Kern Venture Group
Venture capitalBakersfield · Seed–Series B · 19 people tracked
Find your way into Kern Venture Group
2,890 people in our graph share verified history with the Kern Venture Group team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
KVG is built on the conviction that exceptional founders and transformational ideas can emerge across all industries, particularly in underserved regions like California's Central Valley. The fund believes in investing in startups that generate positive community impact while capitalizing on the region's unique strengths in agriculture, renewable energy, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing. By providing capital alongside deep local networks and operational experience, KVG aims to bridge innovation gaps and support growing industries rooted in Kern County's abundant resources.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 6, 2026.
Team · 19 people
from the firm's website & public directories
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Kern Venture Group went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 36 of 48 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×12Hardware ×11Consumer ×9Medical Devices ×7Deep Tech ×6Healthtech ×6Media & Entertainment ×6SaaS ×6
HQs:United States×23Canada×2United Kingdom×2
Who they back
founder profiles across 22 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×122 founders×83 founders×14+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 15 founders with education data
University of Cambridge ×2University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
Investments · 48 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 12021 · 32018 · 15 dated
Cell therapy platform technology for improved cell isolation and activation.
Co-investorsWestern Technology Investment
Akadeum manufactures GMP-compliant ancillary materials for cell and gene therapy applications, specializing in microbubble-based negative selection products.
Advanced ManufacturingBiotechDeep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesAnn Arbor, US
Kalyan Handique(Executive Officer, Director)John Younger(Executive Officer, Director)inJames Militello(Executive Officer)
BoardJeffrey S. Williams(Director)Paul D'Amato(Director)Dan Kidle(Director)in
Co-investorsArboretum VenturesBeringeaBerkeley CatalystBlueStone Venture PartnerseLab VenturesID Ventures+5 more
Auriga develops electromagnetic launch technology used for ground-based hypersonic testing, deployment of unmanned systems and effectors, missile defense interceptors without rocket motors, and responsive launch to low Earth orbit.
Deep TechDefense TechSpace Tech
Winnie Lai(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsAtas VCAutomotive Ventures MobilityNew North VenturesOTB VenturesSeraphim SpaceTrucks VC+5 more
Autio is a mobile app offering GPS-based, location-triggered audio stories about places across the United States, with a library of over 25,000 narrated tales covering history, culture, and landmarks.
ConsumerMedia & EntertainmentTravel & HospitalitySan Francisco, US
Kevin Costner(Co-founder)
Co-investorsAllied Venture Partnersblue 9 capital
BIOS develops neural digital therapy technology to deliver treatments for neurological conditions.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesCambridge, GB
Oliver Armitage(Founder)inEmil Hewage(Founder/Director)in
Co-investorsFifty YearsHeuristic Capital PartnersThe Venture CollectiveY CombinatorSelvedge Venture
Cambium develops high-performance advanced materials—including thermal protection systems, high-temperature structural polymers, and laser/directed-energy protection—for extreme-environment applications across aerospace, space, defense, and industrial markets.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechNew Materials
Simon Waddington(Founder)in
Co-investorsJ17 CapitalMVP Ventures8VCMaC Venture CapitalSignalRankSilent Ventures+1 more
Compression Works develops medical devices for emergency and critical care settings, specifically in hemorrhage control and trauma management.
Defense TechDigital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
John Croushorn(Founder)inDr. Richard Schwartz(Co-Founder | Clinical Advisor)Scott Dodson(President and CEO)in
Co-investorsAtlanta Technology AngelsNorth Texas Angel NetworkRockies Venture Club
NexStride makes a small device that attaches to canes, walkers, or trekking poles and provides adjustable laser light and audible metronome cues to help people with gait disorders walk more steadily and reduce falls.
Digital HealthHardwareMedical Devices
Jack Brill(Co-founder)Sidney Collin(Co-founder)
Co-investorsRockies Venture ClubTrue Wealth Ventures
DermaSensor develops healthcare technology for skin cancer detection, serving physicians and patients in the medtech sector.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesBoston, US
Dr. Maurice Ferre(Co-founder and Chairman)Christopher Dewey(Co-founder and Director)Cody Simmons(CEO, Director, Co-Founder)in
BoardDr. Irving Bigio(Original inventor (patent holder for Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy))
Co-investorsMiami Angels
Diesel Labs uses synthetic focus groups and AI-driven conversation analysis to provide real-time audience intelligence, feeding curated data into models for consumer research, marketing, and content strategy.
