15 Notable Industrial Venture Capital Firms To Watch

For founders building Industrial businesses, preparing to raise capital requires finding investors who understand your specific challenges. Whether your company is in advanced manufacturing, cleantech, or supply chain technology, the right partner can make all the difference.

To help you identify those investors, our team at Rho curated this guide to the top venture capital firms in the space. It’s a straightforward overview to help you quickly find firms that are a good fit for your company, before or during your fundraise.

Just raised, or about to? Set up your financial stack with Rho in minutes. Rho provides business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay — built for startup teams moving fast.

Which VC Firms in Industrial Are Right for Your Stage?

From your first funding round to a future exit, it’s important to know which investors to approach. Here is a quick look at the VC firms in the industrial space and the stages at which they invest.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Industrial

This is the earliest stage of funding, where you're typically developing an initial product and finding your first customers. For industrial startups in areas like construction tech or manufacturing, firms like Ironspring and Contrarian Thinking specialize in providing that first institutional check.

Early Stage VC Firms in Industrial

Early-stage funding, which includes Series A and B rounds, helps you scale your operations and achieve product-market fit. Among the early stage venture capital firms focused on industrial technology are Piva and Valhalla Ventures, which back companies in sectors from energy to advanced materials.

Late Stage VC Firms in Industrial

Late-stage capital is for established companies looking to expand into new markets, make acquisitions, or prepare for an exit. You might consider approaching investors such as Activate or Access Industries, which have experience with growth-stage and pre-IPO companies in the industrial and technology sectors.

It's also worth noting that some VC firms invest across the full spectrum of startup funding stages.

Here is our overview of the top VC firms investing in industrial technology, with key details on their investment stages, geographic focus, and what makes each a unique partner for founders.

1. SE Ventures

SE Ventures is a global venture capital fund with over $1 billion in capital, backed by industrial technology leader Schneider Electric. The firm invests in companies working on electrification, sustainability, and industrial automation.

Their connection to Schneider Electric provides portfolio companies with deep industry expertise and potential go-to-market support. With a portfolio that includes unicorns like Scandit and Claroty, they have a track record of backing high-growth businesses.

This firm is a strong fit if you are a founder in the climate or industrial tech space looking for a strategic partner. Their corporate backing can be particularly valuable for companies needing to navigate complex industrial markets.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Cleantech, industrial automation, energy, sustainability, AI
• Geographical presence: Menlo Park, California (global fund)
• Founded year: 2017
• Fund size: Over $1B
• Notable portfolio companies: Scandit, Claroty, Proterra, Volta Charging

You can refer to their website here.

2. Blue Bear Capital

Blue Bear Capital is a venture capital firm that backs companies using AI and data-driven technology to improve energy infrastructure. Based in Los Angeles, they focus on software and technology solutions for the energy and industrial sectors.

The firm invests across a company's full lifecycle, from seed rounds to late-stage venture, showing a commitment to long-term partnership. Their portfolio includes companies like FreeWire Technologies and TruckLabs, with notable exits such as MineralSoft and Mission Secure.

This firm is a good match if your startup applies data and AI to the energy, industrial, or infrastructure markets. Their history of successful exits also makes them a compelling partner for founders building toward an acquisition.

• Investment stages: Seed, Convertible Note, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Energy, industrial, infrastructure, cleantech, SaaS
• Geographical presence: Los Angeles, California
• Founded year: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: FreeWire Technologies, TruckLabs, Ocient
• Portfolio size: Over 65 investments

You can refer to their website here.

3. Activate Capital Partners

Activate Capital Partners invests in high-growth companies using technology to reshape the industrial economy. They focus on businesses that are driving significant change in sectors like transportation and information technology.

The team's investment record includes high-profile companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and Stem, signaling a history of backing category-defining businesses. They support companies from early to late venture stages, providing capital for sustained growth.

This firm is a good match if you are leading a high-growth company with technology that has the potential for wide-scale industrial application. Their experience with major exits makes them a compelling partner for founders with significant ambitions.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, information technology, transportation
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: The team's investment history includes Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity, and Stem
• Portfolio size: 36 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Ironspring Ventures

Ironspring Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that leads and co-leads investments in companies building for the industrial world. They specialize in sectors like construction, manufacturing, transport and logistics, and alternative energy.

