🦊/Investors

Grit Ventures

Venture capital

Menlo Park · Pre-Seed–Series A · 4 people tracked

Find your way into Grit Ventures

1,522 people in our graph share verified history with the Grit Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Mike Volpiunlockedknows Jennifer Gill Roberts · together at Stanford University Graduate School of Business (overlapped)
×2knows the team · via Stanford University
knows the team · via Citi
knows the team · via The University of Texas at Austin
×2knows the team · via Techstars
knows the team · via Northwestern University
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Investment thesis

Grit Ventures focuses on deep tech companies spun out of the nation's leading research labs, viewing AI as a force that will transform both enterprise and the physical world. The firm sees a generational talent shift as researchers leave academia—driven in part by funding cuts—to launch commercially focused startups. Grit backs deeply technical teams and supports them with capital as well as help across go-to-market strategy, hiring, and business model execution.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Series A
Check
$100K – $1M
HQ
Menlo Park, California, US
Leads rounds
Leads
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2019
Last 12 months
1 investment
Tracked investments
41
Unicorns
2
Acquisitions
2

Team · 4 people

from public directories

What they invest in

from 34 of 41 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×17Hardware ×13Deep Tech ×11Robotics ×9SaaS ×7Defense Tech ×6Enterprise Software ×6Space Tech ×5

HQs:United States×23Switzerland×1Colombia×1United Kingdom×1Israel×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 25 portfolio companies
44%
solo founders
11 of 25 mapped founding teams
41%
repeat founders
of 29 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×112 founders×133 founders×1

Where their founders studiedfrom 26 founders with education data

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ×5Stanford University ×3University of Colorado Boulder ×3Boston University ×2Penn State University ×2UCLA Anderson School of Management ×2

What their founders studiedfrom 25 founders with field-of-study data

Engineering ×15Physics ×7Computer Science ×4Business & Management ×2Design & Architecture ×2Politics & Policy ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 29 founders with career history

ABL Space Systems ×2Duke University ×2Georgia Institute of Technology ×2MIT Media Lab ×2SpaceX ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Techstars ×2

12 founders hold a PhD · 5 hold an MBA (of 28 with degree data)

Investments · 41 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2026 · 12025 · 42024 · 12023 · 22022 · 22021 · 22020 · 12019 · 114 dated

Agtonomyagtonomy.cominSeed · Sep 2021 · $4M

Agtonomy embeds artificial intelligence into industrial equipment used in agriculture and off-road industries to enable autonomous operation and improve productivity.

AgTechAI & Machine LearningIoTRoboticsUnknown — page states operations across western United States with international expansion in 2025, but no specific headquarters city named, US

Tim Bucher(CEO & Co-Founder)inValerie Syme(Co-Founder, Board Member)in

Co-investorsAutotech VenturesCavallo VenturesFlybridge Capital PartnersMomenta VenturesE2JDJToyota Ventures

Antaris Spaceantaris.spacein𝕏

Antaris offers a cloud-based platform for designing, simulating, and operating satellite missions and constellations, supporting any payload, bus, or mission architecture.

Cloud ComputingSaaSSpace Tech

Tom Barton(CEO and Co-Founder)Karthik Govindhasamy(CTO and Co-Founder)

Co-investorsAcequia Capital (AceCap)E2MC VenturesStreamlined VenturesValkyrieLockheed Martin VenturesWestWave Capital

Apptronikapptronik.comin𝕏Seed · Jun 2022 · $15M

Apptronik builds humanoid robots designed to perform repetitive, physically taxing, and dangerous tasks in warehousing and manufacturing environments, aiming to free workers for higher-value activities.

Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningHardwareRoboticsAustin, US

Jeff Cardenas(CEO)inNicholas Arden Paine(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardClarence Gordon Daugherty, IV(Director)Howard Lee Morgan(Director)inGeorge Samuel Rose(Director)

Co-investorsAssembly VenturesAtinum Investment Co. Ltd.B Capital GroupB4 CapitalBaseTwoBig Brain Holdings+22 more

Atom Computingatom-computing.comin𝕏

Atom Computing develops large-scale quantum computers using optically-trapped neutral atoms for on-premises deployment.

