San Francisco deep tech investors energizing hardware, biotech, and frontier tech in 2026

San Francisco deployed $8.4B into deep tech across 280+ deals in 2025. Most capital went to AI infrastructure, quantum computing, and synthetic biology. The city still dominates US deep tech funding but hardware startups face longer timelines than software. You'll need patience and deep pockets to raise here.

Quick list

Why San Francisco for deep tech fundraising

San Francisco raised more deep tech capital in 2025 than Boston, LA, and Austin combined. The ecosystem supports 12-24 month development cycles before revenue. Berkeley Lab, Stanford, and UCSF produce most US deep tech spinouts. You'll find specialists here who understand why your Series A is 18 months out.

SF deep tech investors expect capital intensity. Average seed round is $4-8M for hardware, $8-15M for biotech. That's 2-3x higher than software. Most funds here have follow-on reserves because they know deep tech needs $50M+ to reach scale.

The downside is competition. Every quantum computing, fusion, and synthetic biology company raises here. Investors see 500+ deep tech pitches yearly. Your technology needs a real moat. "We're 10x faster" won't close rounds without peer-reviewed proof or signed LOIs from Boeing or Genentech.

Picking the right San Francisco deep tech investor

Local presence matters less than domain expertise in deep tech. Most SF deep tech VCs invest nationally but maintain strong Bay Area networks. Check if they've backed companies in your specific sub-sector. A quantum computing investor won't understand synthetic biology economics.

Portfolio companies should include at least three companies in your domain. Look for investments that reached manufacturing scale or clinical trials, not just seed rounds. Lux's Varda and DCVC's Crusoe show funds that understand long development timelines. Check if their portfolio companies are still operating or hit technical dead ends.

Check sizes vary wildly by sector. Quantum and fusion startups need $15-30M Series A rounds. Robotics and sensors can close $5-12M. Biotech Series A averages $25-40M in SF. Don't approach seed funds when you need $20M for your first commercial reactor. Share your deck via trackable links with Ellty to see which sections investors focus on before asking for a meeting.

Local network access is San Francisco's real advantage. The right investor connects you to Berkeley Lab researchers, NASA procurement, Genentech partnerships, or Apple's supply chain team. Eclipse has manufacturing relationships. DCVC knows DOE funding processes. Ask portfolio founders if their investors actually made introductions.

Follow-on capacity is critical for deep tech. You'll need 3-5 rounds before exit. Check if your seed investor reserves 2-3x for Series A and B. Funds under $150M usually can't follow-on past Series A in capital-intensive deep tech. Set up an Ellty data room early for your technical documentation and IP filings. Our professional services firms handle information flows that span clients, partners, and internal teams.

How to find and approach San Francisco deep tech investors

Research local deals through PitchBook filtering for "materials," "robotics," "quantum," "biotech," and "space." SF Business Times covers major deep tech rounds. Check which funds led the last five deals in your specific sector. Leading a round signals real conviction.

Leverage local ecosystem through Berkeley SkyDeck, Stanford StartX, UCSF Catalyst, and IndieBio for lab-to-market companies. Most SF deep tech investors scout these programs. Berkeley Lab's Cyclotron Road places fellows with investors. Join SEMI for semiconductor relationships or BayBio for life sciences.

Build relationships first at technical conferences where investors actually attend. SF investors go to APS March Meeting for physics, SynBioBeta for synthetic biology, and IEEE conferences for hardware. Skip generic startup events. Deep tech investors want to discuss your science, not your pitch.

Share your pitch deck through Ellty trackable links after conferences or warm introductions. SF deep tech investors typically take 2-4 weeks to review technical decks. You'll see which investors spend time on your data slides versus skimming. Include your Nature paper or patent filing in the same link.

Attend local events like SOSV's IndieBio demo days (twice yearly) and The Engine's showcase events. Berkeley's Big Ideas Contest winners often get investor meetings. UCSF's QB3 hosts monthly mixers where Canaan and Khosla partners actually show up. These aren't networking theater. Investor outreach succeeds when relevance outweighs volume.

Connect with portfolio founders through LinkedIn filtering for your sub-sector. Most SF deep tech founders share honest feedback about their investors. They'll tell you if their VC understands regulatory timelines or pushed for premature scaling. Ask about technical due diligence depth.

Organize due diligence in an Ellty data room with your scientific publications, patent applications, regulatory pathway analysis, and technical milestones. SF deep tech investors want to see your lab notebooks and failed experiments. Transparency about what didn't work builds credibility in technical diligence.

Understand local pace is slower for deep tech than software. First meeting to term sheet averages 4-7 months. Investors bring in technical advisors and conduct extensive diligence. Budget 6-9 months for your fundraising process. Don't start when you have four months of runway.

San Francisco-specific considerations

SF deep tech investors expect scientific rigor. Most partners have PhDs or worked at NASA, LBNL, or Genentech. Come with peer-reviewed publications, not just whitepapers. They'll dig into your claims during diligence. If your technology violates thermodynamics, don't waste anyone's time.

