15 Notable Industrial Venture Capital Firms To Watch

For founders in Industrial Tech, finding the right investor is about more than just capital—it’s about a partner who understands your market. Knowing which venture capital firms are active in sectors like advanced manufacturing, robotics, or climate tech is a critical first step when preparing to raise funds.

To help, our team curated this overview of top VC firms investing in industrial technology. Use this guide to quickly identify potential partners, from seed stage to later growth rounds, who are a good fit for your company.

Actively raising? You can now access non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines through Rho Capital. Rho also provides access to business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay—all built for startup teams moving fast.

Key Takeaways

• Securing venture funding provides Industrial Tech startups with not just capital for growth, but also a strategic partner who understands the sector's unique challenges and opportunities.
• Firms like SE Ventures, Blue Bear Capital, Activate Capital Partners, and Ironspring Ventures are notable backers in the Industrial Tech sector, actively investing in startups.
• Once you've raised a round, Rho helps you manage your new capital with integrated business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay.

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

Whether you’re raising an early round or preparing for an exit, knowing who to talk to is essential. Here is a quick overview of venture capital firms that invest in Industrial Tech, broken down by stage.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Pre-seed and seed rounds are the earliest forms of equity funding, providing the initial capital to turn an idea into a viable product and achieve early market traction. For founders in construction tech or manufacturing, firms like Ironspring Ventures and Contrarian Thinking specialize in this stage, while Thirdprime also actively invests in seed-stage industrial startups.

Early Stage VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Early-stage funding, typically Series A and B, is for companies with a proven product and initial revenue, helping you scale operations and expand your team. Some of the most active venture capital firms for this phase are SE Ventures, which is backed by Schneider Electric, and Blue Bear Capital, a specialist in data-driven energy technology.

Late Stage VC Firms in Industrial Tech

Late-stage rounds support established companies preparing for significant growth, market expansion, or an exit through an acquisition or IPO. Investors focusing on this growth stage include Activate Capital, with a portfolio including Tesla and SpaceX, and Anzu Partners, which invests across industrial and life science technology.

Keep in mind that some VC firms invest across multiple startup funding stages too.

Here is a closer look at the top VC firms specializing in industrial technology to help you identify the right partners for your fundraise. For each firm, you’ll find information on their investment stages, geographic focus, and what makes them a compelling choice for founders in your sector.

1. SE Ventures

Backed by industrial giant Schneider Electric, SE Ventures is a global venture capital fund with over $1 billion in assets. This corporate connection gives them a unique position, focusing on startups that align with Schneider's core areas of electrification and automation.

The firm invests from seed to late-stage, with a clear focus on industrial automation, sustainability, and energy technology. Their portfolio includes successful companies like industrial cybersecurity leader Claroty and EV-charging network Volta Charging, showing their ability to back high-growth businesses.

This firm is an excellent match for founders developing technology in climate tech or energy management who are seeking a strategic partner with deep industry expertise. After closing a round with a firm like SE Ventures, Rho’s integrated financial platform helps you manage and deploy that capital with tools like corporate cards and automated bill pay.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial automation, sustainability, cleantech, and energy
• Geographical presence: Based in Menlo Park, California
• Founded: 2017
• Fund size: Over $1 billion
• Notable portfolio companies: Claroty, Proterra, and Scandit

You can refer to their website here.

2. Blue Bear Capital

Blue Bear Capital is a venture capital firm that supports companies applying AI and data-driven technologies to energy and industrial infrastructure. Based in Los Angeles, they back founders who are building software and hardware for these critical sectors.

The firm has a clear focus on data-centric businesses, investing from seed to late-stage rounds in companies that improve efficiency and sustainability. Their portfolio includes companies like FreeWire Technologies, a maker of battery-integrated EV chargers, and TruckLabs, which develops fuel-saving aerodynamics for fleets.

