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Elementum Ventures: VC firm investing in pre-seed/seed deep tech startups with strong IP, focused on defense, climate, biotech, AI, space. Menlo Park, CA.
Key people at Elementum Ventures.
Elementum Ventures is a Menlo Park, California-based venture capital firm that invests in pre-seed and seed-stage deep technology startups with strong intellectual property. The firm focuses on frontier sectors such as defense, climate technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and space, providing initial capital through check sizes ranging from $100,000 to $3 million. Managing a portfolio of more than 20 companies, the firm actively supports early-stage founders through direct operational involvement and strategic business guidance. Notable portfolio investments include defense contractor Anduril and carbon transformation startup Twelve, which secured a $130 million Series B funding round in 2022. The firm's partners have also been involved with significant exits, such as video messaging platform Loom, which reached a valuation exceeding $1 billion, and Coverity, which Synopsys acquired for over $300 million. Elementum Ventures was founded in 2014.
Key people at Elementum Ventures.
Elementum Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments, particularly seed and pre-seed rounds, focusing on deep technology startups with strong intellectual property as their core differentiation. Their mission centers on partnering with passionate, humble, and gritty founders building urgent and necessary technologies, often in emerging sectors like biotech, AI, climate, and life sciences. Elementum not only provides capital but also active operational support through a deep network of strategic partners, advisors, and potential customers to accelerate startup growth and commercialization[1][4].
Founded in 2014 and based in Menlo Park, California, Elementum Ventures was co-founded by partners including Ted, Ben Chelf, Ben Patterson, and Kurt Keilhacker, all of whom bring extensive entrepreneurial and operational experience across technology, SaaS, biotech, and venture investing. The firm evolved with a focus on seed-stage deep tech companies targeting large markets, emphasizing intellectual property defensibility. Their partners have backgrounds ranging from startup founding and scaling to leadership roles in major tech and biotech organizations, which informs their hands-on investment philosophy[1][2][3][4].
Elementum Ventures rides the wave of increasing interest and investment in deep technology startups that leverage intellectual property to create defensible market positions. The timing is critical as emerging technologies in biotech, AI, and climate solutions are moving from research to commercialization, requiring early capital and operational expertise to scale. Elementum’s approach of combining capital with hands-on support helps bridge the gap between innovation and market entry, influencing the broader ecosystem by enabling startups to navigate early-stage challenges effectively[1][4].
Looking ahead, Elementum Ventures is poised to continue capitalizing on the growth of deep tech sectors, especially as global challenges drive demand for innovative biotech, AI, and climate solutions. Their model of active partnership with founders and focus on intellectual property positions them well to identify and nurture startups that can become market leaders. Trends such as increased commercialization of scientific research, AI advancements, and climate tech innovation will likely shape their investment journey and expand their influence in the venture ecosystem[1][4].
Elementum Ventures exemplifies a modern seed-stage VC that blends deep technical understanding with operational experience to support startups at the frontier of technology and market disruption.
