Autonomous vehicle investment hit $2.7 billion in just two months of 2025.
Waymo expands to 10 new cities. Tesla launches robotaxi pilots. Major VCs return to the sector after years of hesitation.
The technology finally works. Regulatory barriers fall. Commercial deployments scale rapidly.
This guide lists 20 active autonomous vehicle investors. Their portfolios. Check sizes. Investment focus.
Pitch your AV startup effectively
You've developed breakthrough self-driving technology. Safety metrics exceed human drivers. Pilot programs show strong results.
But investors don't respond.
Stop sending PDFs. Use trackable links. See who opened your deck. Track time per slide.
Ellty helps autonomous vehicle startups track investor engagement.
Autonomous vehicle investors
1. Sequoia Capital
Leading Silicon Valley firm with deep autonomous vehicle portfolio.
Investment focus: Full-stack AV companies, sensor technology
Investment range: Series A to growth, $10M-$200M+
Notable investments: Nuro, Applied Intuition, autonomous platforms
Contact: sequoiacap.com
2. SoftBank Vision Fund
Global technology investor with major AV commitments.
Investment focus: Large-scale autonomous deployments
Investment range: $100M-$2B+
Notable investments: Cruise ($2.25B), Wayve, WeRide
Contact: visionfund.com
3. Tiger Global Management
Growth investor backing AV market leaders.
Investment focus: Late-stage autonomous vehicle companies
Investment range: Series C+, $50M-$500M
Notable investments: Nuro, autonomous platforms
Contact: tigerglobal.com
4. Andreessen Horowitz
Multi-stage investor with dedicated mobility practice.
Investment focus: AV software, infrastructure, platforms
Investment range: Seed to growth, varies by stage
Notable investments: Cruise, autonomous vehicle startups
Contact: a16z.com
5. Trucks Venture Capital
Transportation-focused fund leading AV investments.
Investment focus: Autonomous trucking and mobility
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $1M-$20M
Notable investments: May Mobility, Starsky Robotics, Quadric
Contact: trucks.vc
6. Toyota AI Ventures
Corporate venture arm focused on autonomous technology.
Investment focus: AI-powered mobility solutions
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $2M-$30M
Notable investments: 12+ AV deals since 2010
Contact: toyota-ai.ventures
7. New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
One of the largest venture firms with AV portfolio.
Investment focus: Transformative transportation technology
Investment range: Early to late stage, $5M-$100M+
Notable investments: Aurora, autonomous platforms
Contact: nea.com
8. General Catalyst
Multi-stage investor backing autonomous innovation.
Investment focus: AV software and hardware platforms
Investment range: Seed to growth
Notable investments: Applied Intuition, AV startups
Contact: generalcatalyst.com
9. Greylock Partners
Early-stage investor in autonomous technology.
Investment focus: AI-first autonomous systems
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $2M-$50M
Notable investments: Nuro, autonomous platforms
Contact: greylock.com
10. Kleiner Perkins
Silicon Valley firm with mobility focus.
Investment focus: Next-generation autonomous systems
Investment range: Early to growth stage
Notable investments: Applied Intuition ($600M round co-lead)
Contact: kleinerperkins.com
11. Lux Capital
Deep tech investor backing autonomous breakthroughs.
Investment focus: Frontier AV technology
Investment range: Seed to Series C, $5M-$75M
Notable investments: Applied Intuition, AV hardware
Contact: luxcapital.com
12. Point72 Ventures
Steve Cohen's venture arm investing in autonomy.
Investment focus: Defense and commercial autonomy
Investment range: Series A to C, $10M-$50M
Notable investments: Overland AI, autonomous systems
Contact: point72ventures.com
13. Founders Fund
Peter Thiel's fund backing transformative technology.
Investment focus: Revolutionary autonomous systems
Investment range: Early to late stage
Notable investments: Anduril (autonomous defense)
Contact: foundersfund.com
14. BlackRock
World's largest asset manager entering AV space.
Investment focus: Late-stage autonomous leaders
Investment range: Series D+, $100M+
Notable investments: Applied Intuition Series F lead
Contact: blackrock.com
15. Microsoft Ventures
Corporate venture investing in AV ecosystem.
Investment focus: Cloud-connected autonomous systems
Investment range: Series A+, $10M-$100M
Notable investments: Cruise, Wayve
Contact: microsoft.com/m12
16. Honda Motor Ventures
Automaker's investment arm focused on autonomy.
Investment focus: ADAS and full autonomy
Investment range: Strategic investments, $10M-$100M
Notable investments: Cruise ($2.75B total), Helm.ai
Contact: honda.com
17. Goodyear Ventures
Tire giant investing in autonomous future.
Investment focus: AV hardware and software
Investment range: Strategic investments
Notable investments: Helm.ai, AV sensor companies
Contact: goodyear.com
18. Norwest Venture Partners
Multi-stage investor with mobility portfolio.
Investment focus: Scalable autonomous platforms
Investment range: Series A to growth
Notable investments: Autonomous vehicle companies
Contact: nvp.com
19. Bessemer Venture Partners
Global venture firm backing AV innovation.
Investment focus: Cloud-first autonomous systems
Investment range: Early to late stage
Notable investments: Autonomous platforms
Contact: bvp.com
20. Alumni Ventures
Network-driven fund with dedicated AI/AV portfolio.
Investment focus: Early-stage autonomous technology
Investment range: Seed to Series B, $500K-$5M
Notable investments: Multiple AV startups
Contact: av.vc
How to approach autonomous vehicle investors
Prepare your pitch
Focus on safety data and real-world testing miles. Show regulatory compliance progress.
Demonstrate technical differentiation. Include simulation results and edge case handling.
Best practices for outreach
Target investors with existing mobility portfolios. Lead with commercial traction.
Emphasize partnerships with OEMs or fleet operators. Show path to profitability.
Common mistakes to avoid
Don't overpromise on deployment timelines. Be realistic about regulatory hurdles.
Avoid comparing to failed AV companies. Focus on your unique approach.
Alternative funding sources
Strategic investors
Automakers seeking AV technology. Tier 1 suppliers investing in next-gen systems.
Government programs
Defense contracts for autonomous systems. Smart city pilot funding.
Corporate partnerships
Ride-hail companies funding AV development. Logistics firms backing autonomous trucking.
Success stories
Recent funding wins
Applied Intuition raised $600M at $15B valuation. Wayve secured $1B+ from SoftBank and Microsoft.
Nuro closed $203M with Nvidia joining. Multiple startups achieving unicorn status.
Market momentum
Waymo completing 250,000 paid rides weekly. Aurora launching commercial trucking operations.
Regulatory environment shifting favorably. Institutional capital returning to sector.
How Ellty helps autonomous vehicle startups
Track which investors spend time on your safety metrics. See engagement with technical architecture slides.
Know when partners share your deck internally. Optimize based on real investor interest data.
Close funding faster with actionable insights.
FAQs
What metrics do AV investors prioritize?
Safety data, miles driven, disengagement rates, and unit economics matter most.
How much are typical AV funding rounds?
Seed: $5M-$20M. Series A: $30M-$100M. Growth rounds often exceed $200M.
Which AV segments attract most investment?
Robotaxis, autonomous trucking, and ADAS systems see highest investment volume.
What's the typical investment timeline?
AV investments typically have 7-10 year horizons given regulatory and technical complexity.
How do investors evaluate AV technology?
Real-world testing data, simulation results, team expertise, and regulatory progress.
Which markets see most AV investment activity?
US leads globally, followed by China. Europe gaining momentum with regulatory clarity.
