Our Three Focus Areas
Climate-tech
We invest based on the belief that we must act faster and more boldly on climate change.
Among our 2021-24 investments alone, we backed:
A startup focused on carbon dioxide removal from air at industrial scale.
Two different investments in nextgen solid-state battery technologies.
A compact nuclear fusion reactor startup.
A venture solving a critical problem in electricity peak shaving for industrial consumers.
Resiliency-tech
We invest to strengthen our communities, society and security.
Recently, this idea has been popularized by a prominent VC firm’s somewhat related ‘American Dynamism’ thesis. Long before it was en vogue, we’ve sought to invest in such companies including a 2017 seed investment in what has now become the category-defining defense-tech startup in America.
“Resiliency-tech” is sort of vague. More specifically, we are looking for technologies that enable defense, security, domestic manufacturing and supply chains, affordable housing and other civic-minded ventures.
Amazing Founders
What a tired cliche. But especially in this type of early-stage investing where we have even less to work with, we are looking for something special in all the entrepreneurs we back.
However, this is also our catch-all focus area which allows us to act opportunistically. While we tilt towards the Climate and Resiliency areas noted above, we will deviate if we come across entrepreneurs that demonstrate that je ne sais quoi. And this is especially true for founders from underrepresented communities.