15 Notable Industrial Tech Venture Capital Firms To Watch

If you're building a startup in industrial tech, finding the right investors is about more than just capital. You need partners who understand the unique challenges of sectors like hardware, deep tech, or supply chain innovation.

To help you find the right fit, our team at Rho created this overview of top venture capital firms that focus on Industrial Tech. It’s designed to help you quickly identify relevant investors, whether you're preparing for a fundraise or are already in the process.

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

Which VC Firms in Industrial Tech Are Right for Your Stage?

Whether you’re an early-stage company or preparing for an exit, knowing who to approach is key. This is a quick overview of which Industrial Tech VC firms invest at each stage to help you focus your efforts.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Pre-seed and seed funding is the initial capital you'll raise to validate your idea, build a minimum viable product, and find your first customers. For industrial startups at this stage, firms like Ironspring, which specializes in construction and manufacturing tech, along with Third Prime and Contrarian Thinking, are active seed stage venture capital firms.

Early Stage VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Early-stage funding, typically Series A and B, is for companies with proven product-market fit that need capital to scale their team and accelerate growth. Some notable early stage venture capital firms in the industrial space include Piva, which backs disruptive energy and industrial startups, as well as deep tech investors like Valhalla Ventures and Hyperplane.

Late Stage VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Late-stage venture capital is for established companies preparing for a major expansion, acquisition, or an initial public offering (IPO). In this category, you’ll find investors such as Activate, Access Industries, and SE Ventures, which often have the resources and experience to support companies through significant growth milestones.

Keep in mind that some industrial VC firms, like many of those listed here, invest across multiple funding stages from seed to exit.

To help you find the right partner, we've compiled details on the top VC firms in industrial technology. You'll find information on their investment stages, geographic focus, and specific strengths that could benefit your company.

1. SE Ventures

SE Ventures is a global venture capital fund backed by industrial giant Schneider Electric, managing over $1 billion in capital. This corporate backing provides deep domain expertise and resources in the industrial and energy sectors.

The firm invests across the full company lifecycle, from seed to late-stage rounds, with a focus on sustainability and industrial automation. Their portfolio includes several unicorns like Scandit and Claroty, and they have a track record of successful exits.

This firm is a strong match if your company operates in climate tech, energy management, or industrial automation and could benefit from a strategic corporate partner. Their multi-stage approach makes them relevant whether you're raising a seed round or preparing for growth.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial automation, sustainability, cleantech, and energy
• Geographical presence: Based in Menlo Park, California, with a global investment scope.
• Founded year: 2017
• Fund size: Over $1 billion
• Notable portfolio companies: Scandit, Claroty, Proterra

You can refer to their website here.

2. Blue Bear Capital

Blue Bear Capital is a venture firm that supports companies applying AI and data-driven technologies to energy and industrial infrastructure. Based in Los Angeles, they invest in businesses that are modernizing these foundational sectors.

The firm invests across the full company lifecycle, from seed to later rounds, with a clear focus on data-intensive software and hardware. Their portfolio includes companies like FreeWire Technologies, a maker of EV chargers, and TruckLabs, which develops fuel-saving aerodynamics for fleets.

Blue Bear Capital is a good match if your startup uses data or AI to solve problems in the energy, industrial, or infrastructure markets. Their multi-stage investment strategy makes them a relevant partner whether you're raising initial capital or scaling for growth.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Convertible Note
• Industries of focus: CleanTech, Energy, Industrial, Infrastructure, SaaS
• Geographical presence: Based in Los Angeles, California
• Founded year: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: FreeWire Technologies, TruckLabs, Ocient
• Portfolio size: 67 investments

You can refer to their website here.

3. Activate Capital Partners

Activate Capital Partners invests in high-growth companies with technologies that are fundamentally reshaping the industrial economy. They focus on businesses poised for significant expansion within this sector.

The firm's portfolio is notable for including major names like Tesla and SpaceX, signaling a focus on ambitious, category-defining companies. They back businesses from early to late stages, concentrating on the industrial, IT, and transportation industries.

Activate is a strong potential partner if you are leading a high-growth company with a proven technology that can transform an industrial market. Their track record suggests they are a good fit for founders with large-scale ambitions.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, Information Technology, Transportation
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity, Stem, Ping Identity
• Portfolio size: 36 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Ironspring Ventures

Ironspring Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas. They focus on industrial sectors, specifically backing companies in construction, manufacturing, logistics, and alternative energy.

The firm often leads or co-leads seed and early-stage rounds, showing a hands-on approach from the beginning. Their portfolio includes companies like ICON, which develops 3D-printed homes, and Solvento, a fintech for the trucking industry.

Ironspring could be a great partner if you are an early-stage founder building technology for legacy industries like construction or supply chain. Their focus on leading rounds suggests they are prepared to be a foundational investor for your company.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Construction, manufacturing, logistics, and alternative energy
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 companies in industrial and life science technology. Operating as both a venture capital and private equity firm, they support businesses across a wide spectrum of growth phases.

