How many investments has CALIFORNIA INNOVATION made?

CALIFORNIA INNOVATION has 37 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited, including 2 dated in the last 24 months.

What stage does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION invest at?

CALIFORNIA INNOVATION invests at the Seed, Series A, Growth stages.

Where is CALIFORNIA INNOVATION located?

CALIFORNIA INNOVATION is headquartered in Berkeley, US.

Does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION lead rounds?

Yes, CALIFORNIA INNOVATION leads investment rounds.

Who does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION co-invest with?

CALIFORNIA INNOVATION most often shares deals with Berkeley Frontier, Dorm Room, Motley Fool Ventures, among 91 tracked co-investors.

CALIFORNIA INNOVATION

Venture capital

Berkeley · Seed–Growth · 17 people tracked

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Find your way into CALIFORNIA INNOVATION

2,212 people in our graph share verified history with the CALIFORNIA INNOVATION team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Daisuke Minamideunlockedknows Jerry Bellman · together at WaveAI (overlapped)

×4knows the team · via Foursquare

knows the team · via UC Berkeley Executive Education

×2knows the team · via Opsware

knows the team · via UC Berkeley School of Information

×2knows the team · via Stifel Nicolaus

✨ Fox Verdict

Investment thesis

California Innovation Fund invests in breakthrough technologies emerging from UC Berkeley and affiliated global innovation ecosystems. The fund leverages on-campus relationships and exclusive access to university IP to identify founders and technologies at early stages. It prioritizes companies that combine strong financial returns with positive impact while maintaining ties to the Berkeley community. The firm provides operating expertise, industry mentorship, and connections to additional university resources beyond capital. Current focus areas include biotech and data/AI, with future expansion into related ecosystems including the Technical University of Munich.

Invests inAI & Machine Learning Biotech Cleantech Cybersecurity Digital Health EdTech Fintech LegalTech Mobility & TransportationSector AgnosticSpace Tech Berkeley Global Menlo Park United States

Source: firm website, verified Sep 26, 2026.

Stage

Seed–Growth

Berkeley, US

Leads rounds

Leads

Instruments

Equity

Founded

2021

Tracked investments

Unicorns

Acquisitions

Team · 17 people

from the firm's website & curated & public directories

Ben Horowitz· General Partner· Las Vegas, NVin 𝕏

Ben Horowitz ran Loudcloud and Opsware through the dot-com crash and sold the company to HP for $1.6 billion before co-founding Andreessen Horowitz in 2009. He led the firm's investments in companies such as Okta, Databricks, and Nicira, and writes about management with a signature habit of opening chapters with rap lyrics. His two books on leadership and company culture are staples of startup reading lists.

b•••@a16z.comreveal

Dr. Kurt Beyer· Founder and General Partner

PhD from UC Berkeley who teaches entrepreneurship at Haas and has 16 years of institutional investment experience as a former Principal at Parallel Advisors. An experienced entrepreneur, angel investor, and author of a book on computing history published by MIT Press.

Marc Adreessen· General Partner

Kurt Beyer· Founder and General Partner· Mill Valley, Californiain 𝕏

Bryce Gilleland· General Partner

MBA from UC Berkeley Haas with two decades of experience in the energy sector across policy and corporate finance. Previously was CEO of a top-performing hedge fund and serves as an experienced angel investor and coach.

Dr. Anne Greul· Managing Partner

Behavioral economist who co-founded Audi's Tech Intelligence Program in Boston and previously worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey. Educated at UC Berkeley, Technical University of Munich, and CDTM.

Dr. Caspar Schauseil· Managing Partner

Serial entrepreneur and investor with experience building digital operations at Knauf Group, executing special projects at Amazon, and advising on M&A transactions. Holds economics degrees from UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Bocconi, and HEC.

Jerry Bellman· Managing Partner· San Francisco Bay Areain

Fractional CFO to high-growth startups with expertise in apparel, cosmetics, digital marketing, and financial services. Led multiple equity raises and advised on over $10 billion in M&A transactions; MBA from University of Chicago.

Mark Jones· Managing Partner

Legal executive in healthcare and biotechnology covering clinical and commercial matters across cancer, liver disease, and rare disease areas. Experienced founder and mentor to early-stage startups.

Shiva Somasundaram· Managing Partner

Product manager with over 10 years in AI/ML and engineering who earned a Master's in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Haas. Active angel investor and LP in digital health, healthcare technology, and education technology startups across multiple regions.

