Our Team
Our Team
Our Team
A Multidisciplinary Team
A Multidisciplinary Team
A Multidisciplinary Team
A Multidisciplinary Team
We’re pioneering a new way to invest in early-stage AI companies.
We’re pioneering a new way to invest in early-stage AI companies.
We’re pioneering a new way to invest in early-stage AI companies.
Jay Zhao
Founder & General Partner
Former partner at T Fund, Walden, and Granite Ventures. Former board member at Marqeta.
Jay Zhao
Founder & General Partner
Former partner at T Fund, Walden, and Granite Ventures. Former board member at Marqeta.
Jay Zhao
Founder & General Partner
Former partner at T Fund, Walden, and Granite Ventures. Former board member at Marqeta.
Jay Zhao
Founder & General Partner
Former partner at T Fund, Walden, and Granite Ventures. Former board member at Marqeta.
Jenny Xiao
Partner
Ph.D. in AI and economics at Columbia University. Former researcher at OpenAI.
Jenny Xiao
Partner
Ph.D. in AI and economics at Columbia University. Former researcher at OpenAI.
Jenny Xiao
Partner
Ph.D. in AI and economics at Columbia University. Former researcher at OpenAI.
Jenny Xiao
Partner
Ph.D. in AI and economics at Columbia University. Former researcher at OpenAI.
Liang Wu
Research Affiliate
Former Senior Researcher at HBS
Liang Wu
Research Affiliate
Former Senior Researcher at HBS
Liang Wu
Research Affiliate
Former Senior Researcher at HBS
Liang Wu
Research Affiliate
Former Senior Researcher at HBS
Isaac Schefer
CFO
CFO at Nakama Venture Solutions. Former senior project manager at Carta.
Isaac Schefer
CFO
CFO at Nakama Venture Solutions. Former senior project manager at Carta.
Isaac Schefer
CFO
CFO at Nakama Venture Solutions. Former senior project manager at Carta.
Isaac Schefer
CFO
CFO at Nakama Venture Solutions. Former senior project manager at Carta.
Tate Bregman
Venture Fellow (Engineering)
CS & Econ at Brown University
Tate Bregman
Venture Fellow (Engineering)
CS & Econ at Brown University
Tate Bregman
Venture Fellow (Engineering)
CS & Econ at Brown University
Tate Bregman
Venture Fellow (Engineering)
CS & Econ at Brown University
Oliver Wang
Venture Fellow
Ph.D. candidate in CSE @ MIT
Oliver Wang
Venture Fellow
Ph.D. candidate in CSE @ MIT
Oliver Wang
Venture Fellow
Ph.D. candidate in CSE @ MIT
Oliver Wang
Venture Fellow
Ph.D. candidate in CSE @ MIT
Armita Hosseini
Venture Fellow
CS & Econ at Stanford University
Armita Hosseini
Venture Fellow
CS & Econ at Stanford University
Armita Hosseini
Venture Fellow
CS & Econ at Stanford University
Armita Hosseini
Venture Fellow
CS & Econ at Stanford University
Kathy Feng
Executive Assistant
Kathy Feng
Executive Assistant
Kathy Feng
Executive Assistant
Kathy Feng
Executive Assistant
Val Gui
Venture Partner
Former VP at Upstart. Founder of Instamotor. Avid angel investor.
Val Gui
Venture Partner
Former VP at Upstart. Founder of Instamotor. Avid angel investor.
Val Gui
Venture Partner
Former VP at Upstart. Founder of Instamotor. Avid angel investor.
Val Gui
Venture Partner
Former VP at Upstart. Founder of Instamotor. Avid angel investor.
We are a venture fund that’s built like a startup and we’re trying to chart a new course in seed-and pre-seed-stage investing
We are a venture fund that’s built like a startup and we’re trying to chart a new course in seed-and pre-seed-stage investing
Founded in 2021, Leonis Capital was born from the vision that AI is a supercycle technology that would power the next industrial revolution. We realized the immense potential of technological breakthroughs and made it our mission to back the new generation of AI-first companies.
