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§ Venture Capital · San Mateo, CA, USA
Fellowship and non-dilutive grant program funding entrepreneurs with high-reward ideas for global social impact.
Emergent Ventures is a Northern Virginia-based fellowship and grant program that provides non-dilutive funding to entrepreneurs developing highly scalable projects designed to improve society. Operating as a low-overhead initiative administered through the Mercatus Center, the organization distributes financial grants ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 to support both for-profit startups and non-profit endeavors globally. The program maintains a highly selective evaluation process for its applicants, historically recording an approximate 10% acceptance rate from initial pools of over 800 total applications. The organization has financially supported a diverse portfolio of international initiatives and early-stage companies, including recognizable names such as Clever Harvey, gradCapital, Pratibha Poshak, and Commenda.io. In 2020, the program expanded its international footprint by launching a dedicated India branch co-directed by Shruti Rajagopalan to fund regional incubators. Emergent Ventures was founded in 2018 by Tyler Cowen.
Key people at Emergent Ventures.
Emergent Ventures was founded in 2016 by Ankur Jain (Founder & Partner).
Emergent Ventures has more than 26 tracked investments across 24 companies. The latest tracked deal is $30.0M Series B in Prezent AI in October 2025.
Key people at Emergent Ventures.
Emergent Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture firm focused on seed-stage investments in transformative AI-powered software and enterprise infrastructure startups. The firm’s mission is to empower ambitious founders building the next generation of intelligent SaaS and enterprise solutions, with a particular emphasis on companies leveraging artificial intelligence to drive innovation. Their investment philosophy centers on early-stage conviction, hands-on partnership, and strategic support to help startups achieve product-market fit, scale operations, and navigate key growth milestones. Key sectors include Application SaaS, Cloud, Data Infrastructure, Security, Vertical SaaS, and Developer Tools. By backing high-potential founders and connecting them to a network of experienced entrepreneurs and executives, Emergent Ventures plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of enterprise technology.
Founded in the heart of Silicon Valley, Emergent Ventures was established by a team of seasoned investors and operators with deep roots in venture capital and startup growth. Key partners include Anupam Rastogi, a lead investor in enterprise and SaaS, and other general partners with extensive backgrounds in finance, data, and corporate venture capital. The firm evolved from a focus on early-stage enterprise software to a specialized approach centered on AI-driven innovation, reflecting the rapid transformation of the tech landscape. Over the years, Emergent Ventures has built a reputation for identifying and supporting founders at the earliest stages, often before a product is even built, and helping them scale into breakout companies.
Emergent Ventures is riding the wave of AI-driven transformation in enterprise software, a trend that is reshaping how businesses operate and compete. The timing is critical, as enterprises increasingly demand intelligent, scalable solutions to manage data, automate workflows, and enhance productivity. By focusing on AI-powered SaaS and infrastructure, Emergent is at the forefront of this shift, enabling startups to build products that address real-world business challenges. Their influence extends beyond capital, as they help integrate new technologies into large organizations and foster a culture of innovation within the broader tech ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Emergent Ventures is well-positioned to continue shaping the future of enterprise AI. As the demand for intelligent software grows, the firm’s early-stage focus and hands-on approach will remain a key advantage. The next wave of innovation is likely to come from startups that combine AI with vertical-specific applications, and Emergent’s expertise in both technology and corporate integration will be crucial in identifying and scaling these opportunities. Their influence will only grow as more enterprises seek strategic partners to navigate the complexities of digital transformation. Emergent Ventures is not just funding startups—they’re helping to build the foundation of the next generation of enterprise technology.
