first checks to exceptional founders pursuing
good quests.
first checks to exceptional
founders pursuing
good quests.
pre-idea? join our residency to explore at savant's hardware lab &
build alongside the best in physical ai for 3 months. no strings attached.
pre-idea? join our residency to explore at savant's hardware lab &
build alongside the best in physical ai for 3 months. no strings attached.
pre-idea? join our residency to explore at savant's hardware lab & build alongside the best in physical ai for 3 months. no strings attached.
physical agi is the next frontier
savant is an early-stage fund & founder ecosystem for builders creating new companies to achieve physical agi. we invest across the entire stack.
savant is an early-stage fund & founder ecosystem for builders creating new companies to achieve physical agi. we invest across the entire stack.
Savant is an early-stage fund & founder ecosystem for builders creating new companies toward Physical AGI. We invest across the entire Physical AI stack.
savant is an early-stage fund & founder ecosystem for builders creating new companies to achieve physical agi. we invest across the entire stack.
deployment Stack
autonomy Stack
deployment Stack
field operations
field operations
fleet management, Maintenance, teleoperation
fleet management, Maintenance, teleoperation
embodiment
embodiment
quadrupeds, humanoid, bimanual arms
quadrupeds, humanoid, bimanual arms
hardware Stack
cognitive Stack
intelligence
intelligence
LLMs, VLAs, wams
LLMs, VLAs, wams
training
training
robotics data, sims, world models, digital twins, eval
robotics data, sims, world models, digital twins, eval
cognitive Stack
hardware Stack
hardware & sensors
hardware & sensors
Actuators, tactile, dexterous end-effectors
Actuators, tactile, dexterous end-effectors
infrastructure
infrastructure
energy, compute, chips, critical minerals
energy, compute, chips, critical minerals
cognitive Stack
hardware
Stack
hardware Stack
cognitive
Stack
savant residency: 3 months to explore your quest
savant residency: 3 months to explore your quest
pre-idea? figure out your quest with a talent-dense group of peers, prototype in our 6,200 sqft hardware lab in SF, and get deep support from our team—equity free. When you're ready to build, we write the first check.
pre-idea? explore your quest with a talent-dense group of peers, prototype in our 6,200 sqft hardware lab in SF, and get deep support from our team—equity-free. When you're ready to build, we write the first check.
accelerate your build from our hardware lab & office space in sf
accelerate your build from our hardware lab & office space in sf
6,200 sq ft private hardware lab & office space purpose-built for the most ambitious founders working on frontier technologies. open 24/7, This is the launchpad for your quest.
6,200 sq ft private hardware lab & office space purpose-built for the most ambitious founders working on frontier technologies. open 24/7, This is the launchpad for your quest.
build conviction with a talent-dense physical ai network
build conviction with a talent-dense physical ai network
build your conviction with a selective group of founder peers in physical ai — trade ideas, test prototypes & maximize information serendipity. stay connected through our community slack and monthly dinners.
build your conviction with a selective group of founder peers in physical ai — trade ideas, test prototypes & maximize information serendipity. stay connected through our community slack and monthly dinners.
plug into the sf physical ai ecosystem through our highly-curated events
plug into the sf physical ai ecosystem through our highly-curated events
We host high-quality panels and dinners at our lab that bring together industry leaders, and high-signal builders & researchers— an incredible resource for finding collaborators, design partners, and sometimes your first customers.
We host high-quality panels and dinners at our lab that bring together industry leaders, and high-signal builders & researchers— an incredible resource for finding collaborators, design partners, and sometimes your first customers.
our space & community
our space & community
Savant is run by a team of hardtech-native founders
Jeson Lee
general partner
read bio
Adeel Zaman
venture partner
read bio
Ashis Ghosh
venture partner
read bio
FAQ
What is Savant?
savant is an early-stage fund, and an ecosystem for founders creating new companies in physical ai. we write first checks, investing up to $600k in pre-seed rounds.
I'm not ready to fundraise yet, can i explore as a resident at savant?
yes — that's exactly why we created savant residency: a 3-month residency that gives you full access to savant's resources while you figure out what to build next.
Who we look for:
builders (“resident”) who are still early in their journey: either preparing to leave their jobs in the next 2 months, or already exploring full-time, usually before raising a first institutional round.
Why be a savant resident?
being a savant resident gives you an unfair advantage to learn about new areas, meet potential collaborators, and build conviction in what you want to work on next in physical AI.
What do you get:
access to our hardware lab and office space, a selective community of exceptional peers, problem-solving sessions with our team & meet potential customers through our private events — no strings attached.
what does the resident community look like?
our community is a tight-knit group of highly technical, deeply ambitious founders starting new companies in physical ai, many of whom have spent time at frontier companies including Google Deepmind, Meta Superintelligence, 1X, Waymo, Aurora, Cruise,Dyna Robotics, Physical Intelligence, SpaceX & more.
we screen for individuals who possess high agency, deep mission alignment, and long-term thinking: people committed to dedicating the next chapter of their lives to building companies that push civilization forward.
by joining as a resident, you will be surrounded by exceptional peers who raise your standards, challenge your thinking, and push you to grow faster as a founder.
what does the savant lab consist of?
the lab is a 6,200+ sq ft space located in a vibrant part of san francisco (just a 4-minute walk from openai and physical intelligence) for savant residents and portfolio founders, it is free to use with 24/7 availability.
the savant lab includes:
a manufacturing room with a cnc machine, 3d printers, soldering stations, laser cutter, and more
a fully equipped podcast/media room
meeting & conference rooms
office space with individual & group workstations
event space with a built-in stage & audio system to host your own events and/or demos
What's the catch to being a savant resident?
there isn't one. everything savant offers during your residency is free, and anything you build during your time here is 100% yours — we take no equity and no ip.