The firm shows a strong commitment to foundational investing, having led seed rounds for companies like Solvento and Wilya. Their portfolio also includes high-growth businesses such as ICON, the 3D-printed housing pioneer valued at nearly $2 billion.

This firm is a strong choice if you are an early-stage founder in one of their core industrial sectors. They are a particularly good fit if you are seeking a lead investor to help set the terms for your seed or Series A round.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Construction, manufacturing, transport & logistics, alternative energy
• Geographical presence: Austin, Texas
• Founded year: 2019
• Notable portfolio companies: ICON, Solvento, Wilya
• Portfolio size: 32 investments

You can refer to their website here.

5. Anzu Partners

Anzu Partners is an investment firm that backs technology companies in the industrial and life science sectors. They operate as both a venture capital and private equity firm, supporting businesses with breakthrough innovations.

The firm invests across the full company lifecycle, from seed funding to private equity and post-IPO stages. Their portfolio includes well-known hardware company Arduino and shows a history of guiding deep-tech companies to public listings.

This firm is a good fit if you are a founder in industrial or life science technology seeking a long-term partner. Their experience with the full funding spectrum is valuable for companies with ambitions for a public offering or major acquisition.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Private Equity, Post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Industrial, life science, biotechnology
• Geographical presence: Washington, D.C.
• Founded year: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Arduino, Banyan Biomarkers, Pivotal Systems
• Portfolio size: 73 investments

You can refer to their website here.

6. Piva Capital

Piva Capital is a venture firm that invests in early-stage companies creating new technologies for the energy and industrial sectors. Based in San Francisco, they back businesses that are fundamentally changing how these industries operate.

The firm has a clear focus on deep-tech solutions, with portfolio companies developing everything from zero-carbon steel to next-generation electronics. Their record includes notable exits, such as the public listing of Velo3D, showing experience in guiding companies to major milestones.

Piva is a strong potential partner if your company is building foundational technology with applications in decarbonization or advanced manufacturing. Their focus on early-stage rounds makes them a good fit for founders seeking initial institutional capital.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Energy, industrial, software
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2019
• Notable portfolio companies: Velo3D, Boston Metal, Lunar Energy, Menlo Micro
• Portfolio size: 25 investments

You can refer to their website here.

7. Valhalla Ventures

Valhalla Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies building what they call "enduring moats." Based in Los Angeles, they back businesses with strong, defensible advantages in their respective markets.

The firm invests across a wide range of deep-tech sectors, from industrial and manufacturing to space travel and biotechnology. Their portfolio includes companies like K2 Space, which builds large satellite platforms, and Rain, which develops autonomous firefighting helicopters.

This firm is a good match for founders at the seed or early venture stage whose companies have a clear, long-term competitive edge. Their broad focus makes them a potential partner for ambitious projects across many hard-tech industries.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Advanced Materials, Biotechnology, Energy, Gaming, Industrial, Manufacturing, Space Travel, Sustainability
• Geographical presence: Los Angeles, California
• Founded year: 2020
• Notable portfolio companies: K2 Space, Rain, Biofire, Jaza
• Portfolio size: 23 investments

You can refer to their website here.

8. Third Prime

Third Prime is a venture capital firm that partners with founders from the earliest stages of their company's journey. Based in New York, they invest in businesses across the financial services and industrial sectors.

The firm focuses on seed and early-stage venture rounds, positioning itself as a key partner for getting new ideas off the ground. Their investment history includes high-profile companies like the smart-lock maker Latch and the crypto platform BlockFi, indicating a willingness to back ambitious, category-defining plays.

This firm is a good fit if you are an early-stage founder in fintech or industrial tech seeking a partner for your initial funding rounds. Their experience with companies that have seen both major exits and significant challenges, like the bookkeeping service Bench, suggests they are comfortable with the high-risk nature of building a startup from the ground up.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Finance, Financial Services, Industrial
• Geographical presence: New York, New York
• Founded year: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: BlockFi, Latch, Bench
• Portfolio size: 131 investments

You can refer to their website here.

