Private Equity

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Propeller

Propeller is a venture fund that invests in climate-tech startups at the ocean-climate nexus. It focuses on early-stage companies developing technologies for...

Propeller logo

Propeller

Propeller is a venture fund that invests in climate-tech startups at the ocean-climate nexus. It focuses on early-stage companies developing technologies for emissions reductions, energy innovation, and agricultural advancements. Propeller supports startups in sectors including marine carbon dioxide removal, energy, shipping, transportation, and agricultural innovation, and is based in San Francisco, California.

General information

Firm type

Private Equity

Year founded

2022

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

Mountain View

Corporate office

Mountain View, CA, United States

Additional offices

Toronto, Canada · Amman, Jordan · Amsterdam, Netherlands

Principals

Brian Halligan

General Partner

Devdutt Yellurkar

General Partner

Rodrigo Prudencio

Managing Partner

Steven Fox

Managing Partner

Reece Pacheco

Partner

Robert Kittler

Chief Financial Officer

Melissa Hanson

Operations Leader

Sector focus

ClimateTechEnergy Transition & RenewablesIndustrial TechMobility & TransportationAgriTech & FoodTechRobotics & Automation

Frequently asked questions

What is Propeller's investment focus?

Propeller invests in early-stage ocean-climate companies. Its portfolio includes floating offshore wind, onboard carbon capture for shipping, autonomous underwater vehicles, maritime automation, and sustainable aquaculture. The firm concentrates on founders building physical or digital infrastructure for marine environments.

Who runs investment decisions at Propeller?

Investment decisions are led by Managing Partners Rodrigo Prudencio and Steven Fox, alongside General Partners Brian Halligan and Devdutt Yellurkar. Partner Reece Pacheco also contributes to the investment process. The team combines venture investing experience with operational backgrounds in company building.

Does Propeller invest in fund commitments or only direct deals?

Propeller's disclosed activities indicate direct investments into early-stage companies. The firm operates as a direct venture investor, funding founders at the seed and start-up stages. No fund-of-funds or LP commitments have been publicly disclosed.

What investment stages does Propeller target?

Propeller targets the earliest stages of company formation, specifically seed and start-up rounds. The firm's mandate is to back bold founders at the inception of ocean-climate innovation, providing capital when commercial traction is nascent and technology risk remains high.

How does Propeller source deals given its niche focus?

Propeller's sourcing draws on its team's deep ocean-climate networks and domain knowledge. The firm's distributed office model — spanning Silicon Valley, Toronto, Amman, and Amsterdam — provides proximity to coastal innovation hubs and research institutions worldwide. Its narrow mandate signals to scientist-founders that Propeller understands both the technology and the regulatory environments they navigate.

Is Propeller a single-family office or a venture firm?

Propeller is structured as a venture capital firm, not a family office. It functions as an asset manager raising external capital to deploy into early-stage ocean-climate companies. The firm's team of managing and general partners operates with a traditional venture fund model rather than a single-family balance sheet.

Which geographies does Propeller invest in?

Propeller invests globally in ocean-climate companies. Its own offices sit in the United States, Canada, Jordan, and the Netherlands, and its portfolio companies operate across coastal and marine environments in North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm's mandate is not constrained by a single country.

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