First Spark Ventures logo

First Spark Ventures

North America, California, United States, San Carlos

Description

First Spark Ventures is a specialized deep tech venture capital firm based in San Carlos, United States, with a distinctive focus on investing in scientific breakthroughs globally. The firm targets the earliest stages of company development, primarily pre-seed and seed rounds, positioning itself as a crucial early supporter for founders translating complex scientific research into viable commercial ventures. Their investment thesis centers on identifying and nurturing groundbreaking technologies that have the potential to disrupt industries and solve significant global challenges.

Established in 2023, First Spark Ventures quickly carved out a niche by committing to the long-term development of deep tech companies. The firm is particularly interested in areas such as advanced materials, quantum computing, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence, seeking out ventures led by scientists and engineers with proprietary intellectual property. Their approach goes beyond mere capital injection, aiming to provide strategic guidance, access to networks, and operational support to help these nascent companies navigate the challenging journey from lab to market.

Financially, First Spark Ventures typically deploys initial checks ranging from $250,000 to $1,000,000. This investment range underscores their commitment to providing foundational capital that enables deep tech startups to achieve critical early milestones, such as proof-of-concept, team expansion, and initial product development. They often participate in larger seed rounds alongside other specialized investors, leveraging their expertise to de-risk complex technologies and accelerate growth. The firm's dedication to supporting scientists globally reflects a belief in the universal power of innovation to drive progress across diverse sectors.

Investor Profile

First Spark Ventures has backed more than 22 startups, with 4 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 8 rounds, about 36% of its total and boasts 1 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Germany, Canada.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning.
  • Led 1 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $250K – $1M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (41%)
  • Series A (27%)
  • Series B (23%)
  • Series Unknown (5%)
  • Pre Seed (5%)

Country Focus

  • United States (82%)
  • Germany (9%)
  • Canada (5%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
  • Machine Learning
  • Health Care
  • Information Technology
  • Gps
  • Biotechnology
  • Generative Ai
  • Medical Device
  • Open Source
circle-line
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does First Spark Ventures frequently co-invest with?

Lockheed Martin Ventures
North America, Maryland, United States, Bethesda
Co-Investments: 2
SRI Ventures
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 2
Toyota Ventures
North America, California, United States, Los Altos
Co-Investments: 2
Factorial Capital
North America, New York, United States, Brooklyn
Co-Investments: 2
Y Combinator
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Co-Investments: 2
Airstream
North America, Delaware, United States, New Castle
Co-Investments: 2
Seraphim Space
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Pioneer Fund
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 2
Betaworks
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Alumni Ventures
North America, New Hampshire, United States, Manchester
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does First Spark Ventures often collaborate with?

SC
Europe, Berlin, Germany, Berlin
Shared Deals: 1
Shared Deals: 1
MV
Europe, Madrid, Spain, Madrid
Shared Deals: 1
GH
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
CD
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 2
SL
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Shared Deals: 1
BM
North America, Pennsylvania, United States, Pittsburgh
Shared Deals: 1
ML
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by First Spark Ventures?

Xona Space Systems

Burlingame, California, United States

Xona Space builds a LEO satellite network delivering precision GPS alternatives for autonomous systems and critical apps.

AerospaceGPSInformation ServicesNavigationSatellite CommunicationSoftware
Series BJun 26, 2025
Amount Raised: $92,000,000

Redefining the limits of signal processing and data transmission by changing the way waveforms are processed.

Information TechnologyInternetSoftware
SeedJan 15, 2025
Amount Raised: $7,150,000
Vitara Biomedical

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Vitara Biomedical develops a therapeutic platform to support premature infants.

Child CareHealth CareHealth DiagnosticsMedical Device
Series BNov 18, 2024
Amount Raised: $50,000,000
Tidal Metals

Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Tidal Metals produces decarbonized magnesium metal from seawater and desalination waste to reduce salinity.

MiningRenewable EnergyWater
SeedSep 19, 2024
Amount Raised: $8,500,000
Altera

San Francisco, California, United States

Altera is an artificial intelligence company creating digital human beings.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Business DevelopmentSoftware
SeedMay 8, 2024
Amount Raised: $9,000,000
Flower Labs

Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Flower is a federated learning, analytics, and evaluation platform.

Machine LearningOpen SourceSaaSSoftware
Series AFeb 15, 2024
Amount Raised: $20,000,000
Unnatural Products

Santa Cruz, California, United States

Unnatural Products is a startup pairing AI with chemistry to create treatments for drug targets.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)BiotechnologyHealth Care
Series ADec 19, 2023
Amount Raised: $32,000,000
Zephr

Louisville, Colorado, United States

Zephr operates as a developer of next generation location-based solutions.

Augmented RealityGPSMapping Services
SeedNov 2, 2023
Amount Raised: $3,500,000
Inlyte Energy

Berkeley, California, United States

Inlyte Energy is a company that creates grid storage batteries.

EnergyPower Grid
SeedOct 26, 2023
Amount Raised: $8,000,000
FIGUR8

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

FIGUR8 is a medical software developer of a wearable sensor technology designed for musculoskeletal health.

AppsHealth CareInsurTechiOSSoftware
Series AAug 8, 2023
Amount Raised: $25,000,000