18 Deep Tech Investors in San Francisco — 16 Currently Deploying
Updated
Funds (18)
Invest first in founders making mutants a reality by reimagining the universe. Generalist investors backing companies that make 1 billion lives better through bold bets in deep tec…
Accelerating AI-native founders at the earliest stages. Lead early rounds in companies and founders building the future, providing that first check before others think you're onto …
Investing in the best technical storytellers at preseed and seed stage. The fund focuses on founders who can effectively communicate complex technical visions.
Experienced founders (particularly serial/exit founders) win 22x more often. Zero-equity retreats attract elite repeat founders who avoid traditional accelerators, enabling first-m…
Back the world's best AI native founders at pre-seed and seed stages with product and go-to-market expertise from OpenAI, Meta, Twitter, and a16z to help them reshape the world.
Investing in deeptech and foundational technologies that remove structural constraints to sustainable scale in food, agriculture, and planetary health, with AI as core infrastructu…
Canaan invests in visionaries with transformative ideas where science and technology become society. The firm focuses on early-stage companies that break the mold to bring spectacu…
Investing in technology companies within supply chain, manufacturing, and software infrastructure that makes and moves the world.
Paradigm builds and invests across crypto, AI, robotics, and other new frontiers, with a focus on advancing the frontier for everyone through software development and open source c…
Invest in startups from seed to Series B across Artificial Intelligence, Lifestyle consumption upgrades, and Frontier Technology, partnering with founders creating waves of innovat…
Invest in technical founders building software that will improve millions of consumers' lives. Back bold founders with a vision worth fighting for.
Help mission-driven pioneers win by harnessing storytelling, art and culture. Back early-stage companies with customer obsession in their DNA and accelerate mass adoption of techno…
Use tightly focused expertise and an unparalleled global network to help founders realize their potential across all stages, from incubation to growth-stage scaling.
Piva Capital invests in people, companies, and breakthrough technologies at the inflection of scientific breakthrough and mass market impact to usher in a new industrial era across…
Baukunst is a collective of creative technologists advancing the art of building through pre-seed investments in companies at the frontiers of technology and design.
Seed stage venture capital firm investing in deep tech, specifically seeding bold engineers.
Alchemist guides technical founders on the journey from possibility to traction by transforming technical builders into CEOs ready to scale through intensive coaching, investor acc…
Which of these Deep Tech funds actually fits your startup?
DryPowder's AI matching ranks all 18 by thesis fit, check size, and deployment status.
Get my fund matches →Related investor lists
Frequently asked questions
How many deep tech investors are actively deploying right now?
DryPowder tracks 18 deep tech funds. Of these, 16 are currently deploying capital based on recent fund closes, portfolio activity, and partner signals. Use DryPowder's fund matching to see which ones fit your specific startup.
What check size do deep tech VCs write?
Among 18 deep tech funds on DryPowder, check sizes run from $100K–$100M. Ranges vary by fund size, vintage, and whether the fund leads rounds. Each fund profile shows check size detail and lead preference.
How do I get a meeting with a deep tech VC?
A warm intro is still the fastest path. Most deep tech VCs on DryPowder do accept cold outreach or direct applications, but response rates vary widely by fund. Before reaching out, use DryPowder's AI matching to get a fit score and specific talking points. Founders who lead with thesis-aligned framing get significantly better response rates than those sending the same deck to every fund on a list.
What do deep tech VCs look for beyond a good deck?
Most deep tech investors evaluate three things before reading your deck in detail: your background in the space, whether they have seen the problem from multiple portfolio companies, and whether anyone they trust vouches for you. After that, the deck needs to show market size, a clear problem-solution fit specific to deep tech, and early evidence of customer demand. Thesis alignment matters more in deep tech than in generalist investing because these funds see a high volume of pitches in the same space.
How many deep tech investors should I be talking to at once?
Most fundraisers recommend a parallel process: identify 20-40 target investors but approach your highest-fit funds first. Of the 16 deep tech funds currently deploying, not all will match your specific stage and sector. Use fund matching to find your top 10-15, approach those first, collect feedback, then go wider. Going to every fund simultaneously without qualifying first burns bridges and dilutes the urgency that helps close a round.
How is DryPowder different from building a VC list on LinkedIn or Crunchbase?
The fund list you build on LinkedIn or Crunchbase is roughly the same list every other founder is building. DryPowder adds three things a manual search cannot: deployment signals (which funds have recently closed new vehicles and are actively writing checks), AI thesis matching (which of the 18 deep tech funds actually fits your specific startup, ranked by fit), and verified partner contact details. The goal is 15 targeted, thesis-aligned pitches instead of 150 generic ones.
How DryPowder compares
See all tool comparisons → · best alternatives by platform →