A key part of Anzu's strategy is their ability to invest across the entire company lifecycle, from seed rounds to post-IPO equity. Their portfolio shows a focus on breakthrough science and engineering, with investments in companies like open-source hardware platform Arduino and Banyan Biomarkers, which developed an FDA-approved blood test for brain injuries.

Anzu Partners could be a good fit if your company is built on a core technological or scientific innovation in the industrial or life science sectors. Their flexible capital structure makes them a potential partner for founders looking for support through multiple stages of growth, including the path to a public offering.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Private Equity, Post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Industrial, life sciences, biotechnology
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 companies developing foundational technologies for the energy and industrial sectors. Based in San Francisco, they concentrate on early-stage businesses with the potential to reshape major global industries.

The firm has a clear preference for businesses built on deep technical or scientific innovation, with a portfolio that includes zero-carbon steel production and advanced micro-electromechanical systems. Their track record includes notable exits, such as Velo3D's public offering and the acquisition of Sense Photonics.

Piva could be a strong partner if you are an early-stage founder with a capital-intensive or science-heavy business aimed at transforming industrial or energy markets. Their portfolio suggests they are comfortable with complex technologies and long development cycles.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Energy, industrial, software
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 a Los Angeles-based firm that backs early-stage companies building what they call "enduring moats." They focus on deep tech and hard tech sectors, seeking businesses with strong, defensible advantages.

Their portfolio is notably diverse, spanning from space tech like K2 Space to biotech with Terran Biosciences and climate solutions like Rain's autonomous firefighting helicopters. This signals a clear interest in companies solving complex, real-world problems with foundational technology.

Valhalla could be a strong match if you're a founder in a capital-intensive or highly technical field like advanced manufacturing, biotech, or energy. They appear to value founders who can articulate a clear path to building a long-term competitive barrier.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Deep tech, industrial, biotech, energy, space, gaming
• Geographical presence: Based in Los Angeles, California
• Founded year: 2020
• Notable portfolio companies: K2 Space, Biofire, Rain, Jaza
• Portfolio size: 23 investments

You can refer to their website here.

8. Third Prime

Third Prime is a New York-based venture capital firm that partners with founders from the earliest stages of their company's journey. They focus on a few key sectors, including industrial technology and financial services.

The firm backs companies in both industrial and financial technology, with a portfolio that includes high-profile names like smart-lock company Latch and the crypto platform BlockFi. Their investment history shows a willingness to support ambitious companies through significant market shifts and complex outcomes.

Third Prime could be a good partner if you are an early-stage founder in fintech or industrial tech, especially if you are building a business with high-growth potential. Their experience with companies that have navigated both public markets and major turnarounds suggests they are equipped for a hands-on, long-term partnership.

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

You can refer to their website here.

9. Contrarian Thinking Capital

Contrarian Thinking Capital is a venture firm that invests in founders building businesses in often-overlooked sectors. They primarily focus on industrial, manufacturing, and small-to-medium business (SMB) markets.

The firm's name signals its core strategy: backing founders with non-obvious ideas that challenge conventional wisdom. Their portfolio includes companies like Pave Robotics, which runs road maintenance pilots with state DOTs, and the fast-growing newsletter platform Beehiiv.

This firm could be a great fit if you're an early-stage founder in the industrial or SMB space, especially if your idea is considered unconventional. They appear to value businesses that solve practical, real-world problems that other investors might ignore.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, Manufacturing, Small and Medium Businesses
• Geographical presence: Based in Austin, Texas
• Founded year: 2022
• Notable portfolio companies: Pave Robotics, Beehiiv, Percent
• 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 support businesses that apply complex technology to solve practical problems.

The firm invests from seed to later stages, with a clear focus on companies where machine intelligence is core to the product. Their portfolio, which includes logistics robotics company Pickle Robot Co. and supply chain visibility platform Tive, shows an emphasis on deep tech for industrial and enterprise applications.

Hyperplane could be a strong partner if you are a founder building a company with a significant data science or machine learning component. Their portfolio suggests they value businesses that use deep technology to create a lasting competitive advantage.

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

You can refer to their website here.

11. Primitive Ventures

Primitive Ventures is an international firm that invests in blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies. Based in San Francisco, they primarily support companies at the seed stage.

The firm has a clear focus on foundational blockchain infrastructure, with portfolio companies like Multichain and Kadena. They also have exposure to the wider crypto market through investments in DeFi and NFT platforms like Credora and LooksRare.

This firm is a good match for early-stage founders building in the crypto and blockchain space. Their portfolio indicates a strong interest in companies focused on core infrastructure, decentralized finance, or NFTs.

• Investment stages: Seed
• Industries of focus: Blockchain, cryptocurrency, Industrial
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded year: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: SharpLink, Multichain, Credora, LooksRare, Kadena
• 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 holdings. They operate as a corporate venture capital firm, backing companies across a wide range of industries.

