Observed Signal · Apr 6, 2026 · Funding · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
OpenAI Alums Launch Zero Shot VC Fund
Zero Shot, a new venture fund founded by several OpenAI alumni, has held a first close en route to a $100 million target and has already made multiple investments. The founding team includes Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, Shawn Jain, Kelly Kovacs and Brett Rounsaville. Zero Shot has backed Worktrace AI (founded by former OpenAI product manager Angela Jiang), Foundry Robotics, and a third stealth startup. The partners say their OpenAI experience gives them conviction about which AI ideas to back and which to avoid, citing skepticism about areas like "vibe coding," certain robotics video-data approaches and many digital-twin startups. Advisors include Diane Yoon, Steve Dowling and Luke Miller.
A new VC fund founded by experienced OpenAI alumni can accelerate early-stage GenAI and robotics startups by directing specialized capital and domain expertise, but it is not an industry‑shifting platform or policy change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Zero Shot is a new venture capital fund started by multiple OpenAI alumni.
- The fund has completed a first close (about $20 million) toward a $100 million target.
- Founding partners are Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, Shawn Jain, Kelly Kovacs and Brett Rounsaville.
- Zero Shot has invested in Worktrace AI and Foundry Robotics, plus a third stealth startup.
- Advisors to the fund include Diane Yoon, Steve Dowling and Luke Miller.
Connected Companies & Entities
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OpenAI Alumni Launch 18 Startups: A New Tech Revolution
TechCrunch profiles at least 18 startups founded by former OpenAI employees, describing a growing alumni network that has produced rival companies, deep‑tech startups and well‑funded ventures. The article lists companies alphabetically — from Adept AI Labs, Anthropic and Applied Compute to Safe Superintelligence and Thinking Machines Lab — and reports recent funding rounds, valuations and notable hires or exits (for example, founders hired by Amazon). Several startups have raised large sums despite limited products, and some founders have returned to or remain connected with OpenAI. The piece highlights investor interest in ex‑OpenAI founders and notes additional stealth startups launched by former staff.
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