Capital is concentrated in specific sectors. Quantum computing, synthetic biology, and space manufacturing get funded easily. Advanced materials and agricultural robotics face more skepticism. Energy tech needs clear regulatory paths. Defense tech is back after a decade of hesitation post-Palantir.

Competition for talent is brutal. Every deep tech company competes with Google X, OpenAI, and Meta for the same Berkeley and Stanford PhDs. Investors want to see how you'll recruit when offering $150K versus $400K at big tech. Your technical founders need to be world-class or have existing team commitments.

18 top deep tech investors in San Francisco

1. Lux Capital

One of the most technical funds in SF with deep science credentials and patience for 10+ year timelines.

• Recent Deals: Varda Space ($90M Series B, 2024), Epirus ($200M Series C, 2024), Variant Bio ($50M Series B, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Josh Wolfe
• Sector Focus: space manufacturing, defense tech, biotech, quantum computing, advanced materials
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Financial District, San Francisco
• Website: luxcapital.com

2. DCVC (Data Collective)

Deep tech specialists who understand compute infrastructure and physical systems at scale.

• Recent Deals: Crusoe Energy ($350M valuation, 2024), Impulse Space ($45M Series A, 2025), Radiant Nuclear ($40M Series A, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Matt Ocko
• Sector Focus: compute infrastructure, energy tech, space systems, robotics, AI infrastructure
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: SoMa, San Francisco
• Website: dcvc.com

3. The Engine

MIT's deep tech fund with $600M under management focused on breakthrough science.

• Recent Deals: Commonwealth Fusion Systems ($1.8B Series B, 2024), Boston Metal ($262M Series C, 2024), Form Energy ($405M Series E, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Emily Knight
• Sector Focus: fusion energy, advanced manufacturing, climate tech, new materials
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Cambridge (with SF presence)
• Website: engine.xyz

4. Khosla Ventures

Vinod Khosla's fund backing audacious deep tech with huge TAMs and long timelines.

• Recent Deals: Twelve ($200M Series C, 2024), ClearFlame ($28M Series B, 2025), Saildrone ($100M Series C, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Vinod Khosla
• Sector Focus: carbon transformation, clean energy, synthetic biology, ocean robotics
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Menlo Park
• Website: khoslaventures.com

5. Founders Fund

Peter Thiel's fund betting on defense, space, and breakthrough technologies everyone else calls impossible.

• Recent Deals: Anduril ($1.5B Series E, 2024), Hadrian ($90M Series B, 2024), Varda Space (co-investor)
• LinkedIn: Trae Stephens
• Sector Focus: defense tech, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C, growth
• Office Location: San Francisco (Embarcadero)
• Website: foundersfund.com

6. Eclipse Ventures

Manufacturing-focused fund with deep operator experience building physical products at scale.

• Recent Deals: Solugen ($357M Series C, 2024), Cityblock Health ($192M Series D, 2024), Bright Machines ($132M Series C, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Lior Susan
• Sector Focus: bio-based chemicals, manufacturing automation, supply chain tech, industrial IoT
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Palo Alto
• Website: eclipse.vc

7. SOSV

Runs IndieBio, the world's largest biotech accelerator, with 40+ companies per year.

• Recent Deals: Geltor ($91M Series B, 2024), MycoWorks ($125M Series C, 2024), Memphis Meats ($180M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Arvind Gupta
• Sector Focus: synthetic biology, materials science, food tech, therapeutics
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: SoMa, San Francisco
• Website: sosv.com

8. Playground Global

Hardware-focused fund built by former Android and Apple engineers who ship products.

• Recent Deals: Atom Computing ($60M Series B, 2024), Zipline (growth round, 2024), Relativity Space ($650M Series E, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Bruce Leak
• Sector Focus: quantum computing, robotics, 3D printing, autonomous systems
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Palo Alto
• Website: playground.global

9. Canaan Partners

One of the oldest VC firms with strong biotech track record and technical partners.

• Recent Deals: Insitro ($400M Series C, 2024), Mammoth Biosciences ($195M Series D, 2024), Neumora ($500M Series C, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Wende Hutton
• Sector Focus: therapeutics, diagnostics, computational biology, precision medicine
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: Menlo Park
• Website: canaan.com

10. Amplify Partners

Infrastructure investors who've moved into industrial automation and process optimization.

• Recent Deals: Alloy Automation ($27M Series A, 2024), Materialize ($60M Series C, 2024), Temporal ($103M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Lenny Pruss
• Sector Focus: process automation, data infrastructure, developer tools, industrial tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: San Francisco (Jackson Square)
• Website: amplifypartners.com

11. Prelude Ventures

Climate-focused fund investing in breakthrough technologies for decarbonization and adaptation.

• Recent Deals: Aigen ($12M seed, 2024), Terraform Industries ($10M seed, 2024), Antora Energy ($50M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Gabriel Kra
• Sector Focus: agricultural robotics, carbon removal, energy storage, climate adaptation
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: San Francisco (Mission Bay)
• Website: preludeventures.com

12. At One Ventures

Deep climate tech fund focused on industrial decarbonization and circular economy.

