# Cota Capital Cota Capital is a venture capital firm investing in AI, cloud, and data startups, founded in 2014 by Bobby Yazdani. It focuses on early and growth-stage companies, with a portfolio including AI infrastructure and enterprise software. Cota Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered in San Francisco, California, that invests in early and growth-stage technology companies, with a focus on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data infrastructure. Founded in 2014 by Bobby Yazdani, the firm has raised multiple funds and backed a range of startups in the AI and enterprise software sectors. Cota Capital is known for its thesis-driven approach, targeting companies that leverage AI and data to transform industries. The firm's investment strategy emphasizes fundamental technology layers, including AI models, data platforms, and cloud infrastructure. Cota Capital typically leads or participates in Series A and Series B rounds, providing capital and operational support to portfolio companies. As of 2024, the firm manages over $1 billion in assets across its funds. ## History and Funding Cota Capital was founded in 2014 by Bobby Yazdani, a former executive at Saba Software and an early investor in companies like Salesforce. The firm raised its first fund in 2015, with $150 million in commitments. In 2018, Cota Capital closed its second fund at $200 million, and in 2021, it raised a third fund of $300 million. The firm's fourth fund, announced in 2023, secured $250 million, bringing total assets under management to over $1 billion. Investors in Cota Capital's funds include institutional limited partners such as university endowments, foundations, and family offices. ## Investment Focus and Portfolio Cota Capital invests across three primary areas: AI and machine learning, cloud infrastructure, and data analytics. The firm targets startups that address critical challenges in these domains, such as model deployment, data governance, and scalable computing. Notable portfolio companies include [halcyon](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/halcyon) (a cybersecurity firm), [commure](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/commure) (a healthcare technology platform), and [bigbear-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/bigbear-ai) (a predictive analytics company). Cota Capital has also invested in [ai21-labs](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/ai21-labs), a company developing large language models, and [inflection-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/inflection-ai), a startup focused on conversational AI. The firm's investments often involve follow-on rounds, supporting companies through multiple stages of growth. ## Team and Leadership Bobby Yazdani serves as the founder and managing partner of Cota Capital. The investment team includes partners with backgrounds in engineering, product management, and venture capital. Notable team members include partner [mark-chen](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/mark-chen) (not to be confused with the OpenAI CTO), who focuses on AI infrastructure, and partner [david-ha](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/david-ha), who leads investments in data platforms. The firm also employs a team of analysts and operating partners who provide portfolio companies with technical and strategic guidance. Cota Capital's advisors include industry veterans from companies like [google-cloud](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/google-cloud) and [amazon-web-services](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/amazon-web-services). ## Approach and Philosophy Cota Capital employs a thesis-driven investment approach, identifying secular trends in AI and data before seeking out startups that align with those trends. The firm emphasizes technical due diligence, often involving its partners in evaluating a startup's architecture and scalability. Cota Capital also practices a "founder-friendly" philosophy, offering flexible terms and long-term support. The firm publishes research on AI trends, such as the adoption of [generative-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/generative-ai) and the evolution of [transformer](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/transformer) architectures, to inform its investment decisions. ## Impact and Recognition Cota Capital has been recognized as a significant player in the AI venture capital space, with its portfolio companies achieving notable milestones. For example, [bigbear-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/bigbear-ai) went public in 2021 via a SPAC merger, and [commure](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/commure) partnered with major healthcare systems. The firm's investments in AI infrastructure have contributed to the broader ecosystem, supporting advances in [machine-learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/machine-learning) and [deep-learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/deep-learning). As of 2024, Cota Capital continues to raise new funds and expand its portfolio, focusing on the next wave of AI innovation. ## References - Cota Capital official website and press releases - PitchBook and Crunchbase data on fund raisings and investments - Industry reports on AI venture capital activity --- Source: https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/cota-capital License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Last updated: 2026-09-09T01:53:48.484415+00:00