How to Find VCs Investing in AI and Machine Learning Startups
How to find venture capital firms actively investing in AI and ML startups. Covers databases, deal tracking, and AI-powered prospecting for fundraising or sales.
Founding AI Engineer @ Origami
AI/ML investment hit $75 billion in 2025. Every major VC firm has an AI thesis. But "invests in AI" covers everything from foundation model companies to vertical SaaS with an AI feature. Finding the right VCs for your specific AI company requires precision.
Quick Answer: To find VCs investing in AI and ML, use Crunchbase (filter by "Artificial Intelligence" industry + investor type), PitchBook for deep deal data, Signal by NFX for warm intros, and Origami to build enriched lists of AI-focused VCs with partner contacts and recent portfolio companies. Cross-reference with recent deal announcements and portfolio pages.
Best Sources for Finding AI-Focused VCs
1. Crunchbase
Filter by investor type (Venture Capital) → industry focus (AI, ML) → location → check stage (seed, Series A, etc.). View recent investments to confirm they're actively deploying.
2. PitchBook
The deepest deal data. Filter by AI/ML sector, deal date, check size, and geography. Enterprise pricing but comprehensive for serious fundraising.
3. Origami
Tell Origami: "Find VCs that invested in AI or ML startups in the US in the last 12 months. Include fund name, managing partner, email, recent AI portfolio companies, and check size range."
4. VC Portfolio Pages
Check the websites of known AI-focused funds: a16z, Sequoia, Lightspeed, Accel, Greylock, Coatue, Index. Their portfolio pages show which AI sub-sectors they favor.
5. AngelList / Signal by NFX
AngelList for angel and seed investors. Signal helps founders find warm intros to investors through their network.
AI/ML VC Landscape
| Fund Type | Examples | Typical Check | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-specialist funds | Air Street Capital, Radical Ventures | $1-25M | Seed-B |
| Major multi-stage | a16z, Sequoia, Lightspeed | $5-100M+ | Seed-Growth |
| Corporate VC | Google Ventures, Microsoft M12, Nvidia | $2-50M | Seed-B |
| Seed specialists | Y Combinator, Techstars, Neo | $125K-2M | Pre-seed/Seed |
How to Evaluate if a VC Is Right for You
- Recent AI deals in the last 12 months (not 3 years ago)
- Stage match — don't pitch a growth fund at seed stage
- Sub-sector fit — AI infrastructure vs. AI applications vs. vertical AI
- Partner expertise — find the partner who covers AI specifically
- Portfolio conflicts — make sure they don't already back a competitor
FAQ
How do I find VCs that invest in AI startups? Crunchbase and PitchBook filtered by AI/ML investments, VC portfolio pages, AngelList, and Origami for enriched investor lists with partner contacts.
How many VCs invest in AI? Most major VC firms now have AI thesis coverage. But only 100-200 funds have AI as a primary focus. The rest invest opportunistically.
Should I target AI-specialist VCs or generalist firms? Both, but for different reasons. AI-specialist VCs understand the space deeply and can add technical value. Generalist VCs with AI experience bring broader networks and larger follow-on capacity.