Convective Capital
Venture capitalSan Francisco · Seed–Series A · 6 people tracked
Also known as CONVECTIVE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
Investment thesis
Convective invests in resilience — the systems that keep the world running and protect against disasters, with a particular emphasis on wildfire and physical-world risk management. It backs hardware, software and financial services companies serving hard markets such as utilities, insurance carriers, forestry services, land management, fire departments and state and federal agencies. These markets are large but face an existential crisis and present unique challenges most investors avoid. Convective differentiates through Updraft, a 10,000+ person resilience network that has generated over $100M in revenue for its portfolio companies, and through convening events like the Red Sky Summit that connect founders with the institutions responsible for deploying new solutions.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 25, 2026.
Team · 6 people
from the firm's website & public directories
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Convective Capital went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 24 of 25 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×14Climate Tech ×13Cleantech ×6Energy ×6SaaS ×6Advanced Manufacturing ×5Hardware ×5Robotics ×5
HQs:United States×17Netherlands×1Portugal×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 13 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×82 founders×23 founders×24+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 15 founders with education data
Stanford University ×3University of Washington ×3Jones College Prep ×2University of California, Berkeley ×2University of Pennsylvania ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 17 founders with career history
Hubble Network ×2SpaceX ×2Stanford Student Space Initiative ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
Investments · 25 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 22025 · 12024 · 12023 · 15 dated
Advanced ManufacturingWashington, US
Michael Grasso IV(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Parker(Executive Officer, Director)Andrew Arsht(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatWilliam D. ClericoWilliam Clerico· per SEC Form D · $35M raise · filed Sep 2025
Ark provides a customizable digital platform for venture capital and private equity firms to manage investor communications, performance reporting, and document sharing with their limited partners.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS
Co-investorsAcies InvestmentsAloft VCAlta PartnersAmity VenturesArtis VenturesAsymmetric Capital Partners+21 more
Co-investorsHumba VenturesFirst Star VenturesOverture Climate
BurnBot builds purpose-built, remotely controlled machines and services for wildfire mitigation, fuels management, vegetation control, and timber operations.
CleantechClimate TechHardwareRoboticsSouth San Francisco, US
Waleed Haddad(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardAnukool Lakhina(Executive Officer, Director)in
Co-investorsAmerican Family VenturesDBL PartnersDCVC (Data Collective)Ecosystem Integrity FundHAWKTAILLOWERCARBON+8 more
Delos is a managing general agent (MGA) that uses wildfire science and AI-based risk models to underwrite and offer homeowners insurance policies in areas of high wildfire risk, and provides homeowners with personalized home-hardening advice.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechInsurTech
Kevin Stein(CEO)
Co-investorsAvanta VenturesBlue Bear Capital PartnersChaos Venturesfutureland venturesSeraphim SpaceIA Capital Group
Drafted.ai is an AI-powered platform for generating architectural floor plans, 3D models, renders, and CAD/BIM exports.
AI & Machine LearningConstruction TechConsumerPropTechSan Francisco, US
Nicholas Donahue(Founder)in
Co-investorsStarship VenturesY CombinatorBuckley Ventures Management Company Llc
AI & Machine LearningHR TechSaaSMiami, US
Co-investorsTechstarsStarship VenturesY Combinator
Edge AI is an analytics platform that lets users query complex commodity data in natural language, model scenarios, and stress test market conditions to surface trade insights.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaSNew York City, US
Shihab Malik(Founder)
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.
Advanced ManufacturingClimate TechEnergyEnterprise SoftwareHardwareIoTSan Francisco, US
Tim Barat(Founder)inOmar B(Founder)inHall Chen(Co-Founder & CTO)in
Co-investorsAiSprouts VCAnorak VenturesFifty YearsHAWKTAILLOWERCARBONLowercarbon Capital+7 more
Hubble has created a Bluetooth connection to space and is building a global, battery-efficient, and cost-effective network using satellite technology.
Advanced ManufacturingDeveloper ToolsHardwareIoTSpace TechLas Vegas, US
Alex Haro(Founder)inBen Wild(Founder)in
Co-investorsMarin Digital VenturesRpm Ventures Iii Management, L.L.C.Y CombinatorEarthshot VenturesRPM VenturesSeraph Group+1 more
Instinct Environmental makes the ASU (Automated Surveying Unit), an automated acoustic monitoring device that listens for over 6,500 target species, identifies them on-device and reports detections over satellite within 30 minutes — replacing the manual site visits and after-the-fact audio review that wildlife surveying normally requires.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechDeep TechHardwareImpact & Social GoodIoTHillsboro, US
TREVOR BACHAND(Executive Officer)ASHWIN DATTA(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsTechstarsAlbionVCElevate Capital
Fire Aside provides wildfire resilience software for fire professionals, fire agencies, fire safe councils, and homeowners' associations, with tools for defensible space evaluations, vegetation removal coordination, grant funding, and resident communications.
