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Ex/ante
ex/ante is a venture fund dedicated to agentic technology, or tools that support human agency by increasing privacy, security, and information integrity.
Ex/ante
ex/ante is a venture fund dedicated to agentic technology, or tools that support human agency by increasing privacy, security, and information integrity. The firm focuses on threats and opportunities on the next horizon, investing in companies that advance free societies and counter digital authoritarianism. ex/ante provides resources to kick-start, build, and scale companies with diverse partners and risk-forward capital.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Brooklyn
Corporate office
Brooklyn, NY, United States
Principals
Zoe Weinberg
Founder and Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Ex/ante?
Zoe Weinberg, the firm's founder and managing partner, leads all investment decisions. Her background spans policy and technology, including roles at Google AI and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation. The investment committee includes operating partners with domain expertise in security and AI.
What investment stages does Ex/ante typically target?
Ex/ante focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage investments, typically writing first checks into companies with a technical founder and a clear regulatory angle. The firm prefers to lead or co-lead rounds. Its entry point is generally at the formation stage, before a startup has fully productized its technology.
How does Ex/ante source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources heavily from academic research labs, particularly at Stanford and MIT, where cutting-edge work in AI safety and cryptographic systems originates. Weinberg's policy network across D.C. and Brussels surfaces companies navigating new regulatory regimes. The firm's fellow program also generates referrals from operators embedded in national security and privacy engineering communities.
Which sectors does Ex/ante explicitly avoid?
Ex/ante does not invest in consumer social platforms, ad-tech reliant on surveillance business models, or crypto tokens without clear utility. The firm has stated it will not back companies whose growth depends on evading existing regulatory frameworks rather than shaping new ones.
Does Ex/ante maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
Ex/ante operates a policy fellowship program that is integrated into the firm's sourcing and diligence process rather than structured as a separate philanthropic entity. Fellows receive stipends and participate in investment evaluation, creating a pipeline of operator-investors. The program is funded from the management company, not the fund.
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