ZEA
Venture capitalChicago · 2 people tracked
Find your way into ZEA
159 people in our graph share verified history with the ZEA team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
ZEA invests in mission-critical, dual-use technologies that bridge defense and commercial markets. It focuses on five emerging sectors: artificial intelligence, robotics, space, manufacturing, and microelectronics. Beyond capital, ZEA provides strategic guidance, regulatory expertise, government contracting support, and access to government and industry networks. Its process spans sourcing mission-driven companies, deep due diligence, strategic capital deployment with board involvement, growth acceleration, and value realization through exits. ZEA targets companies emphasizing security, scalability, and mission-driven growth, aiming to close the gap between defense and commercial innovation while driving both security outcomes and financial returns.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 10 of 12 portfolio companiesDeep Tech ×6Hardware ×5AI & Machine Learning ×4Defense Tech ×4Advanced Manufacturing ×2Robotics ×2Space Tech ×2Cybersecurity ×1
HQs:United States×5
Who they back
founder profiles across 7 portfolio companiesWhat their founders studiedfrom 10 founders with field-of-study data
Computer Science ×3Engineering ×3Economics ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 10 founders with career history
Data Vortex ×2
Investments · 12 tracked
founders shown can be your intro path
Ambit builds a security product described as a VPN with post-quantum and classical cryptography that has undergone formal specification and verification.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareQuantum ComputingKirkland, US
Kevin Kane(Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder)inAndrew McElroy(Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder)inJosh Kiluk(Chief Operating Officer)Derek Hetzler(Chief Commercial Officer)inCris Salas(EVP, Sales)in
Co-investorsQuidnet VenturesTechstars
Cachai develops collaborative autonomy software that converts hub-dependent systems into consensus-based distributed ones for mission-critical and defense applications.
Deep TechDefense TechRobotics
Emma Bates(CEO, Founder)inJesse Bates(CTO, Co-Founder)in
Ecoatoms develops technologies for manufacturing and research in microgravity environments, enabling scalable production and R&D in orbital space.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareSpace Tech
Solange Massa MD PhD(Founder)in
Falcomm is a fabless semiconductor company that designs RF power amplifiers, including its Dual-Drive power amplifier technology, aimed at higher output power, wider bandwidth, and lower heat for mmWave applications.
Deep TechHardwareSemiconductorsAtlanta, US
Edgar Garay(Founder & CEO)inIsabella Tobon(Director)Justin Hovey(Executive Officer)
BoardDom Ventimiglia(Director)Dan Madden(Director)in
Co-investorsBanyan VenturesCambium CapitalDraper CygnusInvariantes FundSQUADRA VENTURES
F-ADA develops software for unmanned systems that enables rapid retraining and target identification with minimal compute requirements and no internet connectivity.
AI & Machine LearningDefense Tech
Hybron manufactures composites using proprietary technology, positioning itself as a U.S.-based alternative to overseas production.
Advanced ManufacturingNew Materials
Brennan Lieu(Founder)inAaron Guo(Cofounder)in
Co-investorsFirst InLorimer VenturesVeteran Ventures Capital
Magma Space builds a precision operations platform for space missions, serving spacecraft operators and commercial space ventures.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSpace TechWashington, US
Alessandro Stabile(Founder)in
Co-investorsE2MC VenturesTechstars
VectorWave builds technology for dynamic spectrum coexistence, using inference on raw radio signals to provide real-time awareness and prioritization across frequencies.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardware
Ben Taylor(Co-founder & CEO)inRonald(Founder & CTO)Charles(Co-founder)
Co-investorsCoalitionJ2 Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
American BinaryFADA
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesHybron · latimes.com · May 21, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has ZEA made?
- ZEA has 12 tracked investments.
- What sectors does ZEA focus on?
- ZEA focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Deep Tech, Defense Tech, Robotics, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
- Where is ZEA located?
- ZEA is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Who does ZEA co-invest with?
- ZEA most often shares deals with Banyan Ventures, Coalition, E2MC Ventures, among 10 tracked co-investors.
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