# Eclipse Ventures

Eclipse Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on backing startups in industrial AI and AI hardware. Founded in 2015, it invests in companies that apply artificial intelligence to physical industries, from manufacturing to robotics.

Eclipse Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence hardware and industrial AI applications. The firm was founded in 2015 by Lior Susan, a former partner at Greylock Partners, and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Eclipse Ventures targets startups that use AI to transform physical industries such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and energy, rather than purely digital or consumer-focused ventures.

The firm's investment thesis centers on the convergence of software and hardware, betting that AI will increasingly operate in the physical world. Eclipse Ventures typically leads seed and Series A rounds, providing not only capital but also operational support through its team of engineers and industry experts. The firm has backed notable companies including [figure-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/figure-ai), a developer of humanoid robots, and [sanctuary-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/sanctuary-ai), which builds general-purpose robots for industrial tasks. Other portfolio companies include [fermata](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/fermata), which uses AI for crop monitoring, and [braina](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/braina), a startup focused on AI-driven brain-computer interfaces.

## Investment Focus: AI Hardware

Eclipse Ventures has a dedicated focus on AI hardware, recognizing that the growth of [artificial-intelligence](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/artificial-intelligence) depends on specialized chips and systems. The firm invests in companies developing accelerators, memory technologies, and interconnect solutions that improve the efficiency of [machine-learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/machine-learning) workloads. This includes startups working on [neural-network](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/neural-network) processors and edge AI devices, which are critical for real-time inference in industrial settings. Eclipse Ventures has backed companies that design custom silicon for AI, often competing with major players like [nvidia](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/nvidia) and [amd](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/amd), though the firm does not publicly disclose all its portfolio holdings.

## Industrial AI and Physical Automation

A significant portion of Eclipse Ventures' portfolio is dedicated to industrial AI, which applies [deep-learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/deep-learning) and [machine-learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/machine-learning) to optimize physical operations. This includes predictive maintenance, quality control, supply chain optimization, and autonomous robotics. The firm has invested in companies like [bigbear-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/bigbear-ai), which provides AI analytics for defense and logistics, and [tomtom](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/tomtom), a mapping company that uses AI for autonomous vehicle navigation. Eclipse Ventures also supports startups in healthcare, such as [commure](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/commure), which uses AI to streamline clinical workflows, and [intuitive-surgical](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/intuitive-surgical), a leader in robotic surgery.

## Notable Portfolio Companies and Exits

Eclipse Ventures has achieved several successful exits, including the acquisition of [halcyon](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/halcyon), an AI-powered cybersecurity firm, by a larger tech company in 2021. Another notable exit was [omniscient](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/omniscient), a neurotechnology startup, which was acquired in 2022. The firm's early investment in [waymo](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/waymo), the self-driving car company, was a strategic move into autonomous transportation, though Eclipse Ventures sold its stake before Waymo's full commercialization. These exits demonstrate the firm's ability to identify high-growth AI startups and generate returns for its limited partners.

## Team and Leadership

Eclipse Ventures is led by founder and managing partner Lior Susan, who previously worked at Greylock Partners and has a background in engineering and product development. The firm's team includes partners with experience in hardware, software, and operations, such as Greg Reichow, a former Tesla executive who joined as a partner in 2016. The team's technical expertise allows Eclipse Ventures to provide hands-on guidance to portfolio companies, particularly in areas like chip design and manufacturing. The firm has raised multiple funds, with its most recent fund closing at $1.2 billion in 2023, reflecting strong investor confidence in its strategy.

## Impact and Future Outlook

Eclipse Ventures has become a prominent player in the venture capital landscape, particularly in the niche of AI hardware and industrial AI. The firm's focus on physical industries aligns with broader trends in [generative-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/generative-ai) and [large-language-model](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/large-language-model) adoption, which are increasingly being deployed in manufacturing and logistics. As of 2025, Eclipse Ventures continues to invest in startups that push the boundaries of AI, from [sanctuary-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/sanctuary-ai)'s humanoid robots to [figure-ai](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/figure-ai)'s autonomous systems. The firm's long-term vision is to support the next generation of AI infrastructure that will power everything from smart factories to autonomous vehicles, positioning itself as a key enabler of the AI-driven industrial revolution.

---
Source: https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/eclipse-ventures
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Last updated: 2026-09-08T15:33:24.2711+00:00