Playground Global
Palo Alto · Pre-Seed–Series A · 40 people tracked
Investment thesis
Playground invests at major inflection points in computing and related domains. The firm backs scientists and engineers developing next-generation compute technologies, including quantum computing and AI acceleration. Additionally, Playground supports automation solutions that deliver measurable business returns, clean energy and efficiency technologies across generation and storage, and platforms at the intersection of AI and synthetic biology that accelerate drug development.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 20, 2026.
Team · 40 people
from the firm's websiteWhat they invest in
from 51 of 96 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×32Deep Tech ×28Hardware ×19Biotech ×14Semiconductors ×11Medical Devices ×8Logistics & Supply Chain ×6Robotics ×6
HQs:United States×19Australia×3Canada×1Ireland×1
Investments · showing 60 of 96
founders shown can be your intro path1910 develops an AI platform that integrates multimodal data, frontier AI models, and high-throughput lab automation to accelerate drug discovery and development for pharmaceutical companies. The platform targets undruggable targets and aims to improve R&D productivity in the biopharma industry.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechHealthtechBoston, US
Jen Asher(Founder & CEO)in
Amber Bio is a biotechnology company developing a novel RNA writing platform capable of multi-kilobase gene edits that can treat multiple mutations across patients with a single product.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
Jacob Borrajo, PhD(Founder and CEO)
d-Matrix develops AI compute hardware and platforms optimized for generative AI inference, designed to be faster, more energy-efficient, and more accessible than existing solutions.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareSemiconductors
Inscopix develops advanced microscopy and neural circuit analysis technologies to understand brain function and disease mechanisms for neuroscience research. The company works with academic institutions, biopharmaceutical companies, and government agencies to translate research into therapies for neurological and psychiatric disorders including depression, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and PTSD.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesMountain View, US
Kunal Ghosh(Founder & CEO)Abbas El Gamal(Co-founder & Director)Mark Schnitzer(Scientific Cofounder & Board Observer)
RightHand Robotics develops an AI-powered robotic piece-picking platform for order fulfillment in e-commerce and supply chain operations. The system combines a compliant gripper mechanism with computer vision to automate warehouse picking tasks at scale.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsSomerville, US
Unknown
xLight develops free-electron laser (FEL) technology and advanced accelerator systems. The company builds x-ray science facilities and instrumentation for ultrafast science and research applications.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Nicholas Kelez(Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer)Pat Gelsinger(General Partner at Playground Global (investor/advisor))
PicoJool designs and manufactures vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) optical connectivity solutions for AI data centers and hyperscale cloud systems. The company produces high-speed optical engines for transceiver products used in PCIe, Ethernet, Infiniband, and AI infrastructure applications.
Deep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Snowcap Compute develops superconducting computing platforms using Josephson Junctions to replace semiconductor transistors, delivering orders-of-magnitude greater energy efficiency for AI and high-performance computing workloads. The technology operates on proven cryogenic infrastructure and uses standard semiconductor manufacturing processes.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechSemiconductors
Manifold Bio combines AI-guided protein design with high-throughput in vivo screening to engineer tissue-targeted biologics and deliver therapeutic payloads to specific organs. The company develops a computational and experimental platform to optimize pharmacokinetics and biodistribution directly in living systems for drug discovery and development.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
Gleb Kuznetsov(Co-Founder & CEO)Pierce Ogden(Co-Founder & CTO)
Biotechnology company advancing small and large molecule drug discovery with a multimodal AI platform powered by laboratory automation.
Develops humanoid robots with human-like capabilities designed to work alongside humans without modifying existing physical spaces.
Delivers standardized uprates to existing nuclear reactors to unlock stranded energy capacity.
Anjuna develops software for secure data sharing and confidential computing in cloud and AI environments. The company serves enterprises seeking to protect data while leveraging cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingCybersecurityDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Ayal Yogev(Founder/CEO)inMark VaskevichSteve Weis
Secures data-in-use in cloud computing environments to eliminate insider threats and enable confidential cloud operations.
Develops foundation models that predict RNA structure and biophysical properties to transform RNA drug discovery.
Solves AI computing bottlenecks using silicon photonics to move data via light instead of electrical signals.
Uses advanced cardiac monitoring and digital therapeutics to improve heart disease management with simple devices.
Bodyport develops an FDA-cleared cardiac scale that non-invasively measures hemodynamic biomarkers through a patient's feet to detect early signs of worsening heart failure in a home setting. The company's platform pairs this hardware with a proprietary algorithm called the Congestion Index and a software system that integrates with electronic health records to enable remote patient monitoring and clinical decision support for heart failure management.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesWellness & FitnessSan Francisco, US
Provides automated storage, sequencing, and sortation platform for parcel logistics reducing sorting costs and increasing throughput.
Branch is an AI-powered mobile measurement partner (MMP) and omnichannel linking platform that helps brands measure marketing impact and guide customers across apps, web, email, paid media, social, and connected TV. The platform enables organizations to attribute user acquisitions and conversions across channels, optimize campaign performance, and preserve customer context throughout their journey.
AdTechAI & Machine LearningMarketing TechSaaS<UNKNOWN>, US
<UNKNOWN>
Increases mobile revenue through enterprise-grade deep links across all platforms.