9. Contrarian Thinking Capital

Contrarian Thinking Capital is an early-stage venture firm that invests in founders building businesses in often-overlooked sectors. They provide seed and early-stage funding to companies in industrial, manufacturing, and small-to-medium business (SMB) technology.

True to its name, the firm backs companies in markets that may seem unglamorous but are essential, such as road maintenance robotics with Pave Robotics and private credit with Percent. Their approach is to provide foundational capital, often as one of the first institutional investors in a company's life.

This firm is a strong choice if you are a founder building for foundational industries that many other investors might overlook. They are a good fit for founders seeking a partner who appreciates businesses with real-world applications and strong fundamentals.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, Manufacturing, Small and Medium Businesses
• Geographical presence: Austin, Texas
• Founded year: 2022
• Notable portfolio companies: Beehiiv, Percent, Pave Robotics, Affiniti
• Portfolio size: 29 investments

You can refer to their website here.

10. Hyperplane

Hyperplane is a Boston-based investment firm that backs founders building companies centered on machine intelligence and data. They invest from seed to late-stage rounds, looking for businesses with deep technical foundations.

The firm has a clear focus on companies where AI is the core product, not just an added feature. Their portfolio companies, such as Pickle Robot Co. and Tive, apply complex technology to solve problems in industrial automation and supply chain logistics.

Hyperplane is a good match if you are a founder building a business with machine intelligence at its core. Their wide investment range makes them a potential long-term partner for companies in sectors like industrial tech, software, and fintech.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Machine intelligence, data, industrial, software, fintech
• Geographical presence: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded year: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Pickle Robot Co., Tive, LinkSquares, Biobot Analytics
• Portfolio size: 94 investments

You can refer to their website here.

11. Primitive Ventures

Primitive Ventures is an international venture capital firm that invests in companies building on blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies. From their base in San Francisco, they support founders working on the foundational layers of the web3 economy.

The firm concentrates on seed-stage investments, providing early capital to projects in blockchain infrastructure and decentralized finance. Their portfolio includes key players like the cross-chain protocol Multichain and the NFT marketplace LooksRare, showing a focus on core web3 components.

This firm is a good choice if you are a founder at the seed stage with a company in the crypto or blockchain space. They are a particularly strong fit for businesses focused on infrastructure or DeFi analytics.

• Investment stages: Seed
• Industries of focus: Blockchain, cryptocurrency
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: Multichain, LooksRare, Kadena, Credora
• Portfolio size: 33 investments

You can refer to their website here.

12. Access Industries

Access Industries is a privately held industrial group with a global presence and a focus on long-term investments. They operate across a wide range of sectors, including natural resources and chemicals, with a significant venture capital arm.

The firm's most distinct feature is its ability to invest across the entire company lifecycle, from seed funding to post-IPO and private equity. Their technology ventures portfolio includes major public companies like Spotify, Snap, and Square, showing a track record of backing businesses that achieve massive scale.

This firm is a good match for founders with ambitious, high-growth companies that have the potential to become public market leaders. Their capacity to provide capital at every stage makes them a valuable long-term partner for businesses in both the industrial and technology sectors.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Private Equity, Post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Industrial, Natural Resources, Chemical, Technology
• Geographical presence: New York, New York
• Founded year: 1986
• Notable portfolio companies: Spotify, Snap, Square, DigitalOcean, Opendoor
• Portfolio size: 81 investments

You can refer to their website here.

13. Angel Collective Opportunity Fund

Angel Collective Opportunity Fund is a venture firm that invests across seed, early, and late stages. Based in San Francisco, they focus on high-growth technology sectors including AI, B2B, fintech, and businesses in the industrial space.

The firm has a record of backing companies to unicorn valuations, such as the fintech platform Mercury and the generative AI tool Jasper. Their portfolio also includes ambitious projects like Boom Supersonic, showing an appetite for frontier technology.

