Fontinalis Partners
Venture capitalDetroit · Pre-Seed–Late Stage · 18 people tracked
Also known as FONTINALIS PARTNERS, LLC
Investment thesis
Fontinalis backs early-stage, ambitious founders building companies on what it calls the new frontiers of industry — specifically mobility, industrial innovation, and energy. The firm aims to partner as early as possible with entrepreneurs who anticipate change and are building iconic, important companies. Its portfolio spans areas such as semiconductor fabrication and AI chips, freight intelligence, digital manufacturing at industrial scale, space and AI-enabled weather resilience, and location-based social applications.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 25, 2026.
Team · 18 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 42 of 60 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×17Mobility & Transportation ×13SaaS ×13Logistics & Supply Chain ×9Deep Tech ×8Hardware ×8Advanced Manufacturing ×6Data & Infrastructure ×6
HQs:United States×34United Kingdom×2Israel×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 27 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×102 founders×93 founders×64+ founders×2
Where their founders studiedfrom 13 founders with education data
Massachusetts Institute of Technology ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 15 founders with career history
Carnegie Mellon University ×3Goldman Sachs ×2Stanford University ×2Waseda University ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
Investments · 60 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2020 · 12019 · 12018 · 12016 · 42015 · 12014 · 19 dated
Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing platform that connects passengers with drivers for various ride types, including standard rides, premium options, and other transportation services.
MarketplacesMobility & TransportationSan Francisco, US
Logan Green(Co-founder & CEO)inJohn Zimmer(Co-founder & President)inDavid Risher(CEO)in
Co-investorsAglae VenturesAllied Venture PartnersAlpha Wave GlobalAndreessen HorowitzBling CapitalCoatue Management+35 more
Uber operates a multi-sided platform providing ride-sharing, food delivery, freight logistics, and business fleet management services across various global markets.
Logistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesMobility & TransportationSan Francisco, US
Travis Kalanick(Co-founder & CEO)Garrett Camp(Co-founder)
Co-investors137 Ventures408 VenturesA*Across Capital PartnersAglae VenturesAkkadian Ventures+63 more
San Francisco, US
Damian Sean Black(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardRalph H Booth(Director)Mark A Schulz(Director)inEdan Kabatchnik(Director)Robert Frankenberg(Director)
Board seatMark Schulz· per SEC Form D · $541K raise · filed Feb 2016
U.
Advanced ManufacturingClimate TechNew MaterialsPittsburgh, US
Richard L. Fruehauf(Executive Officer)Duane D. Holloway(Executive Officer)Arne S. Jahn(Treasurer and Chief Risk Officer)Douglas R. Matthews(Executive Officer)A. Barry Melnkovic(Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer)Stephen J. Girsky(Director)
Board seatPaul Mascarenas· per SEC Form D · filed Dec 2019
fab2 designs and builds the hardware and software used to manufacture chips, including semiconductor fabs, fabrication tools, and components such as pumps, valves, sensors, and precision actuators.
Deep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Sam ZeloofJim Keller
Co-investorsBeyond Earth VenturesBlack FlagHyperguapMana Ventures
A firm that selects a limited number of companies each year to automate their business processes.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Carputty offers digital auto financing for U.S. car buyers, providing fixed-rate single-vehicle loans through a lending partner along with tools to track and predict vehicle value over time.
FintechMobility & TransportationSaaSAtlanta, US
J. Patrick Bayliss(President and CEO)
BoardMichael Tannenbaum(Resigned as a Director 7/16/2021)
Co-investorsGrand VenturesKickstartKinetic Ventures, L.L.C.Porsche VenturesTTV Capital
CelLink develops electrical systems for power and data transmission.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechHardware
Co-investorsBosch VenturesRobert Bosch Venture Capital
Condoit provides a software platform for electrical contractors to digitize facility data, automate reporting, and identify recurring service revenue opportunities.
Construction TechEnterprise SoftwareIoTSaaSBirmingham, US
Co-investorsTechstarsThe Westly Group
Donut (Donut Media) sells branded apparel and accessories—including T-shirts, hoodies, hats, workwear, bags, and stickers—themed around cars and automotive culture.
Direct to ConsumerE-commerceMedia & EntertainmentLos Angeles, US
Matthew R Levin(Executive Officer)
Co-investorsPrototype CapitalTechstars
Driv.ly (Auto.dev) provides automotive data APIs for developers and AI agents, including VIN decoding, plate-to-VIN lookup, vehicle specifications, listings, pricing, recalls, and payment calculations.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsMobility & Transportation
Co-investorsBehind Genius VenturesExpansion Venture Capital
Etched designs custom silicon and rack-scale inference systems for running frontier AI models, co-designing chips, packaging, interconnects, cooling, and software to improve throughput, latency, cost, and power efficiency.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareSemiconductorsSan Jose, US
Gavin Uberti(Co-Founder & CEO)inRobert Wachen(Co-Founder & President)Chris Zhu(Co-Founder)Mark Ross(CTO)Brian Loiler(VP of Platform)Wayne Cao(VP of Production)
Co-investorsThiel CapitalRadical VenturesPrimary Venture PartnersSequoia Capital
Co-investorsHCVC
FreightWaves is a news and editorial publication covering logistics, supply chains, and freight transportation sectors.
Data & InfrastructureLogistics & Supply ChainMedia & EntertainmentSaaSChattanooga, US
Craig Fuller(Founder and CEO)in
Co-investors8VCRevolutionStory VenturesTriangle Peak Partners
Gatik develops Level 4 autonomous trucks for regional freight and e-commerce delivery, operating commercial fleets for retailers including Walmart, Loblaw, Kroger, and others.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsSilicon Valley, US
Gautam Narang(CEO)inArjun Narang(CTO)inApeksha Kumavat(Chief Engineer)
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesBasecamp FundDynamo VenturesFlucas VenturesFraser McCombs CapitalKoch Disruptive Technologies+6 more
Halo Industries produces silicon carbide (SiC) wafers using a laser-cutting process that reduces bow, warp, and subsurface damage, offering multiple quality grades for MOSFET production, diode production, R&D, and mechanical use.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareNew MaterialsSemiconductorsSanta Clara, US
Andrei Iancu(CEO & Founder)Phil Van Stockum(CTO & Founder)Charlie Rudy(CSO & Founder)Andrew Bollman(Founder)Luke Asperger(Founder)Michael White(President & COO)
Co-investorsPrime Movers LabAbstract VenturesAtento CapitalHarmonix FundW ventures
Helm.ai develops AI software for autonomous driving systems that enables automakers and Tier 1 suppliers to develop L2 through L4 autonomous vehicles.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechMobility & Transportation
Co-investorsA.Capital VenturesACVC PartnersAmplo VenturesHonda Innovations Silicon ValleyOne Way VenturesSound Ventures
Highland provides fleet electrification services in North America, financing and operating electric school buses and charging infrastructure for school districts and fleet operators.
CleantechEnergyMobility & Transportation
INRIX provides mobility data and analytics products covering traffic, parking, and location-based services for cities, automotive companies, and transportation planners.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureMobility & TransportationKirkland, US
Bryan Mistele(Founder)TRACY D. DAW(Executive Officer)KENDRA VANDERMEULEN(Director)BRYAN P. MISTELE(Executive Officer, Director)JOHN CONNORS(Director)TONY POSAWATZ(Director)
Co-investorsAugust CapitalRunway Growth Capital
Karamba Security provides runtime protection and binary hardening software for edge devices, embedded systems, and containerized workloads to prevent AI-enabled attacks and supply chain compromises.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityDefense TechDeveloper ToolsIoTHod Hasharon, IL
David Barzilai(Founder)
Co-investorsPaladin Capital GroupPresidio VenturesWestern Technology InvestmentYL Ventures
Life360 is a family safety mobile application that enables families and friends to share real-time location information, receive driving safety alerts, and check in with loved ones to maintain peace of mind about their whereabouts and well-being.
ConsumerHealthtechIoTSan Francisco, US
Chris Hulls(Executive Officer, Director)inArthur Oruna(Director)John Philip Coghlan(Director)Chris Cheever(Director)Alex Haro
BoardRyan Swagar(Director)
Co-investors500 GlobalAmerican Family VenturesBessemer Venture PartnersBMW i VenturesDCM VenturesExpansion Venture Capital+7 more
Masabi provides Justride, a Fare Payments-as-a-Service platform for public transit agencies, supporting mobile ticketing, contactless bank card and smartcard travel, and account-based ticketing.
