At a Glance
8VC was founded in 2015 by Joe Lonsdale, who previously co-founded Palantir Technologies and served as a partner at Formation 8. Based in Austin, Texas, with additional offices in San Francisco and Washington D.C., 8VC operates as both a traditional venture capital firm and a venture studio. The firm is known for its hands-on approach to company building, often co-founding startups and taking significant equity stakes of 25-30% in exchange for extensive operational support and capital. 8VC focuses on transforming large, established industries through breakthrough technologies, with particular emphasis on aerospace, defense, healthcare, financial services, and enterprise software. The firm typically invests in Series A and later stages, writing checks from $5M to $50M+. Under Lonsdale's leadership, 8VC has built a reputation for backing ambitious entrepreneurs tackling complex, regulated industries where technology can create significant competitive advantages. The firm's portfolio companies often benefit from 8VC's extensive network of industry experts, government relationships, and operational resources that help navigate complex go-to-market challenges in traditional sectors.
“Backs companies using technology to transform industries that have historically resisted change.”
8VC primarily invests at the Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are scaling their go-to-market after proving product-market fit.
8VC is headquartered in Austin, TX. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
8VC focuses on investments in Enterprise, Deeptech, AI, Aerospace & Defense, Digital Health. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
8VC's typical investment check size ranges from 5000000 to 75000000. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
8VC manages approximately $5B+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.