Vela Partners
Venture capitalPre-Seed–Growth · 1 people tracked
Also known as Vela Partners AI
Investment thesis
Vela Partners is an AI-native, quant-driven venture firm focused on backing seed-stage AI founders with speed and precision. It sizes checks ($100K-$500K) based on the estimated probability of outlier success, aiming to soft commit within 2-7 days and make initial decisions in minutes. Beyond capital, the firm provides direct introductions to tier-1 VCs, banks, tech giants, and manufacturing and energy firms to help portfolio companies find customers and follow-on funding. It also offers access to frontier AI research expertise through Vela Research and the University of Oxford network, supporting founders in publishing research and hiring top talent.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 1 people
from public directories
What they invest in
from 23 of 50 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×15Enterprise Software ×10SaaS ×8Data & Infrastructure ×4Marketing Tech ×4Cybersecurity ×3Marketplaces ×3Media & Entertainment ×3
HQs:United States×12Germany×1Türkiye×1
Investments · 50 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathLightup provides enterprise data observability software that monitors and validates production data pipelines using AI-powered anomaly detection.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise Software
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
A platform that converts text into mobile apps, websites, tools, and products using code generation and integrations including GPT-5 and 40+ third-party services.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsSaaS
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Arena is a real-time engagement platform that enables organizations to create immersive interactive experiences, engage audiences through live updates, and personalize customer interactions across news, gaming, and ecommerce industries.
Marketing TechMedia & EntertainmentSaaSSan Francisco, US
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Auxia is an AI-native marketing platform that automates real-time decisions across customer touchpoints, replacing fragmented campaign execution with a single system that learns from each interaction.
AI & Machine LearningMarketing TechSaaSPalo Alto, US
Sandeep Menon(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Ravi Desu(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Indranil Guha(Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Axiom Cloud develops software solutions for cooling systems to improve their economic, environmental, and operational sustainability.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechEnterprise SoftwareIoTSaaSSan Jose, US
ERNST SACK(Director)NIKHIL SARALKAR(Director)AMRIT ROBBINS(Executive Officer, Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Base Operations provides threat intelligence and risk assessment software for corporate security teams, delivering standardized risk metrics (BaseScore) and location-specific security data at sub-mile granularity for global portfolios.
CybersecurityData & InfrastructureEnterprise Software
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Bear Robotics develops autonomous mobile robots for hospitality, retail, and industrial settings, including the Servi line of restaurant service robots, the Carti line of warehouse/factory material-handling AMRs, and humanoid robots.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareRoboticsRedwood City, US
Fangwei Li(Executive Officer, Promoter)Jungwoo Ha(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)John Ha(CEO)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
BlueQubit provides a cloud platform with managed GPU-based quantum simulators and an SDK for running large-scale quantum simulations and hybrid variational circuits.
Cloud ComputingDeep TechQuantum ComputingLos Angeles, US
Hayk Tepanyan(Director)Hrant Gharibyan(Executive Officer, Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Cerby is an identity automation platform that extends identity and access management coverage to applications that lack support for standard identity protocols like SAML, SCIM, or APIs.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Belsasar Lepe(Founder & CEO)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Copper is a CRM platform designed to prioritize relationship management and collaboration, integrating natively with Google Workspace for seamless workflow.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaS
Steve Holm(CEO)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Firefly operates a network of digital advertising screens on vehicles including car top displays and branded wraps on taxis and rideshare vehicles, delivering geo-targeted and contextually relevant messages to urban audiences across 60,000+ screens in the U.S. and 7 countries globally.
AdTechMarketing TechMarketplacesMobility & Transportation<UNKNOWN>, US
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Golden builds a self-constructing knowledge graph that combines artificial and human intelligence to automatically map and reconcile human knowledge from millions of disparate sources.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Jude Gomila(Founder)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Jobox provides a marketplace platform that connects skilled home service professionals with customer demand through retailers, franchises, and small businesses across the US.
B2B MarketplacesFintechFuture of WorkSaaSSan Francisco, US
Moshe Levi(Director)Shay Bloch(Executive Officer, Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Bellevue, US
Sureyya M. Ciliv(Executive Officer, Director)Murat Ihlamur(Director)Ceyhun Araz(Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
LeakSignal provides data governance and protection solutions for securing sensitive data in motion, including classification, policy enforcement, and compliance monitoring across AI applications, APIs, and endpoints.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityData & Infrastructure
BoardKunal Anand(Chief Innovation Officer (at F5); formerly co-founder of Prevoty)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Limitless creates AI tools designed to augment human intelligence and overcome cognitive limitations by improving memory and focus.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkHardware
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Mirelo develops generative AI models for audio processing in video production, serving both individual creators and large-scale production studios.
AI & Machine LearningMedia & EntertainmentBerlin, DE
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Phaidra develops an AI control platform that uses reinforcement learning to optimize energy efficiency and operational performance in data centers and AI factories.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeep TechEnergy
Jim Gao(Chief Executive Officer)inVeda Panneershelvam(Chief Technology Officer)inKatie Hoffman(President and Chief Operating Officer)in
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Promise is an entertainment studio that uses generative AI to help filmmakers and artists create films, series, and storytelling content.
AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyMedia & Entertainment
George Strompolos(Co-Founder & CEO)Jamie Byrne(Co-Founder, President & COO)Dave Clark(Co-Founder & CCO)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Promoted.ai provides ranking and search infrastructure for online marketplaces and e-commerce platforms, using machine learning to optimize relevance across search results, ads, and feed content.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceEnterprise SoftwareMarketplacesSeattle, US
Dan Hill(Cofounder and CTO)in
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
ReFiBuy provides a platform for optimizing product data and visibility across AI-driven shopping environments and agents.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechRaleigh, US
Stefan Sterns(Director)Derek Lee Conlin(Executive Officer, Director)M. Scot Wingo(Executive Officer, Director)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Simular builds AI agents that automate repetitive computer work for knowledge workers using a neuro-symbolic approach combining large language models with symbolic code.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSan Carlos, US
AlanLi Ang(Executive Officer)
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Interviewing.io provides technical interview preparation services, helping candidates practice coding, system design, machine learning, and behavioral interviews with real interviewers from top tech companies.
EdTechSaaS
PartnerYigit Ihlamur· solo GP
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Vela Partners invest at?
- Vela Partners invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
- What is Vela Partners's typical check size?
- Vela Partners typically writes checks of $100K – $500K.
- What sectors does Vela Partners focus on?
- Vela Partners focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Sector Agnostic.
- Does Vela Partners lead rounds?
- Vela Partners typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Images
Co-investors · 5
Ulu Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on finding and funding early-stage founder teams, emphasizing diversity and data-driven investment decisions.
Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm known for backing AI and technology founders, emphasizing deep, hands-on partnerships with the companies it funds.
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.
Operator Collective is a venture firm built around a Collective Venture Model, backed by 200+ operator limited partners who are current tech executives and provide portfolio companies with access to enterprise decision-makers, expertise, and networks.
Powerhouse Ventures is a venture firm that backs seed-stage founders building companies across energy, infrastructure, and AI, focused on scaling market-ready technologies to advance energy abundance.
Firms observed investing alongside Vela Partners, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Vela Partners's recorded portfolio.
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