Playground Global Fund IV

United States
Seed
Share

About Playground Global Fund IV

Playground Global Fund IV is a $475M deep-tech fund closed $125M above its $350M target. Co-founded by Peter Barrett, Bruce Leak, Matt Hershenson, and Andy Rubin, the fund focuses on new compute architectures, semiconductor materials, terrestrial clean power, and AI-augmented science. Portfolio unicorns include PsiQuantum, Agility Robotics, Ayar Labs, d-Matrix, NextSilicon, Skydio, and Virta Health. MosaicML's $1.3B exit to Databricks is the marquee realisation. Total AUM over $1.6B.

Investment Focus

Location / RegionUnited States
Funding StageSeed
Industry Focus
Ai Ml
Deep Tech
Energy Tech
Robotics Automation
Semiconductors

Investor Signals Profile

active

Sweet Spot

Seed-stage deep-tech founder building new compute, energy, or semiconductor tech

deep-tech
compute-architecture
semiconductors
nuclear-energy
AI-augmented-science

Bullish Signals

$475M, $125M above $350M targetblog
8 unicorns: PsiQuantum, Agility, Skydioblog
MosaicML $1.3B exit to Databricksblog

Contrarian Signals

Deep-tech long timelines, slow DPIblog
Anti-consensus thesis may miss adjacent playsblog

Founder Do's

Build new compute or semiconductor tech
Target terrestrial energy or power systems
Show 100x efficiency improvement thesis
Operate in superconducting or GaN space
Demonstrate physical-world engineering path

Founder Don'ts

Pitch pure software without hardware
Propose orbital data centre strategies
Ignore physical infrastructure fundamentals

Key GPs & Partners

PB
Peter Barrett
Co-Founder & General Partner
deep-techcontrarianopinionated
BL
Bruce Leak
Co-Founder & General Partner
deep-techex-Applehardware
AR
Andy Rubin
Co-Founder
ex-foundertech-legendconnected

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Fund Overview

Fund Size$475M
Saves0

Key People

Peter Barrett, Bruce Leak, Matt Hershenson, Andy Rubin

Peter BarrettCo-Founder & General Partner
Bruce LeakCo-Founder & General Partner
Andy RubinCo-Founder

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