Our Mission
Milestone AI Ventures exists to back the most ambitious founders building transformative AI systems. We believe artificial intelligence represents the most significant technological transition in human history -- and the decisions made in the next five years will shape its trajectory for decades to come.
We partner with technical founders at the earliest stages, when the vision is bold but the path is uncertain. Our job is to help them reach the first milestone, then the next, and the one after that -- providing capital, expertise, and a network that compounds as the company grows.
Founded in 2022 by former engineers and product leaders from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Databricks, and Palantir, Milestone AI Ventures brings deep technical credibility and genuine operator experience to every investment we make.
Investment Thesis
Our thesis is grounded in a simple belief: we are in the early innings of an AI transformation that will touch every industry and every function.
Thesis 01
AI is Infrastructure
The most enduring AI businesses will be the ones that become invisible -- deeply embedded in enterprise workflows, developer toolchains, and consumer applications. We invest in companies building durable infrastructure that other AI systems depend on.
Thesis 02
Data is the Moat
In a world where models commoditize, proprietary data and data flywheel advantages will separate durable AI businesses from short-lived feature additions. We prioritize companies with a credible path to compounding data advantages that competitors cannot easily replicate.
Thesis 03
Technical Founders Win
The most important AI companies will be founded by people who understand the technology at a deep level. We back technical co-founders who can both build state-of-the-art systems and communicate their vision compellingly to customers, employees, and future investors.
How We Invest
Clear, transparent terms. No surprises.
Check Size
We write $5M seed round checks as the lead investor, typically taking a meaningful ownership stake of 10-15%. We reserve 50% of our initial investment for follow-on capital in seed extensions and follow-on funding rounds for our best-performing companies.
Stage
We invest at the seed stage -- typically at pre-revenue or early revenue, with a functional prototype or MVP and a founding team of two or more. We have also occasionally led pre-seed rounds for exceptional teams with transformative technology and a clear path to product-market fit.
Geography
We primarily invest in US-based companies with headquarters or primary operations in major technology hubs: San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Boston, Seattle, Austin, and Los Angeles. We will consider remote-first companies with exceptional founding teams anywhere in North America.
Sectors
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, data infrastructure, AI-native vertical applications, AI safety and security, and autonomous systems. We do not invest in crypto/Web3, consumer social, traditional SaaS without AI differentiation, or hardware-heavy companies.
Timeline
We move fast. Our goal is to complete due diligence and deliver a term sheet within two weeks of a first meeting for companies we are excited about. We respect founders' time and communicate clearly and promptly throughout our process, with a dedicated deal lead assigned at first meeting.
Board & Support
As lead investors, we typically request a board seat. We view board membership as a service function -- our goal is to be the most useful board member you have by helping with recruiting, customer introductions, next-round preparation, and strategic thinking on your most pressing challenges.
Company Milestones
From our founding through the present day, a history of building alongside exceptional AI founders.
2022 - Founded
Milestone AI Ventures closes its inaugural $75M seed fund, backed by leading institutional limited partners including university endowments, family offices, and technology company founders with deep AI backgrounds.
2023 - First Investments
Deployed capital into 12 seed-stage AI companies, including our first three investments in data infrastructure, enterprise AI workflow automation, and AI safety tooling. Portfolio companies collectively raised $180M in follow-on funding during the year.
2024 - Expanding Portfolio
Crossed 20 portfolio companies with a focus on foundation model applications and AI-native vertical software. Launched the Milestone AI Operator Network, connecting our portfolio with 150+ experienced AI executives as advisors, customers, and talent pipeline sources.
2025 - Continued Growth
Closed Milestone AI Ventures Fund II at $125M to continue our seed-stage investment strategy with an expanded team. Portfolio includes 28+ companies with three portfolio companies crossing $10M ARR. Seed Round funding activity: January-February 2025.
Backing the same companies as the world's best
Milestone AI Ventures has co-invested alongside Coatue Management in select portfolio companies, reflecting our shared conviction in backing exceptional founders at the earliest stages. We maintain strong relationships with leading institutional investors who share our long-term perspective on technology transformation.
Backed by leading institutional investors
Our investor base includes university endowments, family offices, and institutional allocators who share our conviction in early-stage technology investing. Our LPs provide not just capital but deep networks that benefit our portfolio companies.