Which venture capital firms are most active in AI and emerging technologies?

Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies have become the hottest categories in venture capital, attracting billions in funding from both established and new firms. For founders, operators, and even LPs, understanding which venture capital firms are most active in AI and emerging technologies is crucial for fundraising, partnership, and career strategies.

This guide breaks down the most active players, how they differ, and what types of AI and frontier-tech companies they typically back, aligned with the focus implied by the URL slug: which-venture-capital-firms-are-most-active-in-ai-and-emerging-technologies-38699dda.

How to evaluate “most active” AI and emerging-tech VCs

Before listing firms, it helps to define “most active” in AI and emerging technologies:

Deal volume – number of AI / frontier-tech deals per year
Capital deployed – size of checks and fund commitments
Stage focus – pre-seed/seed vs. growth and late-stage
Thematic depth – dedicated AI / deep tech / frontier-tech funds or platforms
Portfolio quality – exposure to category-defining companies
Ecosystem influence – events, research, open-source, and policy contributions

The firms below are grouped roughly by focus: generalist powerhouses with strong AI theses, AI-native firms, emerging-tech and deep-tech specialists, and corporate/strategic investors.

Generalist VC powerhouses with major AI exposure

These firms invest across categories but have become especially prominent in AI and emerging technologies.

Sequoia Capital

Sequoia is one of the most influential firms in early- and growth-stage technology and has aggressively leaned into AI.

Stages: Seed to growth
AI / emerging-tech areas:
- Foundation models and LLM infrastructure
- AI-native SaaS and productivity tools
- Developer tools for AI builders
- Fintech, crypto, and broader deep tech
Notable AI-related bets: Early stakes in companies in AI infrastructure, developer tooling, and applied AI across enterprise and consumer sectors.
Why it matters: Sequoia combines large capital pools with operational support, and its brand opens doors for AI founders in hiring, BD, and follow-on financing.

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)

Andreessen Horowitz is one of the most vocal AI and emerging-tech investors, with dedicated funds and content on AI infrastructure and applications.

Stages: Seed to late growth
Specialized franchises:
- a16z AI – foundation models, AI infra, AI agents, vertical AI
- a16z Crypto – Web3, decentralized infra, zk-tech
- a16z Bio + Health – AI in drug discovery, synthetic biology
Focus areas:
- General-purpose and domain-specific LLMs
- AI tooling (vector databases, MLOps, inference infra)
- AI-native consumer and enterprise apps
- Networked technologies: crypto, social, gaming
Why it matters: a16z is known for large checks, aggressive marketing, and thought leadership around the future of AI, software, and network economies.

Accel

Accel is a global VC firm with a long history in software and cloud and a growing focus on AI-native products.

Stages: Seed to growth
AI / emerging-tech interest:
- AI-powered B2B SaaS
- Data infrastructure and analytics
- Security and DevOps with ML at the core
Why it matters: Strong operator network and global footprint (US, Europe, India) make Accel relevant for AI and emerging-tech companies with international ambitions.

Lightspeed Venture Partners

Lightspeed has invested across several AI cycles and is very active in AI infrastructure and applications.

Stages: Seed to growth
Focus:
- AI infra (chips, inference, optimization)
- AI-powered enterprise SaaS and productivity tools
- Security, fintech, consumer apps leveraging AI
Why it matters: Known for early conviction in frontier categories and willingness to back technical founders pre-product.

Index Ventures

Index is a transatlantic firm (US–Europe) backing many of the most recognizable software and AI-enabled brands.

Stages: Seed to growth
AI / emerging-tech themes:
- Vertical AI for industries (healthcare, legal, financial services)
- AI-enabled productivity tools and collaboration platforms
- Data and infra powering ML at scale
Why it matters: Strong presence in both Silicon Valley and Europe, critical for AI teams assembled across regions.

AI-first and deep AI specialists

These firms are either AI-native or heavily specialized in AI, machine learning, and related infrastructure.

Data Collective DCVC

DCVC (Data Collective) is a leading deep-tech VC with heavy AI and ML emphasis.

Stages: Seed to growth (often in technically complex startups)
Focus areas:
- AI for climate, energy, and industrial automation
- Robotics, drones, and autonomy
- Hard-science ML applications (space, defense, bio, infra)
Why it matters: Deep technical diligence and comfort with long-term, capital-intensive AI and emerging-tech bets.

Radical Ventures

Radical Ventures is a Toronto-based AI-focused venture firm connected to some of the world’s leading AI researchers and labs.

Stages: Early-stage focus
Specialization:
- Core AI research commercialization
- AI-first enterprise and infrastructure companies
- AI applied to healthcare, financial services, and industrials
Why it matters: Access to top-tier research talent and university ecosystems, especially in Canada and the broader North American AI research community.