Blue Bear Capital is a strong potential partner if your startup uses data to solve problems in the energy, industrial, or infrastructure markets. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform can help you manage your new capital with tools like business banking and corporate cards.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Energy, industrial, infrastructure, and data-driven software
• Geographical presence: Based in Los Angeles, California
• Founded: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: FreeWire Technologies, TruckLabs, and Ocient
• Portfolio size: 67 investments

You can refer to their website here.

3. Activate Capital Partners

Activate Capital Partners invests in high-growth companies whose technologies are fundamentally transforming the industrial economy. They support businesses that have moved beyond the initial startup phase and are prepared to scale their operations.

The firm’s investment record is particularly notable, featuring major names like Tesla, SpaceX, and Stem. This history shows a focus on backing ambitious companies with the potential for significant market impact and high-profile exits.

Activate Capital is a good fit if you are leading a company in the industrial, IT, or transportation sectors and are ready for a growth-stage round. After securing funding, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and payments.

• Investment stages: Early and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, Information Technology, Transportation
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Tesla, SpaceX, Stem, and Ping Identity
• Portfolio size: 36 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Ironspring Ventures

Ironspring Ventures is an Austin-based firm that leads and co-leads investments in early-stage digital industrial companies. They focus on sectors like construction, manufacturing, transport, and logistics.

The firm shows a clear preference for leading seed rounds, backing founders who are building foundational technology for legacy industries. Their portfolio includes notable companies like ICON, a 3D-printed housing pioneer, and Solvento, a fintech for trucking payments.

This firm is a strong match if you are a founder in an industrial sector seeking a hands-on lead investor for your seed round. After your fundraise, Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and payments.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Construction, manufacturing, logistics, and clean energy
• Geographical presence: Based in Austin, Texas
• Founded: 2019
• Notable portfolio companies: ICON, Solvento, and 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. They are unique in their ability to invest across the entire company lifecycle, from seed rounds to private equity and post-IPO stages.

The firm operates as both a venture capital and private equity investor, signaling a capacity for long-term partnerships. Their portfolio includes well-known hardware brand Arduino and several companies they've successfully taken public, like Pivotal Systems.

Anzu Partners is a great fit if you're building a business in a complex field like life sciences or industrial tech and need a partner for the long haul. Once you've raised a round, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking and spend controls.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, late-stage, private equity, and post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Industrial technology, life sciences, and biotechnology
• Geographical presence: Based in Washington, D.C.
• Founded: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Arduino, Ai-Media, and Banyan Biomarkers
• Portfolio size: 73 investments

You can refer to their website here.

6. Piva Capital

Piva Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups developing new technologies for the energy and industrial sectors. Based in San Francisco, they back companies aiming to solve major challenges in these foundational industries.

The firm supports businesses with ambitious goals, such as Boston Metal's work on zero-carbon steel and Velo3D's advanced manufacturing technology, which resulted in a public exit. This focus on deep tech and hardware, along with successful liquidity events, shows their ability to back complex, long-term projects.

Piva Capital is a good fit for founders building hardware or software for heavy industry, especially in decarbonization and advanced manufacturing. After you secure funding from a firm like Piva, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and payments.

• Investment stages: Early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Energy, industrial, and software
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2019
• Notable portfolio companies: Velo3D, Boston Metal, Lunar Energy, and 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 invests in early-stage companies with strong, defensible advantages. Their philosophy centers on backing businesses with "enduring moats," signaling a focus on long-term value over short-term trends.

A key characteristic is their focus on deep tech and hardware across sectors like space, energy, and advanced manufacturing. Their portfolio, which includes satellite-builder K2 Space and autonomous firefighting drone company Rain, shows a clear preference for ambitious, technically complex ventures.

Valhalla is a great match for founders building businesses with high technical barriers to entry. Once you secure a round from a forward-thinking partner like Valhalla, our platform at Rho helps you manage and deploy that capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Advanced materials, industrial, manufacturing, space, energy, and biotech
• Geographical presence: Based in Los Angeles, California
• Founded: 2020
• Notable portfolio companies: K2 Space, Rain, Biofire, and 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 providing initial capital and support to help entrepreneurs build their businesses.

The firm invests from seed to early-stage, with a focus on the financial services and industrial sectors. Their portfolio has included high-profile companies like smart-lock maker Latch and the crypto platform BlockFi, indicating a strategy of backing businesses with high-growth potential.

Third Prime is a good potential partner if you are an early-stage founder in fintech or industrial technology seeking a hands-on investor. After you raise a round, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and payments.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Finance, financial services, and industrial
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, New York
• Founded: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: Latch, BlockFi, and Bench
• Portfolio size: 131 investments

You can refer to their website here.

9. Contrarian Thinking Capital

Contrarian Thinking Capital is an Austin-based venture firm that invests in founders building for legacy industries. Born from an online education platform, they focus on sectors often overlooked by mainstream venture capital.

The firm backs companies from seed to early-stage, with a clear focus on industrial, manufacturing, and SMB markets. Their name signals a preference for founders with a unique take, reflected in portfolio companies like Pave Robotics.

This firm is a strong choice for early-stage founders building technology for foundational industries. If you have a non-obvious approach to solving problems in manufacturing or for small businesses, their thesis may be a great fit.

While you pursue equity partners like Contrarian Thinking, our team at Rho can also connect you with non-dilutive funding options like venture debt to extend your runway without chasing lenders.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Industrial, manufacturing, and small and medium businesses
• Geographical presence: Based in Austin, Texas
• Founded: 2022
• Notable portfolio companies: Beehiiv, Percent, and Pave Robotics
• 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 focus on businesses where data is a core asset and machine learning drives the product.

The firm invests from seed to late-stage, with a portfolio that highlights their focus on applied AI. Notable investments include Pickle Robot Co., which automates truck unloading, and Tive, a provider of real-time shipment tracking.

Hyperplane is a strong potential partner if your company uses machine intelligence to solve problems in industrial, finance, or software markets. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform can help you manage your new capital with tools like business banking and corporate cards.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Machine intelligence, data, industrial, and fintech
• Geographical presence: Based in Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Pickle Robot Co., Tive, and LinkSquares
• Portfolio size: 94 investments

You can refer to their website here.

11. Primitive Ventures

Primitive Ventures is an international investment firm that focuses on blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies. Based in San Francisco, they primarily back companies at the seed stage, providing foundational capital for new ventures.

The firm shows a strong preference for foundational Web3 infrastructure, with investments in layer-1 blockchain Kadena and cross-chain protocol Multichain. Their portfolio also includes DeFi analytics platform Credora and NFT marketplace LooksRare, signaling a broad interest across the crypto ecosystem.

This firm is an ideal partner for founders building technically complex projects in the blockchain space. After securing a seed round from a specialist firm like Primitive, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking and spend controls.

• Investment stages: Seed
• Industries of focus: Blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: Kadena, Multichain, LooksRare, and Credora
• Portfolio size: 33 investments

You can refer to their website here.

12. Access Industries

Access Industries is a privately held industrial group that makes long-term investments in companies around the world. They operate as a corporate venture capital firm, backing businesses across a wide range of industries and growth phases.

The firm is notable for investing across the entire company lifecycle, from seed funding to private equity and post-IPO stages. Their portfolio includes major technology companies like Spotify, Snap, and Square, showing a clear history of backing businesses that achieve significant scale and successful public exits.

Access Industries is a strong potential partner if you are leading a high-growth company with ambitions for a large-scale public offering. Once you secure funding from a major backer, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, corporate cards, and payments.

• Investment stages: Seed to post-IPO and private equity
• Industries of focus: Industrial, natural resources, chemical, and technology
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, New York
• Founded: 1986
• Notable portfolio companies: Spotify, Snap, Square, DigitalOcean, and Opendoor
• 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 across a company’s lifecycle, from seed to late-stage rounds. They back businesses in several high-growth areas, including artificial intelligence, B2B software, and industrial technology.

The firm has a history of investing in companies that achieve significant scale, with unicorns like fintech platform Mercury and AI-writer Jasper in their portfolio. Their backing of aerospace startup Boom Supersonic also signals an interest in ambitious, capital-intensive industrial ventures.