We have two simple asks: 1) Be an active member of the community. Joining Savant is more of a commitment to the other founders than it is to Savant 2) If you decide to fundraise, please give us the opportunity to hear your pitch. Savant doesn’t guarantee or require an investment, but we do ask that you at least consider us as investors
How long is the savant residency?
your residency runs 3 months from your start date. And you may start at anytime once you're admitted. After these 3 months, many resident raise capital for their companies or graduate to work on their next endeavor full-time.
if you need more time to explore, we may consider an extension.
When is the deadline to apply?
We admit residents on a rolling basis and will start processing your application whenever you apply. Once admitted, you can choose when to start. From that point, you will have access to our resources for the next 3 months.
Do I need to be located in San Francisco to be a savant resident?
yes — the residency we are building is intentionally in person. we are looking for residents who can fully take advantage of what we offer: lab & office space, monthly dinners, and curated events. in practice, that usually means being based in SF.
i've already raised some money, can i still be a savant resident?
yes, as long as you have not raised a full institutional round, you can be a resident.
how do i apply?
apply directly through our website — whether you're exploring, starting something new, or ready to fundraise. no warm intro needed. we read every application and keep the process fair and merit-driven; if there's a fit, we'll reach out for a conversation. admissions are rolling, so apply whenever you're ready.
What is Savant?
savant is an early-stage fund, and an ecosystem for founders creating new companies in physical ai. we write first checks, investing up to $600k in pre-seed rounds.
I'm not ready to fundraise yet, can i explore as a resident at savant?
yes — that's exactly why we created savant residency: a 3-month residency that gives you full access to savant's resources while you figure out what to build next.
Who we look for:
builders (“resident”) who are still early in their journey: either preparing to leave their jobs in the next 2 months, or already exploring full-time, usually before raising a first institutional round.
Why be a savant resident?
being a savant resident gives you an unfair advantage to learn about new areas, meet potential collaborators, and build conviction in what you want to work on next in physical AI.
What do you get:
access to our hardware lab and office space, a selective community of exceptional peers, problem-solving sessions with our team & meet potential customers through our private events — no strings attached.
what does the resident community look like?
our community is a tight-knit group of highly technical, deeply ambitious founders starting new companies in physical ai, many of whom have spent time at frontier companies including Google Deepmind, Meta Superintelligence, 1X, Waymo, Aurora, Cruise,Dyna Robotics, Physical Intelligence, SpaceX & more.
we screen for individuals who possess high agency, deep mission alignment, and long-term thinking: people committed to dedicating the next chapter of their lives to building companies that push civilization forward.
by joining as a resident, you will be surrounded by exceptional peers who raise your standards, challenge your thinking, and push you to grow faster as a founder.
what does the savant lab consist of?
the lab is a 6,200+ sq ft space located in a vibrant part of san francisco (just a 4-minute walk from openai and physical intelligence) for savant residents and portfolio founders, it is free to use with 24/7 availability.
the savant lab includes:
a manufacturing room with a cnc machine, 3d printers, soldering stations, laser cutter, and more
a fully equipped podcast/media room
meeting & conference rooms
office space with individual & group workstations
event space with a built-in stage & audio system to host your own events and/or demos
What's the catch to being a savant resident?
there isn't one. everything savant offers during your residency is free, and anything you build during your time here is 100% yours — we take no equity and no ip.
We have two simple asks: 1) Be an active member of the community. Joining Savant is more of a commitment to the other founders than it is to Savant 2) If you decide to fundraise, please give us the opportunity to hear your pitch. Savant doesn’t guarantee or require an investment, but we do ask that you at least consider us as investors
How long is the savant residency?
your residency runs 3 months from your start date. And you may start at anytime once you're admitted. After these 3 months, many resident raise capital for their companies or graduate to work on their next endeavor full-time.
if you need more time to explore, we may consider an extension.
When is the deadline to apply?
We admit residents on a rolling basis and will start processing your application whenever you apply. Once admitted, you can choose when to start. From that point, you will have access to our resources for the next 3 months.
Do I need to be located in San Francisco to be a savant resident?
yes — the residency we are building is intentionally in person. we are looking for residents who can fully take advantage of what we offer: lab & office space, monthly dinners, and curated events. in practice, that usually means being based in SF.
i've already raised some money, can i still be a savant resident?
yes, as long as you have not raised a full institutional round, you can be a resident.
how do i apply?
apply directly through our website — whether you're exploring, starting something new, or ready to fundraise. no warm intro needed. we read every application and keep the process fair and merit-driven; if there's a fit, we'll reach out for a conversation. admissions are rolling, so apply whenever you're ready.
begin your quest
begin your quest
begin your quest
it takes 10 minutes. No referrals or intros needed. We read every submission, and review apps on a rolling basis.
it takes 10 minutes. No referrals or intros needed. We read every submission, and review apps on a rolling basis.