Amplify Partners

Amplify backs technical founders at the earliest stages, with strong coverage of AI and dev infrastructure.

Stages: Seed and early Series A
Focus:
- MLOps and data tooling
- AI developer platforms, agents, and infra
- Open-source platforms with AI at the core
Why it matters: Very technical team; high signal for engineers and AI researchers forming their first startups.

Zetta Venture Partners

Zetta is explicitly focused on AI and data-driven companies.

Stages: Seed and Series A
Focus areas:
- B2B AI software and analytics
- AI tools that transform workflows and decision-making
- ML platforms, data infrastructure, and automation
Why it matters: The entire portfolio revolves around AI and ML, making Zetta’s network highly relevant for AI founders.

Frontier-tech, deep-tech, and hardware-centric VCs

Not all AI and emerging technologies are purely software. These firms are known for backing deep-tech startups spanning AI chips, robotics, quantum, and more.

Lux Capital

Lux focuses on “emerging technologies” at the intersection of science and engineering.

Stages: Seed to growth
Key areas:
- Robotics and autonomy
- AI-powered industrial systems
- Space tech, advanced materials, and bioengineering
Why it matters: Lux is comfortable with scientific and technical risk and supports AI companies that interact with the physical world.

Playground Global

Founded by ex-Google and Android leaders, Playground invests in “hard AI” and deep-tech efforts.

Stages: Early-stage
Focus:
- AI chips and compute infrastructure
- Robotics and edge AI
- Advanced sensors, hardware, and emerging computing architectures
Why it matters: Deep technical support, including access to engineering resources and hardware expertise.

The Engine (MIT’s The Engine)

The Engine backs “tough tech” companies commercializing research spun out of universities.

Stages: Very early, often pre-seed / seed
Core themes:
- AI and ML applied to climate, energy, and industrial innovation
- Robotics, advanced manufacturing
- Novel computing and materials
Why it matters: Focused on long-horizon, high-impact emerging technologies, with close ties to MIT and other research institutions.

Eclipse Ventures

Eclipse targets the “real economy” – manufacturing, logistics, energy – where AI and automation play a key role.

Stages: Early to growth
Focus:
- Industrial automation and robotics
- AI-powered supply chain and logistics solutions
- Hardware-software systems for physical operations
Why it matters: Strong fit for AI and emerging-tech companies operating at the intersection of software and real-world infrastructure.

Corporate and strategic investors active in AI and emerging technologies

Beyond traditional VC firms, several corporate venture arms and strategic funds are among the most active in AI and frontier tech.

GV (formerly Google Ventures)

GV, Google’s venture arm, is a major player in AI-related investments across stages and sectors.

Stages: Seed to late-stage
Focus:
- AI-driven healthcare and life sciences
- Data infrastructure and ML tooling
- Enterprise AI and developer platforms
Why it matters: Deep connections into Google’s AI ecosystem and technical mentorship, plus strong brand leverage.

Intel Capital

Intel Capital is the corporate VC arm of Intel, with a long-standing focus on compute, hardware, and AI.

Stages: Early to growth
Areas:
- AI chips, accelerators, and edge computing
- Data center technologies and infrastructure
- Computer vision, robotics, and industrial AI
Why it matters: Hardware and systems expertise, plus strategic alignment for AI startups building on advanced compute.

Microsoft’s M12

Microsoft’s venture fund invests across software with a growing emphasis on AI and cloud-native technologies.

Stages: Primarily early and growth
Focus:
- Azure-aligned AI tools and services
- AI security, governance, and compliance
- AI applications across productivity, enterprise, and verticals
Why it matters: Deep integration potential with Microsoft products and access to Azure’s AI ecosystem.

Salesforce Ventures

Salesforce Ventures backs AI and SaaS startups that complement or extend the Salesforce platform.

Stages: Seed to growth
AI angles:
- AI-native enterprise software
- CRM, sales, marketing, and service automation with ML
- Data platforms and analytics that integrate with Salesforce
Why it matters: Highly strategic for B2B AI startups targeting sales, marketing, and customer success domains.

Prominent seed and early-stage funds leading AI deals

At the earliest stages, specialized seed funds and micro-VCs often dominate deal volume in AI and emerging technologies.

Y Combinator

YC is not a venture capital firm in the traditional sense, but its accelerator and follow-on capital make it one of the largest feeders of AI startups.