FintechMobility & TransportationSaaSLondon, GB
Co-investorsAccel-KKRMMC Venturesm8 Capital
Mitra Chem builds a full-stack AI platform for materials design and manufacturing, using specialized agents for R&D, process engineering, and software development to support the path from lab synthesis to factory scale-up.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningEnergyNew MaterialsMountain View, US
Vivas Kumar(Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder)inChirranjeevi Gopal(Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder)William Chueh(Director, Co-Founder, and Chief Scientific Advisor)Vikas Kante(Chief Financial Officer)Ross Kirschner(Chief Legal Officer)Xiaofei Ye(Chief Industrialization Engineer)
Co-investorsAlpha Wave GlobalScribble VenturesSwordfish InvestmentsEarthshot VenturesGS Futures
nuTonomy develops fully driverless vehicle technology designed to integrate into mobility networks for autonomous ride-hailing and delivery services.
AI & Machine LearningMobility & TransportationRoboticsCambridge, US
Emilio Frazzoli(Director)Karl Iagnemma(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardIoannis Martinos(Director)Christopher Thomas(Director)
Co-investorsTrucks VC
Ouster designs and manufactures high-resolution lidar sensors for autonomous machines and smart infrastructure to improve safety and efficiency.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareIoTRoboticsSan Francisco, US
Mark Frichtl(Executive Officer, Director)Charles Angus Pacala(Executive Officer, Director)Zachary Frankel(Director)David Blau(Director)Ashok M. Rao(Director)
BoardIsaac Pritzker(Director)
Co-investorsR7 PartnersRunway Growth Capital
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San Francisco, US
Bastian Lehman(Founder & CEO)Sam Street(Founder)in
Co-investorsAngelPadBrighter CapitalCrosslink CapitalEntrée CapitalFirstMark CapitalFounders Fund+20 more
San Jose, US
Warren Ahner(Executive Officer, Director)Jonathan Mullen(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardPhin Barnes(Director)
Co-investorsRoot Ventures Manager, Llc
Robust.AI develops AI and robotics technology with a focus on human-centered design.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsVista, US
Anthony Jules(Founder)inRodney BrooksinLeila TakayamaGabrielle Halbergin
Co-investors15th RockEnergy Impact PartnersFuture VenturesJAZZ Venture PartnersMetaplanetPlayground Global+1 more
Fused is an end-to-end Python platform with data-aware AI that lets data teams and individuals explore data using natural-language prompts, build charts, and share results, including geospatial analysis.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureSaaSNew York, US
Isaac Brodsky(Founder)Sina Kashuk(Founder)
Co-investorsMyriad Venture PartnersEssence Venture Capital
Sibros provides a deep connected platform for software-defined vehicles, offering products and services including Over-The-Air updates, logging, command execution, and analytics for automotive manufacturers and fleet operators.
Cloud ComputingIoT
Hemant Sikaria(Founder)in
Co-investorsEnergy Impact PartnersIron PillarQualcomm VenturesNexus Venture Partners
Skyryse develops SkyOS, a flight-control operating system that simplifies aircraft operation through automated maneuvers, emergency management, and optionally piloted or autonomous flight.
Deep TechDefense TechMobility & TransportationEl Segundo, US
Mark Groden(Founder & CEO)inShane Evangelist(Director)Will Summerlin(Director)Stephen Koo(Executive Officer, Director)Andrew Brown(Director)Blake Bilstad(Executive Officer)
Co-investorsCantos VenturesCity LightDas & Co.Embedded VenturesFlucas VenturesGamegroove Capital+18 more
SmartKargo provides a digital platform for air cargo and e-commerce logistics, integrating solutions across the first-to-last mile of cargo movement for airlines.
E-commerceLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
A casino review and comparison platform that provides independent evaluations of online casinos for US players, with a focus on payment methods, security, user experience, and crypto gambling platforms.
CleantechConsumerMarketplacesDetroit, US
Co-investorsInvest MichiganTechstarsInMotion VenturesVerizon VenturesWells Fargo Advisors
Chain.io builds AI-based software for global freight forwarders, offering data integration and automated monitoring of shipments against companies' standard operating procedures.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
Co-investorsGrand VenturesHigh AlphaMercury FundTech Square Ventures
Elementum is an AI-native enterprise platform that runs applications and AI agents directly inside a company's existing data cloud (Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, Azure) without copying or replicating data, positioning itself as a replacement for legacy SaaS.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Swift Solar develops high-efficiency solar cells using perovskite-silicon tandem technology combined with silicon heterojunction, aiming for panels that produce up to 1.5x the power of conventional silicon.
