first checks to exceptional founders pursuing
good quests.
first checks to exceptional
founders pursuing
good quests.
first checks to exceptional founders pursuing
good quests.
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
autonomy Stack
field operations
field operations
fleet management, Maintenance, teleoperation
fleet management, Maintenance, teleoperation
embodiment
embodiment
robots, drones, Defense systems
robots, drones, Defense systems
hardware Stack
cognitive Stack
intelligence
intelligence
LLMs, VLAs, policy models, spatial intelligence
LLMs, VLAs, policy models, spatial intelligence
training
training
robotics data, sims, world models, digital twins, eval
robotics data, sims, world models, digital twins, eval
cognitive Stack
hardware Stack
Hardware & manufacturing
Hardware & manufacturing
Actuators, tactile, dexterous end-effectors, manufacturing
infrastructure
infrastructure
energy, compute, chips, critical minerals
energy, compute, chips, critical minerals
cognitive Stack
hardware
Stack
hardware Stack
cognitive
Stack
explore your quest in physical ai with our resources & community
explore your quest in physical ai with our resources & community
Starting a company in physical AI? Explore with a private hardware lab, powerful network of peers, and founder-led support — no string attached
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. 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. This is the launchpad for your quest.
join a talent-dense network of founders building across the physical ai stack
join a talent-dense network of founders building across the physical ai stack
build alongside a selective group of peers who are starting new companies in physical ai. get access to our community slack, monthly dinners, and curated physical ai events with industry experts.
build alongside a selective group of peers who are starting new companies in physical ai. get access to our community slack, monthly dinners, and curated physical ai events with industry experts.
raise from the most strategic investors in physical AI
raise from the most strategic investors in physical AI
there is no shortage of capital in the market. what's hard is finding investors who are deeply strategic and can actually accelerate you. our network brings together the most relevant deep tech-native investors— helping you build the right relationships and raise faster.
there is no shortage of capital in the market. what's hard is finding investors who are deeply strategic and can actually accelerate you. our network brings together the most relevant deep tech-native investors— helping you build the right relationships and raise faster.
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?
What:
savant is an early-stage fund, and an ecosystem for founders creating new companies in physical ai.
Who:
we look for builders (“explorers”) who are still early in their journey: those preparing to leave their jobs within the next 2 months, or those already exploring full-time, often before raising their first institutional round.
What you get:
you get access to our hardware lab & office space, a tight-knit community of exceptional peers, monthly dinners, problem-solving sessions with our team, curated events with industry experts, and our investor network — no string attached.
what's the catch?
There's no string attached. you get all of Savant's resources to help with your exploration for free.
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
Do you invest? And how?
yes, we invest up to $600k into pre-seed rounds.
what does the 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 labs, startups, and tech companies including 1X, Waymo, Dyna Robotics, Nvidia, 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, 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 selected explorers 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
How long do I get to explore at savant?
Explorers typically spend up to 4 months exploring at Savant. After these 4 months, many explorers 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.
Do I need to be located in San Francisco to be a part of the community?
yes — the community we are building is intentionally in person. we are looking for explorers 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.
When is the deadline to apply?
We admit Explorers 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 4 months.
I'm exploring / starting something new. how can I be an "explorer" or raise funding from you?
apply directly through our website. no warm intro needed. we read every application and keep the process fair & merit-driven. if there’s a fit, we’ll reach out for a conversation.
What if my startup idea is not within your focus areas?
you’re still welcome to apply, as we are open to investing in a select few companies outside our thesis. however, our resources, support, and expertise are best suited for those who are in-thesis.
What is Savant?
What:
savant is an early-stage fund, and an ecosystem for founders creating new companies in physical ai.
Who:
we look for builders (“explorers”) who are still early in their journey: those preparing to leave their jobs within the next 2 months, or those already exploring full-time, often before raising their first institutional round.
What you get:
you get access to our hardware lab & office space, a tight-knit community of exceptional peers, monthly dinners, problem-solving sessions with our team, curated events with industry experts, and our investor network — no string attached.
what's the catch?
There's no string attached. you get all of Savant's resources to help with your exploration for free.
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
Do you invest? And how?
yes, we invest up to $600k into pre-seed rounds.
what does the 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 labs, startups, and tech companies including 1X, Waymo, Dyna Robotics, Nvidia, 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, 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 selected explorers 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
How long do I get to explore at savant?
Explorers typically spend up to 4 months exploring at Savant. After these 4 months, many explorers 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.
Do I need to be located in San Francisco to be a part of the community?
yes — the community we are building is intentionally in person. we are looking for explorers 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.
When is the deadline to apply?
We admit Explorers 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 4 months.
I'm exploring / starting something new. how can I be an "explorer" or raise funding from you?
apply directly through our website. no warm intro needed. we read every application and keep the process fair & merit-driven. if there’s a fit, we’ll reach out for a conversation.
What if my startup idea is not within your focus areas?
you’re still welcome to apply, as we are open to investing in a select few companies outside our thesis. however, our resources, support, and expertise are best suited for those who are in-thesis.
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.