Melanie Vuynovich· Director, Vetting Committee· Indianapolis, Indiana, United Statesin

Melanie Vuynovich is Senior Director of Workforce Development, Life Sciences at BioCrossroads, where she is developing an employer-led career apprenticeship pathway for Indiana modeled on the Swiss vocational education and training (VET) system. Her background includes advisory and leadership roles with startups, nonprofits, small businesses, and larger companies across sectors such as higher education, edtech, information technology, childcare, consumer products, and cultural exchange programs.

Emily Lammers· Senior Investment Associate

Former VP and Disruptive Technology Program Manager at Franklin Templeton with 15+ years in investment management. MBA from Haas and published author; also provides MBA admissions coaching.

Finn Baker· Videographer

Director and cinematographer co-founding Shifting Locus, a production company with offices in Seattle and Berkeley. Creates commercial, music video, and documentary content for various productions and businesses.

Lyzz Torres· Head of Operations

Operations professional with a background in biology and ongoing business education at UT Austin. Focuses on improving business processes, building team structure, and supporting leadership effectiveness.

Miranda Ferguson· Senior Investment Associate

Haas MBA graduate working at the intersection of technology and healthcare with prior product management experience in the pharmaceutical industry and a background in software engineering.

Mohammad Naqvi· Senior Investment Associate

Technology banker at Comerica Bank's Life Sciences division pursuing an MBA at Haas. Co-chair of UC LAUNCH, the University of California system-wide accelerator, which graduated 40 startups under his leadership.

Stacey King· Senior Investment Associate· San Francisco Bay Areain

Chemical engineer with an MBA from Haas and experience in financial services and manufacturing. Passionate about equity and climate technology with involvement in the VC and startup ecosystem.

Founder mafia

3 people who came through CALIFORNIA INNOVATION went on to found or lead other companies.

Ben HorowitzGeneral PartnerFounded Opsware Jerry BellmanManaging PartnerFounded CareLinx Adolphus LauInnovation FellowFounded Vocadian

What they invest in

from 19 of 37 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×7Biotech ×6Medical Devices ×6Healthtech ×5Deep Tech ×4Digital Health ×4Cybersecurity ×3Fintech ×3

HQs:United States×14

Who they back

founder profiles across 15 portfolio companies

40%

solo founders

6 of 15 mapped founding teams

20%

repeat founders

of 20 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×62 founders×73 founders×14+ founders×1

Where their founders studiedfrom 20 founders with education data

University of California, Berkeley ×5University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business ×4Duke University ×2Harvard University ×2Pomona College ×2

What their founders studiedfrom 20 founders with field-of-study data

Engineering ×5Life Sciences ×5Business & Management ×3Computer Science ×3Economics ×3Chemistry ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 20 founders with career history

Stanford University ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Y Combinator ×2

7 founders hold a PhD · 4 hold an MBA (of 21 with degree data)

Investments · 37 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2025 · 1 2024 · 12 dated

Blingsblings.io in

Blings provides a video personalization platform that dynamically updates content in real-time by pulling data from customer CRM and database systems, ensuring each viewer sees customized video experiences.

AI & Machine LearningMarketing TechSaaS

Co-investorsHanaco Venture Capital Vertex Ventures Israel Vertex Ventures

Breatheasy MIISTmiisttherapeutics.com in

Miist develops inhaled microparticle therapeutics that deliver medicine to the bloodstream in 30 seconds, targeting conditions like migraine, pain, and anxiety where rapid onset is critical.

BiotechDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesAlameda, US

Eric Ezerins(Cofounder, Head of Technology)in Dalton Signor(Cofounder, CEO)inRandy Krebs(Executive Officer)Jeffrey Schuster(Chief Technology Officer)inEvan Alfano(Director)

Co-investorsEntrepreneur First FREEFLOW The Innovation Space Refactor Capital

Catena Biosciencescatenabio.com in

CatenaBio develops precision conjugation technology using native amino acids to enable biotherapeutic fusions of small molecules, nucleic acids, enzymes, and cells.

BiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesBerkeley, US

Marco Lobba(Founder)inMatthew Francis(Founder)in Marco Lobba, Ph.D.(Founder)in

Co-investorsCivilization Ventures Management, Llc Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)FREEFLOW Iaso Ventures Jude Gomila LongeVC +6 more

Cooler Headscoolerheads.com in

Cooler Heads develops scalp cooling technology to prevent hair loss in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

HealthtechMedical DevicesSan Diego, US

Kate Dilligan(Founder & CEO)in

Board Maria Gonzalez-Blanch(Director)in MICHAEL SCHOTZINGER(Director)inLIZ TODIA(Director)LIZ ZAMBORY(Director)in JASON PESTERFIELD(Director)in

Co-investorsAd Astra Ventures Aloft VC Astia Golden Seeds Mutual Capital Partners NuFund Venture Group +2 more

EditPep inDec 2024

A Berkeley spinout developing a new generation of medicines for the brain and other hard-to-treat tissues using breakthrough science from UC Berkeley and the Innovative Genomics Institute.