CleantechEnergyHardwareSan Carlos, US
Tomas Leijtens(Executive Officer, Director)Joel Jean(Co-Founder & CEO)Kevin Bush(Cofounder)
BoardJames Fickel(Director)
Co-investorsGood Growth CapitalSafar PartnersToba Capital
Co-investorsAscent Venture Partners
Aliso Viejo, US
Jason Koch(Executive Officer)David Cozzens(Executive Officer, Director)Gary Hallgren(Executive Officer)Theodore Serentelos(Executive Officer)Howard Jelinek(Executive Officer, Director)Timothy Taylor(Executive Officer)
Co-investorsCross Creek AdvisorsIVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Kleiner PerkinsVerizon VenturesLinse Capital
Tomorrow.io develops an AI-powered weather intelligence platform that combines satellite technology and proprietary data to help organizations forecast weather impacts and build resilience.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSaaSNew York, US
Shimon Elkabetz(CEO, Co-Founder)Rei Goffer(CSO, Co-Founder)Itai Zlotnik(CCO, Co-Founder)
Co-investorsSquare Peg CapitalACTIVATE CAPITAL PARTNERSCanaan PartnersClearvision VenturesEvergy VenturesFlying Tiger Capital+9 more
Durham, US
Joshua G. Whiton(Director)Douglas Kaufman(Executive Officer, Director)William Bing(Executive Officer)
BoardChris Stallman(Director)inDavid Kirkpatrick(Director)Jason Massey(Director)
Co-investorsIDEA NCSustainVCPatient Capital CollaborativeSJF Ventures
Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform that allows individuals to rent vehicles from local car owners for trips and travel needs.
MarketplacesMobility & TransportationSan Francisco, US
Shelby Clark(Founder)Andre Haddad(CEO)
Co-investors137 VenturesAllied Venture PartnersAugust CapitalAurumCanaan PartnersCross Creek Advisors+14 more
Vecna Robotics provides autonomous mobile robot (AMR) systems and orchestration software for material handling tasks such as case picking, cross-docking, and warehouse workflows.
Enterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsCambridge, US
Daniel Patt(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Bearman(Executive Officer)
BoardDaniel Theobald(Executive Officer, Director)Nick Solaro(Director)in
Co-investorsBlackhorn VenturesDrive CapitalTau VenturesTectonic VenturesUnlessTiger Global Management
Veho operates an end-to-end logistics platform for e-commerce, providing fast and reliable shipping services through a network of warehouses and crowdsourced driver partners.
Advanced ManufacturingE-commerceLogistics & Supply ChainBoulder, US
Itamar Zur(Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder)inFred Cook(Chief Technology Officer, and Co-founder)in
Co-investorsBling CapitalConstruct CapitalDorm RoomGood FriendsHumba VenturesMantis Capital+9 more
VulcanForms provides advanced additive manufacturing services, working with customers to select materials from a portfolio of options based on product performance requirements such as strength, durability, and thermal resistance.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareNew Materials
Co-investorsBoston Seed CapitalEclipse Ventures
Wise Systems provides an AI-driven routing optimization platform for delivery and fleet operations.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationSaaSCambridge, US
Charles Sims II(Executive Officer, Director)Ali Kamil(Executive Officer, Director)Layla Shaikley(Executive Officer, Director)Jemel Derbali(Executive Officer, Director)Chazz Sims(Founder)in
BoardDr. Sandy Pentland
Co-investorsBantam GroupGradient VenturesGutbrain VenturesTechstarsThe E14 FundTrucks VC+4 more
Cambridge, US
Timothy Ericson(Executive Officer, Director)Andrew W. Feinberg(Director)Jason Meinzer(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardWilliam McCullen(Director)inAndrew W Feinberg(Director)
Co-investorsBantam GroupLaunchCapitalTechstarsClean Energy VenturesEdison Partners
San Francisco, US
Jonathan Matus(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardPadmasree Warrior(Director)Max Ventilla(Director)Ran Makavy(Director)
Co-investorsBMW i VenturesThompson Hutton, LLCTrucks VCACME CapitalFirst Round CapitalHearst Ventures+3 more
ZeroRISC provides end-to-end security for open-source silicon, covering chip design-time IP, factory provisioning, and lifecycle/fleet management built on an open-source silicon root of trust.