Climate TechGovTechSaaS
Co-investorsMSIV
20tree.ai (operating as Overstory) provides AI-powered vegetation intelligence for electric utilities, combining satellite and aerial imagery with local asset data to optimize vegetation management programs.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechEnergyEnterprise SoftwareInsurTechAmsterdam, NL
Co-investorsTechstarsB CapitalBentley iTwin VenturesCapitalTEnergy Impact PartnersMoxxie Ventures+3 more
Overstory provides AI-driven vegetation intelligence for electric utilities, combining satellite and aerial imagery with local data like asset locations and wildfire maps to help them prioritize and plan vegetation management work.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechEnergyLisbon, PT
Indra den Bakker(Co-founder)inFiona Spruill(CEO)inDoug Perrygo(CFO)Tamara Mendelsohn(COO)Brian Lafayette(VP of Product & Strategy)Peternille Dekker(Head of People)
Co-investorsB Capital GroupB4 CapitalElewitEnergy Impact PartnersMoxxie VenturesOverwater Ventures Llc+7 more
Pano develops artificial intelligence and machine learning technology solutions to help utility companies and fire agencies detect and manage wildfire threats.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechDefense TechEnterprise SoftwareMedia & EntertainmentCambridge, US
Co-investorsAthletic VenturesCerity Partners VenturesCongruent VenturesGiant Ventures Global LlpJanuary VenturesMassMutual Ventures+4 more
Piq offers solutions to help connect projects to the electrical grid faster.
CleantechEnergy
Co-investorsNew Climate VenturesActive Impact InvestmentsASCENT ENERGY VENTURESCLAI VenturesUmami Capital
Rain develops wildfire mission autonomy systems that adapt military and civil autonomous aircraft to detect, understand, and suppress wildfires.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechRobotics
Co-investorsAzolla VenturesHAWKTAILVoLo Earth Ventures
Rhizome provides a software platform that helps electric utilities model climate threats across decades, identify asset vulnerabilities, and build cost-benefit analyses to justify grid resilience investments to regulators.
CleantechClimate TechSaaS
Co-investorsEl Cap EquityJetstream
Seneca builds an autonomous, rapid-response fire suppression drone system combining hardware, software, and AI, allowing a single pilot to control multiple craft that detect, target, and suppress wildfires and hot spots.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechRobotics
Stu
Co-investorsGood FriendsNextView Ventures
Stand uses physics-based simulation, satellite imagery, and field inspection to model per-property natural-peril risk (wildfire, wind, hail, water, and earthquake) and translates it into insurance coverage.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechInsurTech
Dan Preston(Founder)in
Co-investorsEqual VenturesFinancial Venture StudioFjor FoundersInspired CapitalNeotribe VenturesRestive Ventures+1 more
TLM builds and operates a network of regional sawmills that process timber and strengthen the domestic lumber supply chain.
Advanced ManufacturingAgTechCleantechConstruction Tech
Andrew Arsht(Founder)in
Co-investorsCantos VenturesHumba VenturesLevel VenturesRavelin CapitalSlow Ventures
Treeswift develops physical AI using robotics and machine learning to assist field crews with grid inspection, vegetation management, and asset documentation.
AI & Machine LearningEnergyRoboticsPhiladelphia, US
Elizabeth Hunter(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inSteven Chen(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inMichael Shomin(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)in
Co-investorsContour Venture PartnersCrosslink CapitalDorm RoomHumba VenturesInspired CapitalPathbreaker Ventures+8 more
Voltair Labs develops autonomous aircraft equipped with visual, thermal, and LiDAR sensors for inspecting and monitoring utility infrastructure, including power lines and substations.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechEnergyHardwareRoboticsSan Francisco, US
Ronan Nopp(Founder)inHayden Gosch(Founder)inAvi Gotskind(Founder)inWarren Weissbluth(Founder)in
Co-investorsY Combinator
Windborne Systems collects atmospheric data using long-duration balloons and applies AI models to produce weather forecasts for business applications.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechDeep TechPalo Alto, US
John Dean(Founder)inKai Marshland(Founder)inANDREY SUSHKO(Director)JOHN DEAN(Director)KAI MARSHLAND(Director)
BoardNIKHIL BASU TRIVEDI(Director)
Co-investorsFootworkHarvest Venture PartnersHumba VenturesJetstreamKhosla VenturesUbiquity Ventures
X.build provides AI-powered estimation and proposal generation software for contractor sales teams.