Develops a non-invasive electric deicing system allowing aircraft to deice themselves to prevent flight delays and improve sustainability.
Redefines AI inference through in-memory compute to make it faster, more efficient, and less power-hungry.
Databricks provides a unified platform for data engineering, analytics, and artificial intelligence, enabling organizations to build and deploy data and AI applications on cloud infrastructure.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Original creators of Apache Spark, Delta Lake, MLflow and Unity Catalog<UNKNOWN>
Produces critical materials by replacing coal with renewable energy, eliminating carbon emissions and improving economics.
Provides an on-demand micro-fulfillment platform using automation to enable fast and profitable one-hour delivery.
Reinvents photosynthesis using machine learning and enzyme engineering to boost crop yield and drought tolerance.
Phasecraft develops quantum computing systems and software by combining quantum information theory, materials science, and engineering to advance practical quantum advantage. The company serves organizations seeking to apply quantum computing to real-world problems.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechQuantum Computing
Prof. Ashley Montanaro(Co-Founder & CEO)inProf. Toby Cubitt(Co-Founder, CTO & CSciO)inProf. John Morton(Co-Founder & Director)in
Uses cosmic-ray muon tomography to provide subsurface visibility for identifying resources needed for energy transformation.
Develops safer and more effective therapies by accessing the human immune system's antibody library combined with AI.
Leverages trillion molecule screening libraries and AI to develop macrocyclic peptide drugs that cross cell membranes.
Lassogen engineers lasso peptides as therapeutic scaffolds to create Lassotides, a new drug modality combining advantages of antibodies and small molecules for challenging diseases.
BiotechDeep Tech
Develops a high throughput in vivo platform testing hundreds of biologics in a single animal to power AI models for tissue-targeting medicines.
Provides tools to train and deploy generative AI models at unprecedented scale and speed. (Acquired by Databricks)
Uses predictive AI to help drivers prevent collisions in real-time without compromising privacy.
AI platform that powered creation of custom deep learning applications. (Acquired by Intel)
NextSilicon develops software-defined hardware architecture for high-performance computing in scientific research, enabling developers to accelerate existing code without rewrites or vendor lock-in. The company targets researchers in fields including cancer therapy, physics, and cosmology.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSemiconductors
Delivers orders of magnitude faster replacement for CPUs and GPUs for high performance computing.
Develops quantum contrast agents that turn MRIs into sensitive metabolic imagers for early cancer detection.
Develops a platform using protein switches to reprogram living cells for precise control of biological functions in next-generation cell therapies.
Owl Labs provides hardware and software solutions for Microsoft Teams Rooms, enabling hybrid meeting experiences across small huddle rooms, medium conference spaces, and large event venues.
Enterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkHardwareSaaS
Mark Schnittman(Co-founder)Max Makeev(Co-founder)
Creates immersive hybrid meetings with intelligent conference cameras, microphones, and speakers.
Quantum algorithms company making fundamental breakthroughs in quantum science and quantum applications.
Replaces copper with optical fiber in AI and supercomputing applications to offer unprecedented efficiency and throughput.
Built the industry's first power delivery chiplet for breakthrough performance and efficiency in AI accelerators and data centers.
Architecting a million qubit quantum computer with applications across pharma, materials, finance, and energy.
Delivers life-saving data from connected devices directly to 911 and first responders for digital emergency services.
Building the first autonomous rocket factory and launch services for satellites to disrupt traditional aerospace.
Relativity Space develops Terran R, a reusable medium-to-heavy-lift rocket designed for efficiency and scalability, serving government entities, telecommunications companies, and commercial customers for space access missions. The company focuses on making space exploration more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningDeep TechDefense TechHardwareSpace TechLos Angeles, US
Tim Ellis(Founder/CEO)inEric Schmidt(CEO)
Saltbox provides logistics and fulfillment services to ecommerce merchants and entrepreneurs, offering warehousing and workspace solutions to simplify supply chain operations.
E-commerceLogistics & Supply ChainPropTech
Provides flexible warehousing and fulfillment solutions designed for growing e-commerce businesses.
Building long-duration ocean energy storage combining pumped hydro mechanics with novel marine architecture.
Develops flying robots with unprecedented intelligence using AI to understand surroundings and make intelligent decisions autonomously.
Skydio designs and manufactures autonomous drones using computer vision and AI technology for consumer and commercial applications. The company's products are designed, assembled, and supported in the United States.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareRobotics<UNKNOWN>, US
<UNKNOWN>
Building the first commercially viable superconducting compute platform for dramatic gains in speed and efficiency.
Develops programmable mRNA therapies that last longer and target cells more precisely for cancer and other diseases.
Architecting next-generation AI computing through Localized Electrochemical Manufacturing technology for high-resolution chip interconnects.
Develops a platform to create highly precise Antibody-Drug Conjugates for more powerful cancer treatments.
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Playground Global invest at?
- Playground Global invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Playground Global focus on?
- Playground Global focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Cleantech, Energy, Quantum Computing.
- Where is Playground Global located?
- Playground Global is headquartered in Palo Alto, US.
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