AI & Machine LearningMarketing TechMedia & EntertainmentBoston, US
Anjali Midha(CEO)in
Co-investorsBeacon AngelsCentral Texas Angel NetworkExcelestar VenturesGolden Seeds
Drop Water builds smart refill stations that dispense fresh, customizable beverages to reduce single-use plastic waste.
CleantechConsumerHardwareIoTSan Luis Obispo, US
Scott E(Founder)Scott Edwards(CEO)
Co-investorsCardinia Ventures
EarthSense develops AI and robotics solutions for agriculture to address sustainability and productivity challenges.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningRobotics
Chinmay Soman(Founder)in
Co-investorsADB VenturesAg Ventures AllianceAgLaunch AcceleratorAurum Venture PartnersBread And Butter Ventures, LlcGen Capital+2 more
Edge Sound Research builds intelligent audio infrastructure based on patented technologies that capture, separate, and enhance sound, transform physical surfaces into sound emitters, and map audio into spatial experiences.
AI & Machine LearningCrypto & Web3Deep TechGamingHardwareMedia & EntertainmentRiverside, US
Co-investorsCartan CapitalElevate VenturesTechstars
Everyset provides a digital platform for managing background performers in film and television production, handling tasks from start work and extras breakdowns to payroll processing.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaS
Rumala Sheikhani(Founder)inEbrahim Bhaiji(CEO)in
Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalHAVEN VENTURESBlumberg CapitalFoundersX VenturesGradient VenturesY Combinator
Evitado develops autonomous systems for airside operations at commercial airports and defense applications, addressing collision prevention, visibility, and labor shortages.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechRobotics
Alex(Co-founder & CEO)Andrew(Co-founder, Head of Product & Operations)
Co-investorsDEPO VenturesTechNexus Venture Collaborative
Fabalish makes plant-based dips and sauces using aquafaba, originally created for clients with dietary restrictions.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechWallington, US
Jessica GebelinPaul Majcherczyk(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investors37 AngelsDynabrand Ventures
FanUp is a fantasy contest and gaming platform where users enter free-to-play, daily, weekly, and season-long contests across sports and pop-culture events such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, FIFA, F1, IPL, and reality TV shows.
ConsumerGamingSports Tech
Co-investorsAtland VenturesReno Seed FundService Provider Capital
Flume offers a home water monitoring system that tracks indoor and outdoor water usage around the clock and sends instant leak alerts to help homeowners prevent water damage.
ConsumerHardwareIoTSan Luis Obispo, US
Eric Adler(Founder)
Co-investorsAllied Venture PartnersSand Hill AngelsAugment Ventures
Greenjets is a company drawing on aerospace and automotive engineering expertise to develop technology in the aviation sector.
CleantechDeep TechHardwareMobility & TransportationLondon, GB
Anmol Manohar(CEO)Guido Monterzino(CTO)in
Co-investors7percent VenturesBlossom CapitalCoalitionExcellis HoldingMD One VenturesTanglin Venture Partners
Lumentra provides standards-based photometric, thermal, environmental, and electrical characterization and testing services for LED lighting manufacturers, along with standards compliance consulting for certification programs such as Energy Star and DesignLights Consortium.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechHardwareMississauga, CA
M8 Systems builds AI-driven irrigation automation combining proprietary hardware (its FarmLink controller), software, and a cloud platform to optimize water usage for growers, golf courses, and municipalities.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningIoTSan Juan Capistrano, US
Thomas Dewey(Executive Officer)Doug DeNardo(Director)
Market Wagon operates an online marketplace connecting independent local and regional food producers with consumers, delivering their products directly to customers.
E-commerceFoodTechMarketplacesIndianapolis, US
Nick Carter(Executive Officer, Director)inDan Brunner(Executive Officer)inRob Eldridge(Director)
BoardGuy Turner(Director)in
Co-investorsElevate Venturesgener8torHyde Park Venture PartnersNew Stack VenturesService Provider CapitalHyde Park Angels+2 more
Measure is a social media analytics platform for brand teams managing accounts across markets, agencies, and product lines.
AdTechAI & Machine LearningMarketing TechMedia & EntertainmentSaaSChalfont, US
Thomas Kramer(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardJames Creech(Director)inDan Zitting(Director)
Co-investors37 AngelsDelaware Crossing Investor GroupRobin Hood Ventures
Mill It Farms produces plant-based buttermilk and salad dressings for use in smoothies, baking, sauces, and as condiments.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechBakersfield, US
William Myers(Executive Officer)
Co-investorsReno Seed Fund
MIMOSA Diagnostics develops medical devices and technology to improve healthcare equity through diagnostic solutions.
