At a Glance
Prime Movers Lab was founded by Dakin Sloss with the mission of backing entrepreneurs building breakthrough scientific companies that can transform massive industries through deep technology innovation. The firm focuses specifically on startups leveraging advances in physics, materials science, and engineering to solve fundamental problems in energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, and human augmentation. Prime Movers Lab has built a reputation for identifying and supporting some of the most ambitious deep tech companies, including nuclear fusion company Commonwealth Fusion Systems, carbon transformation company Twelve, and next-generation battery developer Solid Power. The firm's investment philosophy centers on the belief that the biggest opportunities lie in companies that can achieve breakthrough performance improvements through scientific innovation rather than incremental software-based solutions. With offices in Jackson, Wyoming and San Francisco, Prime Movers Lab provides patient capital and extensive technical expertise to help founders navigate the longer development cycles and capital requirements typical of deep tech ventures.
“Invests in scientists and engineers who are reinventing energy, transportation, and more.”
Dakin Sloss is founder and general partner. He was founding chief executive of Tachyus and of OpenGov, studied mathematics, physics, and philosophy at Stanford, and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 energy list in 2016. Zia Huque, a general partner covering growth-stage deals, previously ran Deutsche Bank Securities as president and chief executive after three decades on Wall Street. Tony Robbins is a partner and business strategist.
Andre Jabban leads capital formation and came from Flagship Pioneering, where he helped manage $14 billion, and earlier Morgan Stanley. Justin Briggs, partner and vice president of biology, spent 15 years developing therapeutics across oncology, neurology, and infectious disease. Roger Carter, a former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher, runs engineering diligence. Venture partners include Kam Ghaffarian of Axiom Space and X-energy, Greg Wyler of O3b and OneWeb, and Boom Supersonic chief executive Blake Scholl.
Dakin Sloss founded Prime Movers Lab in 2018 to write early checks into breakthrough science companies, a category most venture firms avoided on development-timeline grounds. The debut fund came in near $100 million.
The firm's largest single vehicle is the $500 million Early Growth Fund announced in September 2022, raised so the firm could hold ownership as portfolio companies move from technical validation into commercial scale rather than cede those rounds to crossover investors. A $245 million early-stage fund followed in July 2023, closed into a materially harder fundraising market than its predecessors. Across vehicles the firm reports more than $1.2 billion raised and investments in over 55 companies spanning energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and human augmentation. Prime Movers Lab runs out of Jackson, Wyoming with a San Francisco presence, and staffs engineering and biology diligence in house rather than outsourcing technical review.
Prime Movers Lab primarily invests at the Seed, Series A stages. This means they focus on companies that are building their initial product and finding product-market fit.
Prime Movers Lab is headquartered in Jackson, WY. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Prime Movers Lab focuses on investments in Deeptech, Climate, Space, Biotech. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Prime Movers Lab's typical investment check size ranges from $500K to $15M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Prime Movers Lab manages approximately $500M+ in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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