From day one, we’ve believed in a thesis-driven approach to investing and resisted the spray-and-pray style that unfortunately characterizes many early-stage investors.
Along the way, we have come to realize the massive perceptive gap between the world of cutting-edge research and venture capital -- it would take years, if not decades for VCs to realize a trend that’s been developing in research circles. But it is these trends that ultimately shape the face of technology startups.
We decided to pioneer a research-driven approach to investing in early-stage AI companies. This means investing a lot of time and energy in understanding the fundamental technological trends and their commercial applications.
Founded in 2021, Leonis Capital was born from the vision that AI is a supercycle technology that would power the next industrial revolution. We realized the immense potential of technological breakthroughs and made it our mission to back the new generation of AI-first companies.
From day one, we’ve believed in a thesis-driven approach to investing and resisted the spray-and-pray style that unfortunately characterizes many early-stage investors.
Along the way, we have come to realize the massive perceptive gap between the world of cutting-edge research and venture capital -- it would take years, if not decades for VCs to realize a trend that’s been developing in research circles. But it is these trends that ultimately shape the face of technology startups.
We decided to pioneer a research-driven approach to investing in early-stage AI companies. This means investing a lot of time and energy in understanding the fundamental technological trends and their commercial applications.
Founded in 2021, Leonis Capital was born from the vision that AI is a supercycle technology that would power the next industrial revolution. We realized the immense potential of technological breakthroughs and made it our mission to back the new generation of AI-first companies.
From day one, we’ve believed in a thesis-driven approach to investing and resisted the spray-and-pray style that unfortunately characterizes many early-stage investors.
Along the way, we have come to realize the massive perceptive gap between the world of cutting-edge research and venture capital -- it would take years, if not decades for VCs to realize a trend that’s been developing in research circles. But it is these trends that ultimately shape the face of technology startups.
We decided to pioneer a research-driven approach to investing in early-stage AI companies. This means investing a lot of time and energy in understanding the fundamental technological trends and their commercial applications.
Founded in 2021, Leonis Capital was born from the vision that AI is a supercycle technology that would power the next industrial revolution. We realized the immense potential of technological breakthroughs and made it our mission to back the new generation of AI-first companies.
From day one, we’ve believed in a thesis-driven approach to investing and resisted the spray-and-pray style that unfortunately characterizes many early-stage investors.
Along the way, we have come to realize the massive perceptive gap between the world of cutting-edge research and venture capital -- it would take years, if not decades for VCs to realize a trend that’s been developing in research circles. But it is these trends that ultimately shape the face of technology startups.
We decided to pioneer a research-driven approach to investing in early-stage AI companies. This means investing a lot of time and energy in understanding the fundamental technological trends and their commercial applications.
Meet Our Research Team
Meet Our Research Team
Meet Our Research Team
A world‑class group of researchers, engineers, and subject‑matter experts as venture fellows to power our insights.
A world‑class group of researchers, engineers, and subject‑matter experts as venture fellows to power our insights.
A world‑class group of researchers, engineers, and subject‑matter experts as venture fellows to power our insights.
Get Started
Research-driven investors for technical founders
Our mission is to turn groundbreaking AI research into transformative investments, fueling the next generation of AI-native startups.
Get Started
Research-driven investors for technical founders
Our mission is to turn groundbreaking AI research into transformative investments, fueling the next generation of AI-native startups.
Get Started
Research-driven investors for technical founders
Our mission is to turn groundbreaking AI research into transformative investments, fueling the next generation of AI-native startups.
Get Started
Research-driven investors for technical founders
Our mission is to turn groundbreaking AI research into transformative investments, fueling the next generation of AI-native startups.
© 2025 Leonis Capital. All rights reserved.
© 2025 Leonis Capital. All rights reserved.
© 2025 Leonis Capital. All rights reserved.
© 2025 Leonis Capital. All rights reserved.