Deep TechHardwareQuantum ComputingBerkeley, US

Ben Bloom(Founder & CEO)in

BoardDror Berman(Director)inEthan Batraski(Director)in

Co-investorsAbstract VenturesAlumni VenturesBerkeley FrontierBlue Ivy VenturesBoxGroupCantos Ventures+18 more

Ayar Labsayarlabs.comin𝕏

Ayar Labs develops co-packaged optics (CPO) technology for AI infrastructure, enabling optical connectivity between thousands of GPUs across data center racks.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSemiconductorsSan Jose, US

Mark Wade(Founder & CEO)in

Co-investorsNVIDIAAlumni VenturesBasecamp FundBerkeley FrontierBlue Bear VenturesCastor Ventures+17 more

Brelyonbrelyon.comin𝕏May 2022

Brelyon develops headset-free virtual displays using optical and computational techniques to create 3D depth and panoramic imagery for gaming, entertainment, and enterprise applications.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSan Mateo, US

Barmak Heshmat Dekhordi(Executive Officer, Director)Alok Mehta(Director)

BoardCalvin Chin(Director)in

Co-investorsLG Technology VenturesLockheed Martin VenturesMonozukuri VenturesOne Way VenturesThe E14 FundType One Ventures+1 more

Cognitive Spacecognitivespace.comin𝕏Seed · Nov 2021 · $4M

Cognitive Space develops AI-driven automation software for satellite operations, enabling constellation operators to scale while meeting operational requirements.

AI & Machine LearningDefense TechSaaSSpace TechHouston, US

Marc Bell(Co-Founder and CEO)Guy de Carufel(CEO & Founder)inDax Garner(CTO)inJeff Edwards(VP of Engineering)inHanna Steplewska(Executive Officer, Director)Jennifer Roberts(Director)in

Co-investorsCapital InnovatorsCreative Destruction Lab (CDL)Draper AssociatesGlasswing VenturesGutbrain VenturesHelios Capital+8 more

Diligentdiligent.comin𝕏

Diligent provides governance, risk, compliance and audit software used by board members and organizational leaders to connect insights and drive decision-making across these functions.

Enterprise SoftwareGovTechSaaS

Co-investorsNorwest Venture Partners

Diligent Roboticsdiligentrobots.cominFeb 2025Acquired

Diligent Robotics develops AI-powered robot assistants for healthcare settings, focusing on mobile manipulation and social intelligence to help hospital staff with routine non-patient-facing tasks.

AI & Machine LearningHealthtechMedical DevicesRoboticsAustin, US

Andrea L. Thomaz(Founder)inVivian Chu(Founder)in

BoardQuaeed Motiwala(Director)Rohit Sharma(Director)inLance VandenBrook(Director)Richard Boyle(Director)

Co-investorsATPCanaan PartnersCorrelation VenturesDnx VenturesNext Coast VenturesPathbreaker Ventures+7 more

Dishcraft Roboticsdishcraft.com

San Carlos, US

LINDA POULIOT(Executive Officer, Director)PAUL BIRKMEYER(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardROB HAYES(Director)in

Co-investorsBaseline VenturesHemisphere Ventures LLCZillionizeFirst Round CapitalLemnos VC

Dust Identitydustidentity.cominJul 2019

Dust Identity develops physical identity solutions using diamond-based technology to authenticate and trace high-value products and components across supply chains.

Circular EconomyDeep TechDefense TechEnterprise SoftwareHardwareIoTNew MaterialsRetail TechNeedham, US

Ophir Gaathon(Executive Officer, Director)inDirk Englund(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardIlya Fushman(Director)in

Co-investorsAngular VenturesF-Prime CapitalNew Science VenturesAmerican Express Ventures (Amex)Kleiner PerkinsLockheed Martin Ventures

Fleet Roboticsfleetrobotics.ai

Fleet Robotics develops autonomous submersible robots that clean ship hulls, mitigate biofouling, and inspect underwater infrastructure, delivering performance data for the maritime shipping industry.

IoTRoboticsBoston, US

Michael Bell(Executive Officer)Robert J. Wood, Jr.(Executive Officer)

BoardSidney McLaurin(Executive Officer, Director)inCarmichael Roberts(Director)inFrank van Mierlo(Director)

Co-investorsMaterial Impact

Hapticahapticarobotics.com

Haptica builds washable, scalable tactile touch sensors and an integrated software pipeline that captures and processes high-fidelity tactile data to train dexterous robots.

AI & Machine LearningHardwareRobotics

Co-investorsNVP CapitalSarah Smith

Integralintegral.aiin𝕏

Integral AI builds interactive world models, an agent generation platform for creating digital and real-world agents, and a multimodal input/output interface.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechRobotics

Jad Tarifi(Founder)inNima Asgharbeygi(Founder)in

Co-investorsSamsung NextValkyrieAlso CapitalArray Ventures Management LlcCaffeinated CapitalCircle & Co.+5 more

Inversion Spaceinversionspace.comin𝕏

Inversion develops spacecraft and systems to establish Low-Earth Orbit as an on-demand logistics network for rapid global transportation and defense applications.

