# Prelude Ventures

Prelude Ventures is a Venture Capital based in San Francisco, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** San Francisco, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 2009
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.preludeventures.com

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Prelude Ventures invests in and supports early-stage startups with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change. For us, climate is everything.

## Sectors

- ClimateTech
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Mobility & Transportation
- AI/ML
- Manufacturing & Industrials
- Robotics & Automation
- SpaceTech
- Advanced Materials

## People

- Mark Cupta — Managing Director
- Matt Eggers — Managing Director
- Gabriel Kra — Managing Director
- Tim Woodward — Managing Director

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Prelude Ventures?

Investment decisions are made collectively by the firm’s four managing directors: Mark Cupta, Gabriel Kra, Matt Eggers, and Tim Woodward. The partnership operates as a flat structure with each principal bringing subject-matter expertise across different segments of the climate economy. No single managing director holds unilateral decision-making authority over capital deployment.

### How does Prelude Ventures source proprietary deal flow?

Prelude relies on a thesis-driven sourcing model built by its managing directors, who are embedded in individual climate sub-sectors. The firm’s reputation for long-term, concentrated climate focus attracts founders and co-investors specifically seeking climate-informed capital rather than generalist venture. Additionally, Prelude’s extensive portfolio of over 50 climate companies generates founder referrals and operator networks across renewable energy, mobility, carbon management, and industrial decarbonization.

### What investment stages does Prelude Ventures typically target?

Prelude invests from seed through growth stages, with the majority of capital deployed at the early stage. The firm aims to partner with founders at the earliest commercial inflection point and retains reserves to participate in subsequent rounds. Its portfolio includes companies that have matured from seed-stage checks to public listings, such as Planet Labs’ NYSE debut.

### Which sectors does Prelude Ventures explicitly avoid?

Prelude avoids any sector that does not have a direct line to climate change mitigation. It maintains no exposure to general SaaS, consumer internet, fintech, or biotech unless the application is explicitly tied to decarbonization or carbon drawdown. This means standard enterprise software or marketplace models are excluded unless they serve a climate-specific use case, such as Persefoni’s carbon accounting platform.

### What is Prelude Ventures’ known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

Prelude actively co-invests alongside other venture firms and strategic investors. Portfolio company syndicates frequently include a mix of generalist early-stage funds, climate-specific peers, and corporate venture arms. For example, Heirloom Carbon’s 2024 Series B round included participation from both Prelude and other institutional climate investors. Prelude does not operate a formal co-investment club requiring shared economics.

## Related profiles

- [Prelude Growth Partners](https://altss.com/profile/prelude-growth-partners)
- [PRE Management China](https://altss.com/profile/pre-management-china)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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