Seed-stage VC, US
Lux Capital
Venture capital firm · Menlo Park · Founded 2000
Quick read
Lux Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2000, headquartered in Menlo Park, US, with a presence in New York. It backs early-stage science and technology companies across AI, defense, life sciences, aerospace, and advanced hardware — areas others find too hard or too early. In January 2026, the firm closed its largest fund ever at $1.5B, bringing total AUM to over $7B across 44 people.
Key facts
- Founded
- 2000
- Founders
- Josh Wolfe, Peter Hebert
- Employees
- 44
- Sectors
- ai, hardware, healthcare, generalist
- Website
- www.luxcapital.com
Investment thesis
Lux backs early-stage science and technology companies at the frontier of what others consider too hard, too early, or too confusing — spanning AI, defense, life sciences, aerospace, and advanced hardware. The firm targets founders who are scientists, engineers, and inventors challenging physical limits, and stays invested across the full arc of company-building from first check to growth.
Recent activity
- Apr 2026leadershipZach Iscol joined Lux Capital as a Venture Partner, noted in the firm's 'Impossible to Inevitable' newsletter. en.wikipedia.org
- Apr 2026productLux Capital announced the f(Lux) Fellowship 2026, a summer program for science-forward builders, with applications due June 13, 2026. luxcapital.com
- Jan 2026fundraiseLux closed Fund IX (Lux Ventures IX) at $1.5B — the firm's largest fund to date, oversubscribed, focused on science and defense technology. Total AUM now exceeds $7B. en.wikipedia.org
- Jan 2026pressBloomberg reported the $1.5B fund close, highlighting Lux's sharpening focus on defense tech — roughly one-third of its 200+ investments are now defense-related. luxcapital.com
- 2025investmentLux co-led Applied Intuition's Series E, having first backed the company at Series A. Applied Intuition has scaled into the automotive AI software market. linkedin.com
- 2025investmentTogether AI raised a $106M funding round with Lux Capital participation. linkedin.com
- 2025pressPortfolio company Nominal became a unicorn in 2026, three years after Lux first invested, joining 30 unicorns in the Lux portfolio. tracxn.com
Notable investments
- Applied IntuitionSeries E2025linkedin.com
- Together AIGrowth2025linkedin.com
- NominalEarly stage2023tracxn.com
- Unconventional AIEarly stageUnknowntracxn.com
- LangChainEarly stageUnknowntracxn.com
- SaildroneEarly stageUnknownlinkedin.com
Key people
Named individuals at the firm. We don't expose direct email or phone — use their LinkedIn for outreach.
- Josh Wolfe · Co-Founder & Partner
- Peter Hebert · Co-Founder & Partner
- Shahin Farshchi · General Partner
Sources
Other VCs in United States
- Sequoia Capital · Generalist VC, Menlo Park·
- Andreessen Horowitz · Generalist VC, Menlo Park·
- Benchmark Capital · Early-stage VC, San Francisco·
- Founders Fund · Contrarian VC, San Francisco·
- Khosla Ventures · Multi-stage VC, Menlo Park·
- Greylock Partners · Early-stage VC, Menlo Park
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Frequently asked
What is Lux Capital?+
Lux Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2000, headquartered in Menlo Park, US, with a presence in New York. It backs early-stage science and technology companies across AI, defense, life sciences, aerospace, and advanced hardware — areas others find too hard or too early.
Where is Lux Capital headquartered?+
Lux Capital is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States.
When was Lux Capital founded?+
Lux Capital was founded in 2000 by Josh Wolfe, Peter Hebert.
What sectors does Lux Capital invest in?+
Lux Capital focuses on ai, hardware, healthcare, generalist. They primarily invest in these sectors.
How do I prepare for a meeting with Lux Capital?+
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Try Brief →Generated by briefthecall.com from public web sources. Last updated June 5, 2026. Each claim is linked to its source above.
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