Ex-OpenAI Researcher's Leonis Capital Raises $25M for AI Startups

Leonis Capital, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with strong ties to a former OpenAI researcher, has successfully closed a new $25 million fund aimed at discovering and nurturing the next generation of artificial intelligence powerhouses. The firm, established in 2021, explicitly states its mission is to unearth and support the nascent companies poised to mirror the transformative impact of industry leaders like OpenAI.

This substantial capital infusion comes from a diverse group of investors, including established institutional players alongside a notable roster of researchers and executives from leading AI and technology giants such as Nvidia Corp., OpenAI, and Anthropic. The involvement of key figures from these influential companies underscores the new fund’s strategic focus and potential reach within the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Leonis Capital has already demonstrated its investment acumen, having fully deployed its inaugural $10 million fund. That initial capital was channeled into a range of AI-native startups, companies built from the ground up with artificial intelligence as their core technology. Among its early investments are firms like MaintainX and Motion, signaling the venture firm’s commitment to identifying and backing promising ventures in this burgeoning field. The new $25 million fund will allow Leonis to significantly expand its investment capacity and deepen its engagement with emerging talent in the artificial intelligence ecosystem.