This firm is a strong choice if you are a founder building a technology company with high-growth potential in AI, fintech, or B2B markets. Their wide investment range suggests they can be a long-term financial partner through multiple funding rounds.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Artificial Intelligence (AI), B2B, FinTech, Generative AI, Industrial
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2020
• Notable portfolio companies: Mercury, Jasper, TaxBit, Boom Supersonic
• Portfolio size: 77 investments

You can refer to their website here.

14. Prelude Ventures

Prelude Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in companies focused on addressing climate change. From their San Francisco base, they provide capital across seed, early, and late venture stages to support businesses from inception to scale.

The firm's portfolio is dedicated to climate solutions, spanning sectors from clean energy and carbon capture to sustainable food and manufacturing. Their record includes backing high-profile companies like the satellite-imaging firm Planet and the e-scooter operator Lime, demonstrating experience with businesses that achieve significant scale.

Prelude is a strong partner if your company is building technology with a direct climate impact. Founders in areas like advanced materials or AgTech will find a team with deep sector knowledge and experience guiding companies toward major exits.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Climate tech, clean energy, industrial, manufacturing, AgTech
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2013
• Notable portfolio companies: Lime, Planet, Fervo Energy, Benson Hill
• Portfolio size: 150 investments

You can refer to their website here.

15. Loeb.nyc

Loeb.nyc is a New York-based firm that operates as both a startup lab and an early-stage investor. This hybrid model means they are deeply involved in building companies, not just funding them.

A key feature is their hands-on approach, acting as an incubator for businesses in sectors from B2B and marketing to industrial technology. Their investment history includes major successes like Fetch Rewards and Payoneer, showing experience in scaling companies to high valuations and public offerings.

This firm is a great choice if you are an early-stage founder looking for more than just capital. Their structure is well-suited for entrepreneurs who want operational support and a close partnership to help build their business from the ground up.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: B2B, B2C, Marketing, Industrial, Social Entrepreneurship
• Geographical presence: New York, New York
• Founded year: 2015
• Notable portfolio companies: Fetch Rewards, Payoneer, Priceline, Mercato
• Portfolio size: 32 investments

You can refer to their website here.

What This Tells Us About The VC Scene for Industrial Companies

Our review of these firms shows a robust and varied funding environment for companies in the industrial sector. There is a notable concentration of capital available at the seed and early stages, which is encouraging if you are just beginning your company's journey. Many investors are prepared to write the first check and support you through initial growth.

Geographically, investors are clustered in established US tech hubs, but the types of firms are quite diverse. You'll find traditional venture funds, strategic corporate partners, and hands-on incubators. This variety means you can seek out a partner whose model aligns with your specific needs, whether you require deep industry connections or operational support.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Fundraising requires your full attention, and knowing which investors to approach is critical. We hope this guide helps you focus your energy on the firms that are the best fit for your company.

When you're ready to put your new capital to work, our team is here to support you. Rho can help you set up your financial stack in minutes.

We provide the tools you need to manage your funds effectively from day one, including integrated business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Industrial

Which European countries have industrial VC firms?

Europe has a growing number of VCs focused on industrial technology, particularly in Germany, the UK, and the Nordics. These firms often specialize in advanced manufacturing and sustainability, reflecting the region's industrial strengths.

How to find deep tech venture capital firms?

Look for firms with partners who have technical backgrounds or PhDs. Their portfolios often feature companies in robotics or advanced materials. Many on our list, like Valhalla Ventures and Piva Capital, focus on deep tech investments.

What is a corporate venture capital firm?

A corporate venture capital (CVC) firm is the investment arm of a large corporation, like SE Ventures. They offer capital plus strategic value, such as industry expertise and potential go-to-market support for their portfolio companies.

What do industrial VCs look for in a startup?

Beyond a strong team and market, they want to see a clear path to commercialization. You should emphasize your technology's defensibility, capital efficiency, and how you plan to navigate potentially long industrial sales cycles.

Are most industrial VCs in the Bay Area?

While the Bay Area is a major hub, many industrial VCs are located elsewhere. Our list includes firms in Austin, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston, showing a broad geographic distribution of capital across the US.

How can I manage my funds after raising capital?

Once your funding is secured, our platform helps you manage it effectively. We provide integrated banking, corporate cards, and automated payments to help you put your new capital to work. Get started with Rho.