Advanced ManufacturingDefense TechHardwareLogistics & Supply ChainSpace TechLos Angeles, US

Justin Fiaschetti(Founder)inAustin Briggs(Founder)in

Co-investorsSpark CapitalY CombinatorACADEMY INVESTORAIN VenturesDas & Co.Dorm Room+11 more

IonQ (IONQ)ionq.comin𝕏

IonQ builds trapped-ion quantum computing systems along with quantum networking, sensing, and security products, offering commercial systems accessible through major cloud providers and integration with common quantum libraries.

Deep TechHardwareQuantum ComputingCollege Park, US

Jungsang Kim(Co-founder)inChris Monroe(Co-founder)in

BoardAndrew Schoen(Director)inDavid Moehring(Executive Officer, Director)inBlake Byers(Director)Ron Bernal(Director)in

Co-investorsNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)ACME CapitalBlueYard CapitalBreakthrough Energy VenturesCambium CapitalCota Capital+5 more

Kirakira-learning.comin𝕏Aug 2025 · $6.7M

Kira is an AI-based learning platform that combines instruction, assessment, and intervention into a single system, replacing disconnected education software tools.

AI & Machine LearningEdTechSaaSPalo Alto, US

Andrea Pasinetti(Executive Officer, Director)inJagriti Agrawal(Cofounder)

BoardCarmen Chang(Director)inAndrew Ng(Director)inEva Wang(Executive Officer)in

Co-investorsAI FundNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)AI VentureBlockchange VenturesGrit Capital Partners

Latent AIlatentai.comin𝕏

Latent AI builds tools and services for deploying, optimizing, and updating machine learning models at the edge, including in disconnected real-world environments across varied hardware and device fleets.

AI & Machine LearningDefense TechEnterprise Software

Sek Chai(Founder)in

Co-investorsBlackhorn VenturesBooz Allen VenturesDoon CapitalFirst Spark Ventures, LlcFuture VenturesLockheed Martin Ventures

Lightsynqlightsynq.com

Lightsynq develops optical quantum interconnects using integrated diamond photonic circuits to enable scaling of fault-tolerant quantum computers.

Deep TechQuantum Computing

Co-investorsCerberus VenturesSafar PartnersTop Corner CapitalIAG Capital Partners

Littiolittio.coin𝕏Aug 2025

Littio is a mobile app that offers multi-currency accounts in USD, EUR, and COP with international payment capabilities, including a Mastercard for spending across 200+ countries and digital asset holdings in stablecoins.

Crypto & Web3FintechBogotá, CO

Christian Knudsen(Co-founder & CEO)inLuis Huertas(Co-founder & CPO)inIvan Torroledo(Founder)in

Co-investors1confirmationalphabet angelsKoyamaki VenturesKube VCY CombinatorBlockchange Ventures+4 more

Long Walllwall.comin𝕏

Long Wall develops missile defense systems, including its Cyclops, RSX, and Ironwood products, building on prior R&D to deliver defense technology for government and military customers.

Deep TechDefense TechHardwareLong Beach, US

Harry O'Hanley(Founder)in

Co-investorsNew Science VenturesToba CapitalVenrockLockheed Martin VenturesSilent Ventures

Mythic AImythic.aiin𝕏

Mythic builds analog processing units based on compute-in-memory architecture designed to run AI workloads efficiently in real-world applications.

AI & Machine LearningHardwareSemiconductorsPalo Alto, US

Taner Ozcelik(CEO / Board Member)inSteven Pho(CFO)

Co-investorsCatapult VenturesLinse CapitalNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)S3 VenturesAtreides ManagementDCVC (Data Collective)+12 more

Oishii Farm Corporationoishii.com

Oishii operates indoor vertical farms that grow premium produce including its Omakase Berry strawberries and Rubī Tomato, sold direct to consumers and through retail partners like Whole Foods.

AgTechDirect to ConsumerFoodTech

Hiroki Koga(Co-founder)inBrendan Somerville(Co-founder)in

Co-investorsBloom8McWin Capital PartnersMiyako CapitalMobile Internet Capital, Inc.Sony Ventures CorporationSPARX Asset Management

OPT Industriesoptindustries.comin

Opt Industries engineers advanced materials using digital photolithography to create structured materials with precise microstructure control, enabling functional properties across applications from high-speed interconnects to fluid handling.

Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechNew MaterialsMedford, US

Jifei Ou(Founder)in

Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalThe E14 FundBlumberg CapitalGradient VenturesNorthpond Ventures

Orbit Faborbitfab.comin𝕏May 2020

Orbit Fab builds the in-space propellant supply chain, offering commercial spacecraft refueling services and standardized refueling interfaces to enable reusable spacecraft and a sustainable space economy.

HardwareSpace TechSanta Clara, US

Daniel Faber(Co-Founder)inJeremy Schiel(Executive Officer, Director)inPeter Shaper(CEO)inChingti Yang(Executive Officer)

Co-investors2045 VenturesACADEMY INVESTORAIN VenturesAsymmetry VenturesAurum Venture PartnersCapital Factory+19 more

Q-CTRLq-ctrl.comin𝕏

Q-CTRL builds AI-powered control software for quantum computing systems, enabling manipulation and optimization of quantum computers without destroying quantum states.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechQuantum Computing

Michael J. Biercuk(Founder & Chief Executive Officer)in

Co-investorsAlpha EdisonDCVC (Data Collective)In-Q-TelMain Sequence VenturesMorpheus VenturesSalus Ventures+10 more

Renovaterenovaterobotics.comin𝕏Pre-Seed · Feb 2023 · $3M

Renovate Robotics develops robotic systems for residential roofing installation, addressing labor shortages and safety in the $60B roofing industry while enabling faster solar deployment.

Construction TechHardwareRoboticsPennsylvania, US

Andrew Stulc(Executive Officer, Director)Dylan Crow(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardAbe Murray(Director)in

Co-investorsAlleyCorpAlley Robotics Ventures

Rhumbixrhumbix.comin𝕏Acquired

Rhumbix provides digital timekeeping and labor tracking software designed for construction teams.

Construction TechFuture of WorkSaaSSan Francisco, US

Drew DeWalt(COO & Co-Founder)inZach Scheel(CEO & Co-Founder)inRob Blau(Vice President of Engineering)inGuy Skillett(VP Construction Innovation)inMichael Myers(Director of Data Science)in

BoardJerry Chen(Board Member (Greylock Partners board partner))in

Co-investorsBlackhorn VenturesBrick Mortar VenturesGlynn Capital ManagementGreylock PartnersKleiner PerkinsTENFORE HOLDINGS+2 more

RIOSrios.aiSeed · Sep 2023 · $5M

RIOS built AI and computer-vision robotics systems for industrial automation — including GPU-accelerated object detection, robotic grasping, PLC/robot integration, and edge deployment — deployed across e-commerce, manufacturing, food processing, and wood products.

Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningRoboticsToronto

Clinton Smith(Founder)Marco Polsinelli(Director)George Carras(Director)Antoni Wisniowski(Executive Officer)Dilprit Grewal(Director)Elgin Farewell(Director)

Co-investorsMorpheus VenturesYamaha Motor Ventures

SatVusatellitevu.comin𝕏

Satellite Vu captures thermal imagery from space for applications including environmental monitoring and infrastructure assessment.

Climate TechData & InfrastructureDeep TechDefense TechSpace TechLondon, GB

Anthony Baker(CEO)inToby Reinicke(Founder)Camilla(CFO)Scott

BoardPatrick

Co-investorsMolten VenturesContrarian VenturesE2MC VenturesIn-Q-TelMD One VenturesSeraphim Space+5 more

Second-Naturesecondnature.aiin

Second Nature offers an AI-driven role-play training platform where sales reps and support agents practice scenarios such as discovery calls, objection handling, and escalations, receiving real-time feedback and coaching.

AI & Machine LearningSaaSSales TechTel Aviv, IL

Alon Shalita(Founder)in

Co-investorsBright Pixel CapitalSienna Venture CapitalStageOne Ventures

Tempo Automationtempoautomation.com

San Francisco, US

Shashank Samala(Cofounder)Jeffrey McAlvay(Executive Officer, Director)Jesse Koenig(Executive Officer)

Co-investorsKeiretsu ForumLux CapitalPoint72 VenturesSQN Venture Partners, LLCUncork CapitalDigitalOcean+2 more

Travausetrava.comin𝕏Aug 2025

Trava is an AI-powered compliance platform that audits customs entries and product classifications for US importers to identify overpaid duties, recover refunds, and ensure compliance.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSan Francisco, US

Pushkar Lanka(Founder)in

Co-investorsY CombinatorBlockchange VenturesM25TDF Ventures

Trustwisetrustwise.aiin𝕏Feb 2026

Trustwise offers an "AI Control Tower" that intercepts autonomous AI agent actions at runtime, evaluating them against enterprise policies before execution and producing audit-grade evidence of each decision.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareAustin, US

Manoj Saxena(Executive Officer, Director)in

Co-investorsHitachi VenturesAugment VenturesFirestreak Ventures

Trustwisetrustwise.ioinJun 2024 · $4M

Trustwise.io builds blockchain and smart-contract-based software solutions, drawing on its team's background in the Swiss financial industry and DLT legislation.