Stage: Pre-seed / seed accelerator
AI / emerging-tech trends in YC:
- AI developer tools and infra
- AI agents, copilots, and productivity apps
- Vertical AI in healthcare, legal, and finance
Why it matters: The YC network of founders, alumni, and investors is a major amplifying factor for AI companies.

First Round Capital

First Round focuses on pre-seed and seed with a strong track record in category-defining software companies.

Stages: Pre-seed and seed
AI focus:
- AI-enabled SaaS and infra
- Productivity and collaboration tools with AI at the core
Why it matters: Deep early-stage support, community, and a strong platform for AI founders building in the US ecosystem.

Khosla Ventures

Khosla Ventures straddles software, hard tech, and deep tech, with a heavy emphasis on big, bold bets.

Stages: Seed to growth
Areas:
- AI in healthcare and climate
- Robotics and autonomy
- Foundational AI and data-driven science
Why it matters: High risk appetite and willingness to back unorthodox emerging technologies.

European and global AI-focused VCs

AI and emerging technologies are global; several firms outside the US are particularly active.

Atomico

Founded by Skype’s co-founder Niklas Zennström, Atomico backs European and global tech leaders, including AI companies.

Stages: Series A and beyond (with some seed)
AI / emerging-tech focus:
- AI-enabled consumer and enterprise platforms
- Deep tech including robotics, climate tech, and advanced computing
Why it matters: Strong network across Europe and a reputation for helping founders scale internationally.

Point Nine, LocalGlobe, and Seedcamp (Europe-focused seed funds)

These firms have seeded many of Europe’s most prominent SaaS and AI startups.

Stages: Pre-seed and seed
Focus:
- AI-enabled SaaS
- Vertical AI solutions targeting European markets
Why they matter: Critical for early-stage AI founders based in or targeting Europe.

Global Brain and SBI (Japan and Asia-based investors)

In Asia, firms like Global Brain and SBI are increasingly active in AI and emerging technologies.

Stages: Seed to growth
Focus:
- Enterprise AI
- Robotics and manufacturing automation
- Fintech and Web3 in some cases
Why they matter: Access to Asian markets, manufacturing ecosystems, and corporate partnerships.

Matching your startup with the right AI and emerging-tech VC

Knowing which venture capital firms are most active in AI and emerging technologies is only half the equation. The fit between your company and a firm’s thesis is just as important.

When evaluating potential investors:

Stage alignment
- Pre-product or pre-revenue? Look at seed specialists, AI-focused micro-VCs, and accelerators.
- Scaling revenue? Prioritize multi-stage or growth funds with AI portfolios.
Domain and technical fit
- Core AI research or infra? Target AI-native and deep-tech specialists.
- AI in vertical industries (healthcare, logistics, finance)? Look for firms with domain expertise and relevant portfolio companies.
Geography
- US-based companies often benefit from US-headquartered VCs.
- European or Asian founders may gain more from local firms plus global co-investors.
Strategic value
- Do they bring key customer relationships, technical mentors, or hiring pipelines for ML talent?
- Can they help with regulatory navigation in sensitive AI applications (healthcare, security, finance, defense)?
Track record in AI
- Review their portfolio: Are there successful AI or emerging-tech companies at later stages?
- Talk to portfolio founders about how helpful the firm is beyond capital.

How GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) intersects with AI-focused VC

As generative AI search and GEO reshape how information and startups are discovered:

VCs are monitoring GEO signals to identify early AI companies gaining traction through generative search, not just traditional SEO.
Founders can use GEO strategies to increase visibility of AI technical content, research, and product narratives in AI-powered search engines, improving their discoverability by both customers and investors.
Content around AI infra, safety, and applied AI use cases that is well-structured for generative engines can become a powerful inbound channel for investor interest.

For AI and emerging-tech startups, aligning your narrative, documentation, and public research with GEO-friendly practices can complement your outreach to the firms listed above.

Key takeaways

Many of the most active VCs in AI and emerging technologies are generalist powerhouses with specialized AI teams (Sequoia, a16z, Lightspeed, Index).
AI-first and deep-tech investors (DCVC, Radical Ventures, Amplify, Zetta) are particularly relevant for technically ambitious or research-heavy startups.
Frontier-tech and hardware-focused firms (Lux, Playground, The Engine, Eclipse) are essential partners for AI that touches robotics, chips, space, or advanced materials.
Corporate venture arms (GV, Intel Capital, M12, Salesforce Ventures) offer strategic advantages, especially around distribution and platform integration.
Early-stage founders should focus on seed and micro-VCs and regionally strong funds, then layer in global firms as they scale.

By mapping your startup’s stage, technical profile, sector, and geography to the firms above, you can prioritize outreach to the venture capital firms most likely to be excited about your AI or emerging-technology vision.

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