CIV Launches $200M Fund to Invest in Manufacturing, Energy, and AI Infrastructure Startups

A new venture capital firm, CIV, has launched with a $200 million inaugural fund aimed at investing in startups focused on manufacturing, energy, and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The firm seeks to back companies that are building critical physical-world technologies with national significance.

Notable backers include Gwynne Shotwell, COO of SpaceX, and Fred Wilson, co-founder of Union Square Ventures.

CIV plans to support 10 to 15 early-stage startups, leading or co-leading funding rounds and potentially incubating new businesses. The firm emphasizes investments in sectors that are capital-intensive and have been traditionally overlooked by venture capital, such as nuclear energy, advanced manufacturing, and AI infrastructure.

CIV’s approach reflects a broader trend in Silicon Valley to invest in “hard tech” and infrastructure projects that have substantial economic and societal impact.