BiotechDeep TechDigital HealthHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesToronto, CA
Dr. Cross(Founder/Leader)Dr. Leung(Founder/Leader)Dr. Karen Cross(Co-founder)Dr. General Leung(Co-founder)
Co-investorsFundersClub
Molten Cloud builds software infrastructure for digital media rightsholders to manage content licensing, royalty distribution, and intellectual property across global markets.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
ArjunMehdi
Co-investorsAshton KutcherMichael Ovitz
NIRA develops at-home laser devices for skincare that deliver professional-grade results without pain or downtime, using patented semiconductor laser technology originally developed for dermatological clinics.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesWellness & Fitness
David Bean(Founder)
Co-investorsBeacon Angels
PadSplit is a U.S. coliving marketplace connecting property owners with renters seeking furnished private rooms on all-inclusive weekly terms.
PropTechAtlanta, US
Atticus LeBlanc(Executive Officer, Director)inKathryn Petralia(Director)
BoardArjan Schutte(Director)in
Co-investorsAlate PartnersBase Venture Management, Inc.Core Venture CapitalFlow CapitalKapor CapitalMetaProp+9 more
BiotechBethesda, US
Andrea Barthwell(Director)Behshad Sheldon(Director)Ashanthi Mathai(Executive Officer, Director)Serena Kim(Executive Officer)Kathryn Bowsher(Director)
Co-investorsMedMountain Ventures
Co-investorsEqual Opportunity VenturesHike Ventures
Sensate is a wearable device that uses low-frequency sound waves and audio soundscapes to stimulate the vagus nerve and help regulate the nervous system for stress relief, anxiety management, and improved sleep.
ConsumerHardwareMental HealthWellness & Fitness
Co-investors37 AngelsExpert DOJOGeek VenturesMoai CapitalUnlock Venture PartnersDangerous Ventures
Sigo Seguros is a digital auto insurance agency that lets customers compare quotes from multiple insurers online and buy a policy in Spanish, with or without a US driver's license.
FintechInsurTech
Co-investorsNewlin VenturesRemarkable VenturesBlockchain Founders FundChingona VenturesListen Ventures
Sizzle.gg offers patented technology that generates large numbers of personalized highlight reels from a single broadcast, tailoring clips to individual fans without producing new video files.
AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyGamingMedia & EntertainmentSports TechSunnyvale, US
Vijay Koduri(Founder)in
Co-investorsEterna CapitalID345Mindset VenturePlay VenturesSprint Vc
Storepass provides trading card game retailers with an automated product catalog management system that prepares inventory for sale without manual data entry, supporting multiple game lines like Magic, Pokemon, and emerging TCGs.
B2B MarketplacesE-commerceRetail TechSaaS
Co-investorsExpert DOJO
Worksana provides employee time-tracking and California labor-law compliance software, offering a facial-recognition kiosk, offline mobile app, and web clock-in along with meal/rest break documentation, attestations, and payroll exports.
AgTechFuture of WorkHR TechSaaS
David Hergenroeder(Co-Founder / CEO)Trevor Smith(Co-Founder / CFO)in
Co-investorsEntrada Ventures
Zeste Farms grows and sells fresh, live culinary herbs and salad greens packaged in sleeves for home preparation.
AgTechConsumerFoodTechPaso Robles, US
Stan Kaplita(Co-Founder and President)
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Sizzle · yourohionews.com · Aug 18, 2026
Greenjets · uktech.news · Jul 21, 2026
Everyset · fortuneindia.com · Jul 17, 2026
Cambium · jeccomposites.com · Jan 9, 2026
Market Wagon · morningstar.com · Nov 20, 2025
Auriga Space · nasdaqprivatemarket.com · Aug 3, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Kern Venture Group made?
- Kern Venture Group has 48 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Kern Venture Group invest at?
- Kern Venture Group invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B stages.
- What sectors does Kern Venture Group focus on?
- Kern Venture Group focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AgTech, Defense Tech, Energy, Logistics & Supply Chain, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Kern Venture Group located?
- Kern Venture Group is headquartered in Bakersfield, US.
- Who does Kern Venture Group co-invest with?
- Kern Venture Group most often shares deals with 37 Angels, Service Provider Capital, Elevate Ventures, among 88 tracked co-investors.
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Kern Venture Group is an early-stage venture fund based in California's Central Valley that provides capital, network access, and operational experience to portfolio companies while aiming to foster economic growth in rural regions.