Outset Ventures invests in New Zealand deep tech companies.

Outset Ventures invests in
New Zealand deep tech companies.

Our unique facilities and extensive experience as founders mean we offer an unparalleled investment opportunity to back credible, innovative founders operating on the forefront of new industries.

We are raising capital for Fund II now – contact us to learn more about joining the Outset family.

The preferred lead investor of deep tech deals in New Zealand.

Our competitive advantage lies in the intersection of:

TEAM

With a deeply experienced partnership and a truly unrivalled investment committee (including Sir Peter Beck, Dr Sean Simpson and Dr Will Barker), we are the best positioned team to attract, identify and support deep tech ventures in New Zealand from their earliest stages to scale and exit.

Learn more about our team

FACILITIES

Our unique physical facilities are a honeypot for the best companies and founders. The best deep tech companies start here (Rocket Lab, LanzaTech, Mint Innovation) or want to move in. Our deep operational capability also means we are well suited to support companies based elsewhere.

Learn more about our facilities

NETWORKS

The Investment team sit at the nexus of the best technical talent in NZ and globally. This not only drives consistent referrals but allows us to wrap the best experts around companies for both diligence and portfolio support.

NETWORKS

The Investment team sit at the nexus of the best technical talent in NZ and globally. This not only drives consistent referrals but allows us to wrap the best experts around companies for both diligence and portfolio support.

ADVANTAGES

These advantages ensure we see, pick, and win the best deep tech deals in market. This flywheel of access and investing in the best will allow us to target upper quartile VC investment returns for our Limited Partners.

We invest in visionary founders with pioneering technologies that are creating the future industries of tomorrow, today.

We focus on the most promising physical science, deep tech start-ups.

Atoms not bits: New Zealand companies that are based on fundamental scientific advancements or engineering innovations, on the forefront of new industries. We invest in solutions in energy, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, future food, advanced materials, industrial chemistry, hardware, medical technologies, and biotech that have global relevance.

• Early stage investment opportunities (pre-seed, seed, Series A)

• Sufficiently deep technology that will be hard for others to replicate

• An obviously large addressable market

• Technical and compelling founders

View Portfolio

With Fund I fully deployed, we're raising for Fund II

First close is complete and first investments made

Fund II – Investment 1 | Ternary Kinetics

Heavy transport represents 12% of global transport energy. Ternary is transforming electrification of the heavy transport sector through a sustainable liquid energy source that can be stored, pumped, and shipped.

Founded at Outset Ventures by three second time founders with direct involvement from two IC members. We led the Pre-Seed round of $3m in an off-market deal, demonstrating our unique deal-flow access. Minimum Viable Product for on vehicle demonstration with commercial partners currently under development.

“Outset goes beyond being a day zero investor; they’re involved from day minus 100. From the earliest conception to leading our first round, they’ve accelerated our progress and helped us build a world-class board and team, unmatched anywhere else in the world.”

– Sean Malloy, Co-Founder

Fund II – Investment 2 | Open Star

Open Star are building a fusion reactor to generate safe, clean, carbon-free, base load electricity in a way that is economically scalable. They leverage a reactor geometry with known stable plasma physics… it’s not a Tokamak.

Pre-Seed and a $10m Seed round were both led by Outset Ventures Fund I with co-investment from Icehouse Ventures and Blackbird. Outset Ventures Fund II has invested alongside Fund I in a pre-Series A round at an attractive entry price. Founder and core team originate from Robinson Research Institute; home of the world leading HTS research team.

“When you start out to build a fusion reactor you need wildly ambitious people who can champion your vision. Angus and the Outset team tripled our initial ambitions, and round size, and followed through by helping us build a world class syndicate in a tough capital market. There’s no better lead for ambitious founders in NZ.”

– Ratu Mataira, Founder

Fund II – Investment 3 | E-Leviate

A medtech platform creating advanced non-surgical solutions for women’s health.

Their first product, E-Leviate, is a novel drug-device combination that provides structural and therapeutic support as a single integrated solution for a range of common gynecological conditions that affect 50%+ of women during their lifetime. Broad patents have been secured in the US, India and Australia demonstrating strong execution to-date. Pre-Seed round of $500k, led by Outset Ventures, to complete the initial clinical trials.

“As I take the next step with E-Leviate, I value being able to sit alongside other Deep Tech Entrepreneurs and the experienced team at Outset. Mike and Angus have helped me move much faster with the capital raise; I will always be grateful for the late night pitch practices!”

– Dr Prathima Chowdary, Founder

Interested in investing?

If you would like to learn more about Outset Fund II, leave your details and one of the Outset team will be in touch.