compelling vision for the future of finance.

Valia Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in bold and innovative startups across various sectors including fintech, healthcare, consumer, and enterprise software. Based in New York, San Francisco, and London, the firm focuses on pre-seed, seed, and Series A investments, with check sizes ranging from $50,000 to $1 million. Valia Ventures also has an Opportunity Fund for investing in mature companies at the Series B stage and beyond. The firm is led by Managing Partner Khaled Jalanbo, along with a team of experienced investors like Riley Rodgers and Omar Sebai. They aim to be long-term partners, supporting companies throughout their growth stages with both capital and strategic guidance​. Valia Ventures has made significant investments in companies such as Selfbook, Humane, and Legacy, demonstrating their commitment to backing transformative ideas. Their portfolio is diverse, encompassing sectors from fintech and healthcare to enterprise software​.