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Gradient Ventures Fund V

United States
Seed
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About Gradient Ventures Fund V

AI-focused seed fund spun out from Google Alphabet in 2025. First raise with outside institutional LPs. Nearly $1.2B AUM across five funds, 500+ AI companies backed. Exits include CentML (NVIDIA), Streamlit (Snowflake), and Prepared (Axon).

Investment Focus

Location / RegionUnited States
Funding StageSeed
Industry Focus
Ai Ml
Data Infrastructure
Developer Tools
Enterprise Software

Investor Signals Profile

active

Sweet Spot

Pre-seed/seed AI application or agentic layer founder building on top of models

AI applications
agentic layer
pre-seed/seed
real-world AI utility
no foundational models

Bullish Signals

Fund V closed at $220M with independent institutional LPs for first timeblog
Exits to NVIDIA ($400M+), Snowflake ($700-800M), Axon validate seed thesisblog
Inbound deal flow exploded to 1,500-2,000 submissions per year post-ChatGPTblog
Successfully transitioned from Google CVC to independent GP with talent retainedblog
Diverse portfolio: fintech, emergency AI, GPU cloud, compilersexternal
Multiple Snowflake & Lambda acquisitions confirm exit pathwayexternal
Portfolio spans 20+ named companies across verticalswebsite
Lambda raised $480M — massive portco growth signalwebsite
Streamlit, Airspace acquired — multi-exit track record at seedwebsite
20+ named portcos: Writer, Krea, Oura, Rad AI, Unit21website
Verticals: wealth mgmt, emergency response, compilers, GPU cloudwebsite
Range, Prepared, CentML highlight agentic layer depth across sectorsexternal
Range: AI-powered wealth management platform for financial serviceswebsite
Prepared: AI revolutionizing emergency response and crisis managementwebsite
Krea: world's most powerful creative AI suite for designwebsite
NVIDIA compiler team acquisition validates infrastructure layer thesiswebsite
May and Waseem building AI integration for any businesswebsite

Contrarian Signals

Explicitly avoids foundational model companies — unusual among top AI fundsblog
Skeptical of mega-seed rounds above $100Mblog
AI application-layer thesis is now consensus, not contrarian — more competition aheadblog
Founder-centric brand language — hard to differentiate at scaleexternal
Heavy brand polish may signal LP-facing optics over alphawebsite
Portfolio names repeated heavily on website — thin on new contentwebsite
Website emphasizes 'builders, mentors, champions' — standard VC positioningwebsite

Founder Do's

Build on top of models, not competing with them
Come at pre-seed or seed stage with real-world utility focus
Leverage their 500+ portfolio network for warm intros
Show AI as core capability embedded in workflows
Demonstrate traction in application or agentic layer

Founder Don'ts

Do not pitch foundational model companies
Do not seek mega-seed rounds above $50-100M
Do not come post-$100M pre-launch raise

Key GPs & Partners

DS
Darian Shirazi
General Partner
ex-founderthesis-drivenpatient-capital
ZB
Zach Bratun-Glennon
General Partner
opinionatedthesis-drivencontrarian

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Fund Overview

Fund Size$220M
Saves0
Website
LinkedIn

Key People

Darian Shirazi, Zach Bratun-Glennon

Darian ShiraziGeneral Partner
Zach Bratun-GlennonGeneral Partner

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