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Embark Ventures
Embark Ventures: Yipeng Zhao and Peter Lee's deep tech seed fund targeting proprietary hardware-software companies across robotics, AI, and material...
Embark Ventures
Deep tech focused VC fund | Embark Ventures is a Los Angeles based venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments. We are particularly interested in frontier/deep tech where technology creates a defensible competitive advantage. Specific areas of interest include Fintech, cybersecurity, AI, machine learning, robotics, and emerging platforms such as voice, blockchain, and autonomous vehicles.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Santa Monica
Corporate office
Santa Monica, CA, United States
Principals
Yipeng Zhao
General Partner
Peter Lee
General Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Embark Ventures?
Yipeng Zhao and Peter Lee serve as General Partners and make investment decisions. The firm's website identifies no additional investment committee or external advisors, indicating a concentrated partnership structure centered on the two named GPs operating from Santa Monica.
What investment stages does Embark Ventures typically target?
Embark targets pre-seed and seed stages, providing the first institutional capital to deep tech companies. The firm looks for teams with ambitious, break-through proprietary technology that can provide a highly defensible competitive advantage before traditional venture funds engage.
How does Embark Ventures define 'deep tech' in its strategy?
Embark defines deep tech through the lens of specific technical categories: bio-healthcare, material science, software-computing, manufacturing-industrial, robotics-automation, and sensors-semiconductors. The firm requires a tangible proprietary technology — a novel material, a clinical device, or a robotics system — not just a software layer on existing infrastructure.
Does Embark Ventures invest outside the United States?
Embark's website states it is 'based in Los Angeles but investing nationally.' Portfolio companies in autonomous freight, heavy-equipment autonomy, and AI-driven manufacturing suggest a US-centric mandate, though the firm has not publicly disclosed a formal geographic restriction or international allocation.
Is Embark Ventures structured as a family office or a traditional venture firm?
Embark operates as a traditional venture capital asset manager raising external third-party capital, not a single-family office. Available records classify it as a private equity firm under the Asset Manager category.
Does Embark Ventures lead rounds or participate as a co-investor?
As a pre-seed and seed stage fund, Embark's posture is that of a first-check investor. The firm does not explicitly publish a lead-or-follow policy, but its emphasis on providing initial capital for unproven deep tech startups implies a lead-check orientation rather than a passive syndicate participant role.
What notable exits has Embark Ventures achieved?
Two named portfolio exits appear on the firm's website: an autonomous robotics software and control system company acquired by Amazon, and SafeAI, which was acquired by Pronto AI to build a combined autonomous heavy-equipment vehicle company. Additionally, vulnerability protection company acquired by New Relic, and Pronto AI itself was later acquired by Atoms, the physical AI company founded by Travis Kalanick.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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