This firm is a good match for founders building high-growth businesses in AI, fintech, or complex industrial sectors. After securing a round with a partner like Angel Collective, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking and corporate cards.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Artificial Intelligence (AI), B2B, FinTech, and Industrial
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2020
• Notable portfolio companies: Mercury, Jasper, TaxBit, and 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 addressing climate change. Based in San Francisco, they back founders who are building new technologies for a more sustainable future.

The firm's portfolio shows a clear focus on climate tech, with successful investments in companies like scooter-share operator Lime and satellite-imaging firm Planet. Their track record of backing companies through to IPOs and unicorn status signals an ability to support businesses to significant scale.

Prelude Ventures is a strong potential partner if you are a founder building a business in the climate tech space, particularly in sectors like clean energy, manufacturing, or agtech. After securing funding, our platform at Rho helps you manage and deploy that capital with tools like corporate cards and automated bill pay.

• Investment stages: Seed, early, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Climate tech, including industrial, manufacturing, clean energy, and agtech
• Geographical presence: Based in San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2013
• Notable portfolio companies: Lime, Planet, Fervo Energy, and 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. They provide foundational capital and support to new companies, focusing on the seed and early stages.

The firm’s history includes backing major consumer-facing companies like Fetch Rewards and Priceline, showing a strong ability to identify high-growth B2C opportunities. Their model as a "startup lab" suggests a hands-on approach, likely providing more than just capital to their portfolio companies.

Loeb.nyc is a good fit for early-stage founders, particularly in B2B or B2C markets, who are looking for an active partner to help build their business from the ground up. After securing a seed round, our platform at Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking and spend controls.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: B2B, B2C, marketing, and industrial
• Geographical presence: Based in New York, New York
• Founded: 2015
• Notable portfolio companies: Fetch Rewards, Payoneer, and Priceline
• Portfolio size: 32 investments

You can refer to their website here.

What This Tells Us About The VC Scene for Industrial Tech Companies

This overview shows a healthy and varied group of investors for industrial technology companies. You have strong options whether you're raising an early seed round or preparing for later-stage growth, indicating a well-balanced funding environment. While many firms are based in California, there is also a notable presence in other key hubs like New York, Austin, and Boston, giving you more flexibility in finding a partner.

This variety gives you more choice when finding the right financial partner. As you build your fundraising plan, our team can also help you explore non-dilutive financing through Rho Capital. Once you close a round, our integrated platform provides the banking, cards, and payment tools needed to manage your new capital efficiently.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Having a focused list of relevant investors is a major advantage when your time and energy are limited during a fundraise. It helps you concentrate your efforts on the partners who are the best fit for your company.

If you’re seeking funding, Rho Capital connects you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines. Our guided process is built to be fast, helping you secure capital without distracting from your business.

Once your funding is secured, our work continues with integrated tools to help you manage and deploy funds efficiently. This includes business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay, all in one platform.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Industrial Tech

Are most industrial tech venture capital firms in the Bay Area?

While many top firms are in the Bay Area, major hubs for industrial tech also exist in Austin, Boston, and New York. This geographic diversity gives you more options when looking for the right investment partner for your company.

Which VC firms focus on manufacturing and robotics?

Firms like Ironspring Ventures and Valhalla Ventures actively invest in manufacturing and robotics. Many generalist industrial tech VCs, such as SE Ventures and Hyperplane, also back companies in these specific sectors, especially those involving automation.

What are the top climate tech venture capital firms?

Prelude Ventures and Piva Capital are prominent investors in climate tech. They focus on startups addressing decarbonization and sustainability in energy and heavy industry, backing companies with long-term environmental impact and growth potential.

How do I find the right early-stage industrial VC firm?

Research firms whose portfolio and thesis align with your sector and stage. Look for partners with relevant industry experience who can provide more than just capital. Our team can also help you explore non-dilutive funding through Rho Capital.

How can Rho help my startup with fundraising?

Our team at Rho connects you with non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines. Once funded, our integrated platform helps you manage your capital with business banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.