Updated:
Foothill Ventures
Foothill Ventures, run by former Yahoo and Auryc operators, has backed over 350 deep tech and life sciences startups from Los Altos.
Foothill Ventures
Foothill Ventures is a technology-focused venture fund based in Los Altos, California. We make seed and A-round investments in startups across software, life sciences and deep tech.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Altos
Corporate office
Los Altos, CA, United States
Principals
Yahoo VP, Turn CTO
Managing Partner
Auryc CEO, Answers COO
Managing Partner
IGC & SSI/ iWatt Co-founder
Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Foothill Ventures?
The firm is led by three managing partners who previously served as CTO of Yahoo and Turn, CEO of Auryc and Answers, and co-founder of iWatt and IGC. Their website lists them collectively as the decision-makers, operating alongside a team of investment directors and venture partners without identifying a single CIO or executive chair.
What investment stages does Foothill Ventures typically target?
Foothill focuses on seed and Series A rounds for technology companies demonstrating technical differentiation. The firm looks for strong founding teams where product-level superiority—rather than go-to-market speed or pricing—will drive future success.
Which sectors does Foothill Ventures explicitly avoid?
Foothill does not publicly list excluded sectors, but its portfolio concentrates on infrastructure and AI applications, life sciences, and deep tech hardware. There is no evidence of investments in consumer packaged goods, generalist SaaS without a technical moat, or financial services outside of select fintech infrastructure plays.
Does Foothill Ventures maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
No philanthropic foundations, donor-advised funds, or impact-investing carve-outs are disclosed in Foothill's public materials. The firm operates as a standard for-profit venture fund without an affiliated charitable entity.
How does Foothill Ventures source proprietary deal flow?
Foothill draws on a network of over 350 portfolio-company founders accumulated across its history, along with venture partners who hold professorships at UCSF and prior engineering leadership roles at Alibaba Cloud and Seagate. Managing partners also participate in the TEEC Angel Fund network, providing access to Tsinghua-alumni-led startups.
Is Foothill Ventures structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Foothill is a venture capital firm, not a family office. It raises external capital from limited partners, operates a team of investment professionals, and manages a diversified portfolio of early-stage technology companies — all hallmarks of an institutional asset manager rather than a single-family wealth vehicle.
Does Foothill Ventures participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Based on available information, Foothill invests directly into startups rather than acting as a fund-of-funds. Its portfolio page lists only operating companies, and the firm's materials describe writing seed and A-round checks without mentioning LP commitments to other venture managers.
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.
Need institutional-grade insight on venture capital firms?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: