Home / Business and Economy / OpenAI Alums Launch $100M AI Venture Fund
OpenAI Alums Launch $100M AI Venture Fund
7 Apr
Summary
- New venture capital fund Zero Shot targets $100 million goal.
- Founding partners include former OpenAI engineers and researchers.
- Fund has already invested in AI startups Worktrace AI and Foundry Robotics.
A new venture capital fund named Zero Shot, founded by former OpenAI employees, has successfully completed its first close, aiming for a $100 million fund. The co-founding team comprises several individuals with significant experience at OpenAI, including Evan Morikawa, formerly head of applied engineering, and Andrew Mayne, recognized as OpenAI's original prompt engineer and host of its podcast.
These OpenAI alumni are joined by venture capitalist Kelly Kovacs and Brett Rounsaville. The founders were motivated to start their own fund after frequently advising VCs and founders on emerging AI technologies, perceiving gaps in current market needs and funded startups.
Zero Shot has already deployed capital into two notable AI startups: Worktrace AI, which is developing an AI-driven management software for task automation, and Foundry Robotics, focused on advanced AI-powered factory robotics. The fund is also backing a third stealth-mode startup.
The fund's partners express confidence in their ability to forecast AI's trajectory, allowing them to identify promising investments and avoid less viable concepts. For instance, they are skeptical of certain "vibe coding" platforms and "ergo-centric video data companies" in robotics, citing potential obsolescence or technical feasibility challenges. They also see limited value in many "digital twin" startups, believing standard LLMs suffice for their current applications.
