VSC Ventures
Venture capitalSan Francisco · Pre-Seed–Series A · 11 people tracked
Investment thesis
VSC Ventures backs founders applying AI to solve data, labor, and safety challenges across 'Dirty, Dusty, Dangerous' industries that other investors tend to overlook. The firm positions distribution as a founder's unfair advantage, running a media machine alongside its portfolio companies to generate clips, placements, and stories that move business pipeline. It seeks ambitious founders building with speed and conviction, and supports them not just with capital but with hands-on brand and content operations.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 11 people
from the firm's website & curated & public directories
What they invest in
from 8 of 22 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×5Cleantech ×3Hardware ×3Robotics ×3Circular Economy ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1Biotech ×1Climate Tech ×1
HQs:United States×7
Investments · 22 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 12025 · 22024 · 12023 · 12021 · 16 dated
Anagram provides an AI-powered Site Agent platform that helps e-commerce brands answer customer questions, recommend products, and guide purchasing decisions in real-time.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceRetail Tech
Austin Winfield(Founder)inBryce DeFigueiredo(Founder)in
Co-investorsForward Venture CapitalKickstartNextView VenturesThe MBA Fund2048 VenturesAIN Ventures+7 more
AI observability for physical infrastructure
San Francisco, US
Alexander Hawkinson(Executive Officer, Director)Nathan Hanks(Executive Officer)Golda Hartman(Executive Officer)Kiran Bharwani(Executive Officer)
BoardRussell Gehrett(Director)Nick Kim(Director)
Co-investorsInspired CapitalBoxGroupKhosla Ventures
BurnBot builds purpose-built, remotely controlled machines and services for wildfire mitigation, fuels management, vegetation control, and timber operations.
CleantechClimate TechHardwareRoboticsSouth San Francisco, US
Waleed Haddad(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardAnukool Lakhina(Executive Officer, Director)in
Co-investorsAmerican Family VenturesConvective CapitalDBL PartnersDCVC (Data Collective)Ecosystem Integrity FundHAWKTAIL+8 more
Developer of hybrid cooling technology using thermal storage and smart controls to cut power consumption by up to 40%.
Cognichip develops Artificial Chip Intelligence (ACI), an AI system designed to accelerate semiconductor design by reducing design effort and time-to-market for chip manufacturers.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechDeveloper ToolsSemiconductorsRedwood City, US
Faraj Aalaei(Founder)inEhsan Kamalinejad(Founder)
Co-investorsCandou VenturesFPVGlobal Catalyst Partners JapanLux CapitalMayfield FundNewBuild.VC+1 more
GaeaStar uses patented 3D printing (additive manufacturing) technology to make ultra-thin ceramic products from natural clay, starting with disposable cups intended to replace single-use plastics.
Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyCleantechHardwareNew MaterialsSan Fransisco, US
Clifton Chang(CFO)
Co-investorsEvolution VC Partnersat.inc/
Glacier develops AI-powered robotic systems for material recovery facilities (MRFs) to improve recycling sorting and material quality.
AI & Machine LearningCircular EconomyRoboticsSan Francisco, US
Rebecca Hu-Thrams(Founder)Areeb Malik(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlleyCorpAsymmetric Capital PartnersEcosystem Integrity FundJetstreamNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Overlap Holdings+8 more
Hyper provides AI-generated meeting summaries that turn long discussions into concise recaps highlighting key decisions and open questions, including AI transcription of calls.
AI & Machine LearningFuture of WorkSaaS
Co-investorsVermilion Cliffs VenturesEniac VenturesGreatPoint VenturesK5 GlobalRipple VenturesTusk Venture Partners
Portfolio company of VSC Ventures, invested in 2024 (founder listed as Matt White).
Co-investorsExpansion Venture CapitalLaunch TennesseeMetaPropMetaProp VenturesOutsidersPathbreaker Ventures
Platform accelerating drug discovery for untreatable diseases.
BiotechDedham, US
Samantha Dale Strasser(Director)Jon (Yu) Hu(Founder)inYu Hu(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardOmri Amirav-Drory(Director)in
Co-investorsbig_betsSilverton PartnersMana VenturesNFX
Presso builds AI-powered robotic machines for on-demand, low-carbon express garment care, offering a wet-cleaning alternative to traditional dry-cleaning for professional laundry and garment care operators.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechHardwareRoboticsAtlanta, US
Nishant Jain(Co-Founder & CEO)Thibault Corens(Co-Founder & CTO)Jon Gershman(Chief Commercial Officer)
Co-investorsPathbreaker VenturesUncork Capital1517AME Cloud VenturesSOSV
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Cognichip · semiengineering.com · Jul 13, 2026
Anagram · alleywatch.com · Jul 2, 2026
BrightAI · startupfundraising.com · Jun 17, 2026
Hyper · techcrunch.com · Jul 21, 2025
Glacier · wastedive.com · Apr 30, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has VSC Ventures made?
- VSC Ventures has 19 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does VSC Ventures invest at?
- VSC Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is VSC Ventures's typical check size?
- VSC Ventures typically writes checks of $500K – $750K.
- What sectors does VSC Ventures focus on?
- VSC Ventures focuses on AdTech, Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Circular Economy, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Defense Tech, Energy, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Healthtech, Marketing Tech, Medical Devices, Robotics, SaaS, Sector Agnostic, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
- Where is VSC Ventures located?
- VSC Ventures is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
- Who does VSC Ventures co-invest with?
- VSC Ventures most often shares deals with Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Pathbreaker Ventures, DCVC (Data Collective), among 29 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the team#145 Industrial Automation x Climate & Company vs Founder Journey w/ Jay Kapoor (VSC Ventures)
Silas Mähner · Jay Kapoor
Jay Kapoor of VSC Ventures on Climate Automation, Hidden Economies, and Sustainable Investing
Consensus Digital Media · Jay Kapoor
Jay Kapoor of VSC Ventures on Finding Purpose, Startup Storytelling, and the Founder with 1000 Faces
Consensus Digital Media · Jay Kapoor
Images
Co-investors · 25
Eniac Ventures partners with early-stage founders, backing companies from 0 to 1.
Alumni Ventures (AV) is a venture capital firm that co-invests alongside lead VCs in startups, backing founders with capital and access to a large investor and operator community.
Mayfield is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage consumer and marketplace companies, backing founders from inception through IPO.
Lux Capital is a venture capital firm that backs founders building transformative deep technologies, having been among the first investors in category-defining companies across AI, robotics, biotech, defense, and infrastructure.
Inspired Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2019 by Alexa von Tobel and Penny Pritzker, backing founders from pre-seed through Series A across a range of sectors.
NFX is a venture capital firm that positions itself as a builder, having developed several free software products to help founders.
FPV Ventures is an early-stage investment firm that backs mission-driven founders.
Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies.
Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that backs technology companies building transformative products.
Kleiner Perkins is a venture capital firm that backs founders across technology and life sciences, from early stage through growth.
Sound Ventures is a venture capital firm that seeks to invest in the technology sector.
▶13 more co-investors
RRE VenturesFundersClubStride VCHarrison MetalUpfront VenturesCausalMarcy Venture PartnersRubicon Venture CapitalFontinalis PartnersChingona VenturesIntuition CapitalGrit Capital PartnersTeam Builder Ventures
Firms observed investing alongside VSC Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with VSC Ventures's recorded portfolio.
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