CybersecurityHardwareSemiconductors
Co-investorsAvonmore DevelopmentsCambridge Angels group
Co-investorsQualcomm VenturesSony Ventures Corporation
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.
Exits · 3
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioPortfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Etched AI · techtimes.com · Aug 19, 2026
AVRL · halifaxexaminer.ca · Aug 18, 2026
TransLoc · transloc.com · Aug 17, 2026
Masabi · gulfnews.com · Aug 11, 2026
Postmates · fortuneindia.com · Jul 17, 2026
Ouster · benzinga.com · Jul 7, 2026
Skyryse · techcrunch.com · Jul 5, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Fontinalis Partners made?
- Fontinalis Partners has 54 tracked investments, 4 of which have exited via acquisition or IPO.
- What stage does Fontinalis Partners invest at?
- Fontinalis Partners invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Late Stage stages.
- What is Fontinalis Partners's typical check size?
- Fontinalis Partners typically writes checks of $250K – $5M.
- What sectors does Fontinalis Partners focus on?
- Fontinalis Partners focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Deep Tech, Energy, Enterprise Software, Logistics & Supply Chain, Mobility & Transportation, Robotics, Sector Agnostic, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
- Where is Fontinalis Partners located?
- Fontinalis Partners is headquartered in Detroit, US.
- Does Fontinalis Partners lead rounds?
- Yes, Fontinalis Partners leads investment rounds.
- Who does Fontinalis Partners co-invest with?
- Fontinalis Partners most often shares deals with Trucks VC, Techstars, Tech Square Ventures, among 197 tracked co-investors.
Images
Co-investors · 42
First Round Capital is an early-stage venture firm that backs companies at their earliest moments, often before they are named, across enterprise, AI, consumer, healthcare, fintech and hardware sectors.
Canaan Partners is a venture capital firm with over 30 years of history, backing companies across technology and healthcare sectors through close, hands-on partnerships with founders.
Eclipse is a venture firm that backs entrepreneurs building companies in the physical and essential economy — industries tied to resilience, competitiveness, and security.
BMW i Ventures is the venture capital arm associated with BMW, investing in companies reimagining the future of automotive across manufacturing, energy storage, EV charging, semiconductors, and automotive software.
ACME Capital is a venture firm that backs deep-tech founders combining technical ambition with decisive execution, supporting companies through every phase of growth.
Mayfield is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage consumer and marketplace companies, backing founders from inception through IPO.
8VC is a venture capital firm investing across logistics, life sciences, healthcare, IT infrastructure, and government/defense, guided by its Smart Enterprise thesis focused on data integration and platform network effects.
Revolution is an investment firm that has backed founders, communities, and ideas for over two decades, spanning venture capital, entrepreneurship advocacy, and real estate and hospitality investments.
MMC is a European venture capital firm that has partnered with over 100 early-stage founders over more than two decades to help grow their startups.
Kickstart is the Mountain West's first seed-stage venture fund, backing early-stage founders building companies in the region.
National Grid Partners is the venture capital unit of National Grid plc, a major investor-owned energy utility company. The firm invests in innovative energy-related technologies and business models.
Square Peg Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders early and continues to back them across multiple rounds, providing strategic support and guidance as they scale global businesses.
▶30 more co-investors
TTV CapitalBlackhorn VenturesClearvision VenturesStory VenturesHinge CapitalInMotion VenturesLightspeed Venture PartnersCraft VenturesFundersClubLux CapitalKapor CapitalPractical Venture CapitalRidge VenturesM13Betaworks Ventures Management, LlcKearny JacksonZetta Venture PartnersRecursive VenturesScrum VenturesMithril Capital ManagementVSC VenturesEVE AtlasInterlace VenturesAirbus VenturesArgonautic VenturesHuron River VenturesRSCMLearnLaunch Fund Acceleratorsession vcVision Ridge Capital Partners
Firms observed investing alongside Fontinalis Partners, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Fontinalis Partners's recorded portfolio.
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