Anorak Ventures
Venture capitalActively deployingLos Angeles · Pre-Seed–Seed · 2 people tracked
Investment thesis
Anorak invests in highly specialized founding teams with obsessive domain expertise tackling difficult, boundary-pushing technology problems. The firm values niche subject matter knowledge on founding teams as a substantial competitive advantage and leverages its network of operators, founders, and investors from category-defining companies to support portfolio companies from inception through scaling.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's websiteAn entrepreneur and corporate marketer who transitioned to venture capital, focusing on early-stage disruptive technology. He has invested in over 150 seed-stage companies, including eight that reached unicorn valuations. Previously, he founded and operated a restaurant chain and held marketing executive positions at Scaleform, Autodesk, and Glassdoor.
Co-founder and former CEO of Avie AI, a healthtech company sold to Holland & Barrett in 2023. He has consulted for private and public organizations across the UK, Europe, and North America in sports, technology, and media sectors. He holds a BA from the University of York and was an IS Scholar at the University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What they invest in
from 16 of 30 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×7Enterprise Software ×7Advanced Manufacturing ×5Hardware ×4Defense Tech ×3IoT ×3Robotics ×3SaaS ×3
HQs:United States×8
Investments · 30 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathOrderful provides technology for instant electronic data interchange (EDI) connectivity between trading partners, replacing traditional one-by-one connection setups with immediate, always-current integrations for any transaction type.
Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
Aetos provides visual documentation and management software for industrial facilities, using digital scans to help organizations manage, maintain, and train staff. The platform serves energy, utilities, manufacturing, and other industrial sectors.
Advanced ManufacturingEnterprise SoftwareIoT
Arinna develops solar power technology for sustainable applications on Earth and in space. Founded by Stanford PhDs with a focus on using sunlight as an energy source.
CleantechEnergySpace Tech
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Gridware provides real-time monitoring and visibility of electrical grid conditions through sensors deployed on power lines, enabling utilities and line workers to detect and respond to problems faster. The platform serves electric utilities and their field teams to improve grid reliability, reduce outage response time, and prevent wildfire ignition.
Advanced ManufacturingEnergyEnterprise SoftwareHardwareIoTSan Francisco, US
Tim Barat(Founder)inOmar B(Founder)inHall Chen(Co-Founder & CTO)inCo-founded by a lineman turned engineer
Inversion Semiconductor develops next-generation semiconductor lithography equipment based on miniaturized particle accelerators that increase transistor density and improve chip manufacturing precision. The platform enables semiconductor fabricators to scale transistor production toward physical limits while improving throughput and uniformity in advanced chip production.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareRoboticsSemiconductorsSan Francisco, US
Level Zero Health develops electrochemical and microfluidic biosensor platforms for point-of-care and continuous diagnostic devices. The company serves healthcare providers and patients requiring faster, more accessible diagnostic solutions.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
UlaIreneBobi
NOX operates AI-powered metal manufacturing facilities that provide cut-to-spec metal products to American manufacturers with quote and delivery times measured in milliseconds rather than days. The company uses machine learning for inventory optimization, job scheduling, and bin-packing to reduce lead times and scrap in metal supply.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningDeep TechRoboticsDetroit, US
Zane Hengsperger(Founder)in
Scenario is a creative AI platform that enables teams to build workflows for image, video, audio, and 3D content generation. It provides access to 500+ AI models from 50+ providers alongside custom-trained models, with tools for batch production, API integration, and workflow automation for creative professionals and enterprises.
AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyEnterprise Software
Simbe provides retail inventory and monitoring solutions combining computer vision, robotics, RFID, and fixed sensors for retail businesses. The company serves large retail banners and chains globally.
AI & Machine LearningRetail TechRobotics
Brad Bogolea(CEO)
Airtable is a low-code platform that enables teams to build custom applications on shared data to automate workflows across enterprises. Organizations use it for product management, marketing campaigns, recruiting, and other operational processes.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Howie Liu(Co-founder and CEO)Andrew Ofstad(Co-founder)Emmett Nicholas(Co-founder)
Onebrief develops software designed for military and defense organizations, enabling real-time collaboration and knowledge access for command and operational teams. The product integrates processes with real-time updates for defense and government use cases.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechEnterprise SoftwareGovTechSaaSHonolulu, US
Ruffnauts builds a gaming experience where players can explore planets and participate in community-driven feature development and testing.
ConsumerGamingSan Francisco, US
ZeroMark develops AI-driven adaptive targeting intelligence systems for defense applications, particularly for drone detection and response. The company adds intelligent targeting capabilities to existing weapons platforms to enable faster and more precise responses to modern aerial threats.
AI & Machine LearningDefense Tech
Joel Anderson(CEO)
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Anorak Ventures invest at?
- Anorak Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What sectors does Anorak Ventures focus on?
- Anorak Ventures focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Anorak Ventures located?
- Anorak Ventures is headquartered in Los Angeles, US.
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