BiotechBerkeley, US

Ross Wilson(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Dana Foss(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)in

BoardJaromir Tesar(Director)

EdVisorly, Inc.edvisorly.com in 𝕏

EdVisorly is an AI-based enrollment platform for higher education institutions, used to manage admissions and enrollment operations.

AI & Machine LearningEdTechSaaS

Manny S.(Founder)inManny Smith(Founder & CEO)Christine Wyatt(Chief Operating Officer)in Landon Lewis(Chief Technology Officer)in

Co-investorsDorm Room Motley Fool Ventures Potencia Ventures Silicon Valley Black Operator

Eko Healthekohealth.com in 𝕏

Eko develops FDA-cleared digital stethoscopes and AI-powered software that enables healthcare professionals to detect and diagnose cardiovascular disease with greater accuracy.

AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices

Connor Landgraf(Co-Founder and CEO)inTyler Crouchin Jason Bellet(Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer)in

Co-investorsQuesta Capital Highland Capital Partners Artis Ventures Better Ventures Central Llc DigiTx Partners LLC Evolution VC Partners +13 more

Engage Bioengagebio.com inAcquired

EngageBio develops DNA-based medicines using proprietary non-viral delivery technology to achieve extended therapeutic expression from a single dose with low manufacturing complexity.

BiotechDigital HealthHealthtechSan Francisco, US

Will Olsen(Founder)in

Co-investorsMetaplanet SciFounders WorldQuant Ventures Y Combinator

FreeWire Technologiesfreewiretech.com

Android for EV charging - software solution that works with any 3rd party hardware

CleantechEnergyMobility & TransportationSan Leandro, US

Arcady Sosinov(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardChad Bown(Director)Michael Mahan(Director)Richard Steele(Director)Gary Moskovitz(Director)

Co-investorsBlue Bear Capital Partners Foothill Ventures MarketX Ventures Momenta Ventures Stanley Ventures Strawberry Creek Ventures +9 more

Mammoth Biosciencesmammoth.bio in 𝕏

Mammoth Bio develops technology to read and write the code of life, operating in the biotechnology sector.

BiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesBrisbane, US

Jennifer Doudna(Founder)in Trevor Martin(Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer)in Janice Chen(Co-founder, Chief Scientific Officer & President, Research)in Lucas Harrington(Co-founder)in Ashley Tehranchi(Executive Officer, Director)in

BoardUrshit Parikh(Director)

Co-investors8VC Berkeley Frontier Decheng Capital Foresite Capital Mayfield Fund Mission Bay Capital +10 more

Prosperprosper.com in 𝕏

Prosper operates an online lending marketplace connecting borrowers with investors, offering personal loans up to $50,000 (issued by WebBank), a credit card, and investment products that let individuals invest in consumer loans.

FintechMarketplacesSan Francisco, US

David Kimball(CEO)in

Co-investorsAkkadian Ventures Breyer Capital Emergence Capital Partners F-Prime Capital Francisco Partners IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)+8 more

Resemble AIresemble.ai in 𝕏

Resemble develops generative voice models and synthetic speech technology, alongside deepfake detection capabilities.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareMedia & Entertainment

Zohaib Ahmed(Co-founder)in Saqib Muhammad(Co-founder)in

Co-investorsBerkeley Frontier Betaworks Bright Pixel Capital Comcast Ventures Global Brain GMG Ventures +12 more

Sequinsequincard.com in 𝕏

Sequin offers a debit card and financial product aimed at women, with a focus on building credit and financial education.

ConsumerFintech

Vrinda Gupta(Founder)in

Co-investorsDorm Room Emles Venture Partners First Check Ventures Scout Fund Scribble Ventures Abstract Ventures +9 more

SixMapsixmap.io in

SixMap provides a cyber defense platform that discovers digital assets across IPv4 and IPv6 using its 6Gen computational mapping algorithm and continuously scans all ports on each host to identify exposures.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwarePasadena, US

Jason Kaplan(Chief Executive Officer)inGregory Levesque(Director)Austin Murdock(Chairman, Chief Scientist, and Founder)inWilliam Jr. Murdock(Executive Officer, Director)

Board Robert Ackerman(Director)in Michael Janke(Director)in

Co-investorsDataTribe IAG Capital Partners

Space Kineticspacekinetic.com in

Space Kinetic develops technology to enable frequent, low-cost maneuvering and operations for spacecraft and space systems.