The firm is distinguished by its ability to invest across the entire company lifecycle, from seed funding to post-IPO equity. Their portfolio features major technology companies like Spotify and Square, highlighting a track record of supporting businesses through to successful public offerings.

Access Industries is a good fit for founders with high-growth companies that have the potential to become market leaders. Their experience with large-scale exits makes them a valuable partner for businesses aiming for an IPO or significant acquisition.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage, Private Equity, Post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Technology, industrial, chemical, natural resources
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, with global holdings
• Founded year: 1986
• Notable portfolio companies: DigitalOcean, Opendoor, Snap, Square, Spotify
• Portfolio size: 81 investments

You can refer to their website here.

13. Angel Collective Opportunity Fund

Angel Collective Opportunity Fund is a San Francisco-based firm that invests from seed to late-stage rounds. They operate as a platform for emerging venture capital managers, with a focus on AI, fintech, and industrial technology.

The firm's portfolio includes several high-profile unicorns, such as the generative AI platform Jasper and crypto tax software TaxBit. This track record signals a clear strategy of backing ambitious companies with the potential for rapid growth and market leadership.

This firm is a strong potential partner if you are a founder in a high-growth tech sector seeking capital and a network of specialized managers. Their focus on building unicorns suggests they are prepared to support companies aiming for significant scale.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Artificial Intelligence (AI), B2B, FinTech, Generative AI, Industrial
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 San Francisco-based firm with a clear mission: investing in climate technology. They back companies that are working to reduce carbon emissions and build a more sustainable economy.

The firm's portfolio highlights their climate-first strategy, featuring unicorns like Lime and successful IPOs like satellite-imaging company Planet. Their multi-stage investment approach, from seed to late-stage, signals they are prepared to be a long-term partner.

Prelude is an excellent match if you are a founder building a business with a direct impact on climate change. Their track record of taking companies public makes them a strong partner for founders with large-scale ambitions.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Climate tech, including clean energy, agtech, manufacturing, and carbon capture
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 functions as both a startup lab and an early-stage private investor. They provide hands-on support to help build companies from the ground up.

A key aspect of their model is this "startup lab" approach, suggesting they offer deep operational involvement beyond just capital. Their portfolio includes major successes like Payoneer and Fetch Rewards, showing a history of backing companies that achieve significant scale.

Loeb.nyc could be a great choice if you are an early-stage founder who values a close, operational partnership. Their broad expertise in marketing and brand-building is a strong asset for industrial companies looking to build a powerful market presence.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, marketing, B2B, B2C, social entrepreneurship
• Geographical presence: Based in 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 Tech Companies

This list of investors shows a healthy and active funding environment for companies in industrial technology. You'll find a good balance between firms that focus on pre-seed and early stages and larger, multi-stage funds that can support you through later growth rounds. This mix indicates that capital is available for both validating new ideas and scaling proven ones.

Geographically, many of these firms are concentrated in major US tech centers like California and New York, though there are strong investors in other hubs like Austin and Boston. The variety of investor types, from corporate VCs to deep tech specialists, means you can seek partners who offer specific industry knowledge in addition to capital.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Having a focused list of investors is critical when your time and energy are limited during a fundraise. We hope this guide helps you connect with the right partners for your industrial technology company.

Once your round is closed, the work of managing that capital begins. If you’ve just raised, Rho can help you set up your financial stack in minutes.

Our platform provides integrated business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay solutions. This helps you manage your new funding efficiently and stay focused on growth.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Industrial Tech

Are there many industrial venture capital firms in Europe?

Yes, Europe has a growing number of industrial VC firms, especially in Germany and the UK. These funds often focus on advanced manufacturing, climate tech, and deep tech, reflecting the region's industrial strengths and policy priorities.

Which VCs focus on supply chain or logistics startups?

Firms like Ironspring Ventures specifically target logistics and supply chain innovation. Many generalist industrial tech VCs are also active in this space, seeking companies that improve efficiency, visibility, and resilience in global supply chains.

What do deep tech venture capital firms look for?

Deep tech investors, such as Valhalla Ventures and Hyperplane, prioritize companies with foundational scientific or engineering breakthroughs. They look for strong intellectual property and a clear plan to solve a complex, high-value problem.

How should I approach a corporate venture capital firm?

When approaching a corporate VC like SE Ventures, emphasize how your technology aligns with their parent company's strategic goals. Highlight potential for partnership, not just financial return, as this is often a key part of their investment thesis.

What's the best way to find the right industrial VC for my startup?

Start by researching firms that match your stage and industry focus. Look at their current portfolio to see if they've backed similar companies and seek warm introductions through your network whenever possible to increase your chances of success.

How can Rho help after I raise from a venture capital firm?

Once you've secured funding, our platform helps you manage it effectively. We provide integrated banking, corporate cards, and AP automation to keep your finances organized, so you can focus on building your business. Get started with Rho.