• Recent Deals: LanzaTech ($272M pre-IPO, 2024), Redwood Materials ($1B Series D, 2024), Twelve (co-investor)
• LinkedIn: Tom Chi
• Sector Focus: carbon capture, materials recycling, industrial biotech, renewable energy
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Office Location: San Francisco (Presidio)
• Website: atoneventures.com

13. True Ventures

Early-stage generalists who've backed multiple successful robotics and hardware companies.

• Recent Deals: Zipline ($330M Series F, 2024), Peloton (early investor, IPO 2019), Blue River Technology (acquired by Deere)
• LinkedIn: Puneet Agarwal
• Sector Focus: autonomous systems, robotics, logistics tech, IoT hardware
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: San Francisco (Jackson Square)
• Website: trueventures.com

14. SciFi VC

Berkeley-focused fund investing in university spinouts and breakthrough materials science.

• Recent Deals: Ebb Carbon ($20M Series A, 2024), Twelve (co-investor), multiple Berkeley Lab spinouts
• LinkedIn: Josh Posamentier
• Sector Focus: advanced materials, ocean carbon removal, green chemistry, nanotechnology
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: Berkeley
• Website: scifivc.com

15. Pillar VC

Technical investors focused on applied AI and computer vision infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Standard Cognition ($150M Series D, 2024), Osaro ($16M Series B, 2024), Robust.AI ($15M Series A, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Jamie Hale
• Sector Focus: computer vision, robotics perception, industrial automation, retail tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: San Francisco (SoMa)
• Website: pillar.vc

16. Root Ventures

Seed specialists backing technical founders building physical products and deep science.

• Recent Deals: Rebellyous Foods ($6M Series A, 2024), Atomic Semi ($15M seed, 2024), Hadrian (early investor)
• LinkedIn: Chrissy Meyer
• Sector Focus: food production tech, semiconductor tools, manufacturing automation
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
• Office Location: San Francisco (Telegraph Hill)
• Website: root.vc

17. Refactor Capital

Small but technical fund focused on space, defense, and frontier computing systems.

• Recent Deals: Varda Space (co-investor), Epsilon3 ($15M Series A, 2024), Hadrian (co-investor)
• LinkedIn: Lauren Kolodny
• Sector Focus: space manufacturing, aerospace infrastructure, defense systems, dev tools
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: San Francisco (Russian Hill)
• Website: refactor.com

18. Radical Ventures

AI-first fund investing in breakthrough applications of machine learning to physical systems.

• Recent Deals: Covariant ($147M Series C, 2024), Waabi ($83M Series B, 2024), Sanctuary AI ($30M Series A, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Tomi Poutanen
• Sector Focus: robotics AI, autonomous vehicles, industrial ML, computational biology
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: San Francisco (with Toronto headquarters)
• Website: radical.vc

Start tracking your San Francisco deep tech investor outreach

These 18 investors closed 200+ deep tech deals in San Francisco in 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out to SF funds, set up proper tracking for your technical materials.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they review and how long they spend on your technology validation or manufacturing roadmap. San Francisco deep tech investors typically spend 15-25 minutes on first deck review compared to 3-5 minutes for software deals.

When SF investors ask for technical documentation, share an Ellty data room instead of email attachments. Your peer-reviewed papers, patent applications, lab notebooks, and regulatory filings in one place with view analytics. You'll know if their technical advisor actually reviewed your supporting data.

Common questions

Do I need to be in San Francisco to raise from SF deep tech investors?

No, but physical presence helps for lab access and technical diligence. Most SF deep tech investors fund companies nationwide if the technology is strong. They'll fly to your facility for diligence. Being remote works fine until Series B when you'll need Bay Area manufacturing or research partnerships.

How does SF deep tech compare to Boston for fundraising?

SF has more capital and larger check sizes. Boston has deeper biotech expertise and FDA regulatory experience. For quantum, space, and materials, stay in SF. For therapeutics and medical devices, Boston often makes more sense. Many companies raise from both.

What's the average seed round size for deep tech in SF?

$4-8M for hardware and robotics, $8-15M for biotech, $10-20M for fusion and quantum. That's 2-4x higher than software seeds. SF deep tech investors understand you need this capital for prototypes and technical validation before revenue.

Should I raise locally in SF or from East Coast deep tech funds?

Raise from whoever understands your technology best. Many SF companies have Boston investors (Flagship, The Engine) and vice versa. Geographic diversification helps for follow-on rounds. Don't optimize for location over domain expertise.

Do SF deep tech investors expect in-person meetings?

Yes for deep technical diligence. First meetings can be virtual but expect 2-3 in-person sessions before term sheets. They'll want to see your lab, meet your technical team, and review physical prototypes. Budget for investor visits during fundraising.

What industries get funded most in San Francisco deep tech?

AI infrastructure, quantum computing, synthetic biology, space systems, and defense tech lead in 2025-2026. Agricultural robotics and ocean tech see less capital. Energy storage and carbon removal are rebounding after tough 2023-2024. Check recent deals in your specific sector.

How long does deep tech due diligence take in SF?

4-7 months from first meeting to wire. Technical diligence alone takes 6-10 weeks. Investors bring in academic advisors, former NASA engineers, or domain experts. They'll verify your scientific claims thoroughly. Start fundraising when you have 12+ months runway.