Deep TechHardwareSpace Tech

Scott Ziegler(Founder)in

Co-investorsBackswing Ventures Balerion Space Ventures Industrious Ventures UP Partners CerraCap Ventures

Stylus Medicinestylusmedicine.com in

Stylus Medicine develops in vivo genetic medicines using engineered recombinases, with initial focus on creating CAR-T therapies delivered via lipid nanoparticles for oncology, autoimmune, and genetic diseases.

BiotechDigital HealthMedical Devices

Michael C. Bassik, Ph.D.(Scientific Founder)Emile Nuwaysir, Ph.D.(Chairman & Chief Executive Officer)inJason Fontenot, Ph.D.(Chief Scientific Officer)

Co-investorsBrainstorm Ventures Khosla Ventures Neva Sgr.RA Capital Tachyon Ventures AbbVie

TransCryptstranscrypts.com in 𝕏

TransCrypts is a blockchain-based platform for verifying and sharing employment, health and educational credentials.

CybersecurityData & InfrastructureFintechNewark, US

Zain Zaidi(Founder)inZain Z(Founder)

Co-investorsAlpha Edison Alumni Ventures Atland Ventures Beyond Capital Faction Informed Ventures Advisors, Llc +10 more

Windfallwindfall.com in 𝕏

Windfall is a people intelligence and AI company that provides access to people data along with propensity modeling and machine learning to help go-to-market teams prioritize resources and engage the right prospects.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureSaaSSales Tech

Arup Banerjee(Founder)inDaniel Stevens(Founder)in

Co-investorsBullpen Capital Valuestream Ventures Fortress Investment Group Kohala Ventures

Your360 AIyour360.ai in 𝕏Sep 2025

Your360 AI runs interview-based 360-degree feedback programs where an AI coach conducts voice conversations with employees and their feedback providers, then synthesizes the results into coaching themes and a prioritized growth plan.

AI & Machine LearningFuture of WorkHR TechSan Francisco, US

Jared Seth Goralnick(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Sergio Kaszczyszyn(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inRenata Elisabeth Bell(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)

Co-investorsCapital Factory

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

AnswersAiCalyxCatenaCatena BioscienceEncellinGC AIKyteLILTMammothMiistModelwiseProsper MedicalSelva TherapeuticsStylusSynviviaVivereVivere OncotherapiesYeast Bay Bio

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Resemble AI Secures $13M to Combat Rising AI Generated Threats | Resemble AI

Resemble AI · resemble.ai · Dec 7, 2025

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has CALIFORNIA INNOVATION made?: CALIFORNIA INNOVATION has 37 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited, including 2 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION invest at?: CALIFORNIA INNOVATION invests at the Seed, Series A, Growth stages.
What sectors does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION focus on?: CALIFORNIA INNOVATION focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Cleantech, Cybersecurity, Digital Health, EdTech, Fintech, LegalTech, Mobility & Transportation, Sector Agnostic, Space Tech.
Where is CALIFORNIA INNOVATION located?: CALIFORNIA INNOVATION is headquartered in Berkeley, US.
Does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION lead rounds?: Yes, CALIFORNIA INNOVATION leads investment rounds.
Who does CALIFORNIA INNOVATION co-invest with?: CALIFORNIA INNOVATION most often shares deals with Berkeley Frontier, Dorm Room, Motley Fool Ventures, among 91 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

Secrets of Being a Wartime CEO | Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz Cofounder

Summation with Auren Hoffman · Ben Horowitz

AI & the Crypto Revolution: Andreessen Horowitz Cofounder Ben Horowitz #a16z

Summation with Auren Hoffman · Ben Horowitz

Bryce Gilleland - GP - Cal Innovation Fund II California Innovation Fund

Charles Cormier - Founder Wisdom Podcast · Bryce Gilleland

Ben Horowitz on Raising a New Fund and How Venture Firms Scale

Andreessen Horowitz / Uncapped · Ben Horowitz · a16z.com

Ben Horowitz On What Makes a Great Founder

Andreessen Horowitz / Sequoia Capital · Ben Horowitz · a16z.com

Venture Capitalist Ben Horowitz to Make Significant Donation for Harris

Reuters · Ben Horowitz · reuters.com

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