Cloud ComputingCrypto & Web3Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSBasel, CH

Hans-Peter Gier(Founder & CEO)inMichal Florian(Head of IT / Deputy CEO)in

Viabotviabot.com

ViaBot builds ViaBot One, an autonomous electric sweeping robot that cleans and monitors facility grounds on a set schedule, self-charging, self-emptying, and reporting operational insights.

AI & Machine LearningHardwareRobotics

Gregg Ratanaphanyarat(Founder)inDawei Ding(Founder)in

Co-investorsBaseline VenturesEra VenturesEvolution Ventures

Other

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

CognitiveDarwin AIDarwinAIVayu Robotics

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Grit Ventures made?
Grit Ventures has 41 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 5 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Grit Ventures invest at?
Grit Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
What is Grit Ventures's typical check size?
Grit Ventures typically writes checks of $100K – $1M.
What sectors does Grit Ventures focus on?
Grit Ventures focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Circular Economy, Cleantech, Deep Tech, Energy, Hardware, Logistics & Supply Chain, Quantum Computing, Robotics, SaaS, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
Where is Grit Ventures located?
Grit Ventures is headquartered in Menlo Park, US.
Does Grit Ventures lead rounds?
Yes, Grit Ventures leads investment rounds.
Who does Grit Ventures co-invest with?
Grit Ventures most often shares deals with In-Q-Tel, The E14 Fund, WorldQuant Ventures, among 176 tracked co-investors.

Co-investors · 14

Morpheus Ventures

Morpheus Ventures is a venture capital fund that backs early-stage companies and supports founders through the challenges of scaling toward hyper-growth.

Both backed · 2
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$1M – $10M
Flybridge Capital Partners

Seed-stage venture capital firm based in Boston and New York City investing in ambitious founders leveraging the power of AI. With over $1 billion under management across six seed funds and seven pre-seed funds, portfolio companies include BetterCloud, BitSight, Bowery, Chief, Codecademy (acq: SKILL), FalconX, Firebase (acq: GOOG), Infracommerce (BVMF: IFCM3), MadeiraMadeira, MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB), Open English, Plastiq, and Splice.

Both backed · 1
$250K – $10M
AlleyCorp

AlleyCorp is an early-stage investor and incubator based in New York that builds and backs companies across enterprise, consumer, healthcare, and deep tech sectors.

Both backed · 1
$1M – $5M
Glasswing Ventures

Glasswing Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that supports startups through its Building Partners model, providing operational expertise across go-to-market, product, engineering, and finance.

Both backed · 1
$100K – $5M
Gutbrain Ventures

GutBrain Ventures is an early-stage technology venture capital firm led by investor and former entrepreneur Bob Davoli, who partners closely with founders and management teams to help build and scale high-growth software and technology companies.

Both backed · 1
Toyota Ventures

Toyota Ventures is a venture capital firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area that makes early-stage investments in startups globally.

Both backed · 1
Momenta Ventures

Momenta Ventures is an industrial technology investor and advisory firm backing companies at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds, focused on Physical AI, IIoT, and edge intelligence across energy, manufacturing, supply chain, and smart spaces.

Both backed · 1
GV (Google Ventures)

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.

$250K – $50M
SOSV

SOSV is a deep tech venture capital firm that makes first-check pre-seed investments and follow-on rounds in startups focused on human and planetary health, providing lab space and hands-on support at its US locations.

$30K – $550K
Offline Ventures

Believes that best ideas happen offline. Offline Ventures is Interested in companies that are driven by both profit and purpose while taking great care of the world around them

$250K – $5M
Village Global

Village Global is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage founders and connects them with a network of experienced operators, angels, and prominent tech LPs.

$100K – $500K
Reach Capital

Reach Capital is an early-stage venture firm that partners with founders building companies in learning, health, and work.

$100K – $12M
2 more co-investors

Ravelin CapitalFar Out Ventures

Firms observed investing alongside Grit Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Grit Ventures's recorded portfolio.

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