Foothill Ventures

Foothill Ventures is a technology-focused venture fund that invests in seed to A-round startups across various sectors, including software, life sciences, and deep tech. The firm is headquartered in Los Altos, California, and has a team with deep experience working in both the US and China. The team is highly technical, with seven PhDs and over 150 patents filed among its members.

The firm primarily invests in early-stage companies, focusing on sectors such as technology, healthcare, life sciences, and deep tech. Foothill Ventures has a preference for highly technical founders and has a history of supporting immigrant entrepreneurs. The firm has made investments in companies like Visionular, a video encoder company, and has a track record of successful exits.

Foothill Ventures was formerly known as Tsingyuan Ventures and rebranded in 2021 to expand its services to a wider group of firms, most of which are not tied to China. The rebranding pays homage to the area of California where it’s based, at the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and represents the company’s aspirations of wanting every one of its investments to be a ‘mighty mountain,’ but always beginning the process at the foothills. The firm has closed a $100 million fund and continues to focus on seed-stage investments in technical, usually immigrant founders and their businesses.