AI & Machine LearningConstruction TechSaaSSan Francisco, US
Jahan Khanna(Founder)
Co-investorsAndreessen HorowitzNext47Rackhouse Venture Management Lp
Rows marked “SEC filing” are inferred from directors named on the company's SEC Form D — public regulatory data, not a portfolio list published by the firm.
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesEdge · nytimes.com · Aug 19, 2026
Seneca · focusgn.com · Aug 19, 2026
Stand · streetinsider.com · Aug 5, 2026
WindBorne · techcrunch.com · Aug 5, 2026
Piq Energy · mercomcapital.com · Jul 21, 2026
Overstory · zeebiz.com · Jul 16, 2026
Gridware · newmarketpitch.com · Jul 13, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Convective Capital made?
- Convective Capital has 23 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Convective Capital invest at?
- Convective Capital invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Convective Capital focus on?
- Convective Capital focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Energy, Fintech, GovTech, Hardware, Impact & Social Good, InsurTech, Logistics & Supply Chain.
- Where is Convective Capital located?
- Convective Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
- Does Convective Capital lead rounds?
- Convective Capital typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does Convective Capital co-invest with?
- Convective Capital most often shares deals with Humba Ventures, Y Combinator, Inspired Capital, among 97 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamMomentum investing in VC + Convective Capital’s Bill Clerico | E1627
This Week in Startups · Bill Clerico
No Priors Ep. 98 | With Convective Capital Founder Bill Clerico
No Priors: AI, Machine Learning, Tech, & Startups · Bill Clerico
The best way to launch your startup
Y Combinator · Kat Mañalac
How to launch (again and again)
Y Combinator · Kat Mañalac
On starting and scaling construction startup PlanGrid
Y Combinator · Kat Mañalac
How to Start a Startup: Diversity and inclusion at early stage startups
Y Combinator · Kat Mañalac
Images
Co-investors · 49
Techstars is a startup accelerator and early-stage investor that funds ambitious founders and provides capital, mentorship, and access to a global network of investors, operators, and corporate partners.
Jetstream is a San Francisco-based venture fund run by Tommy Leep that backs startups at the pre-seed stage. It emphasizes quick decisions and helps portfolio founders with customer introductions, strategy, and raising follow-on rounds through its community of founders and investors. Its investments include companies in areas such as disaster recovery, fintech, health, and EV charging.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies.
Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies focused on technology, mobile, and clean energy sectors, including biotechnology applications. The firm provides capital and strategic support to entrepreneurs developing breakthrough technologies across multiple markets.
Susa Ventures operates two early-stage technology funds that invest in companies leveraging data, network effects, and economies of scale.
Buckley Ventures is a venture capital firm that makes concentrated early-stage investments in internet, software, and frontier technology companies.
Moxxie Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies focused on improving aspects of daily life and the workplace.
Energy Impact Partners is an investment firm that connects entrepreneurs with major corporate partners to help drive the transformation of the global economy toward a more sustainable future.
Ravelin Capital is an early-stage technology investment firm focused on critical industries.
GV (Google Ventures) is a venture capital firm that has invested in artificial intelligence and machine learning since its early days, building a global portfolio of more than 100 AI companies across infrastructure, life sciences, and applications.
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that backs technology companies building transformative products.
▶37 more co-investors
Lightspeed Venture PartnersAccelFounder CollectiveBenchmarkEverywhere VenturesCRV (Charles River Ventures)Goat CapitalPioneerC2 InvestmentsLux CapitalHeadlineLookout VenturesScale Venture PartnersAfore CapitalResolute VenturesTodd and Rahul’s Angel FundSoma CapitalBase10 PartnersGustoTwo Sigma VenturesVibe CapitalMatrixTribe Capital FirstlookBetter Tomorrow VenturesShrug CapitalCommerce VenturesContraryWormhole CapitalHuman CapitalInvariantes FundJLL SparkPowerhouseRabbit VenturesConnecticut InnovationsData TechStarframeUnderline Ventures
Firms observed investing alongside Convective Capital, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Convective Capital's recorded portfolio.
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