Breakout Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded in 2016 that backs scientist-entrepreneurs building companies at the intersection of technology, biology, chemistry, and materials. With over $230 million under management across three funds, the firm positions itself as the first institutional check for founders who are PhDs commercializing their own research or deep-domain operators who understand the science behind their company.
Breakout focuses on the convergence of AI and science across biotech, life sciences, materials science, neurotechnology, robotics, and developer infrastructure. The firm is particularly drawn to founders solving problems where the underlying science creates a durable competitive advantage.
Breakout announced the close of Fund III at $114 million in March 2026, its largest fund to date. The fund received support from returning LPs including Cortes Capital, S-Cubed Capital, The Kraft Group, Pinegrove Venture Partners, and an affiliate of LH Capital, while adding new limited partners including JIMCO (the global investment arm of the Jameel family) and Korea Omega Investment Corporation.
The fund brings total assets under management to more than $230 million across three vehicles and is actively deploying capital into seed-stage companies, with plans to invest in more than 20 companies.
Leadership
Lindy Fishburne and Julia Moore serve as co-founders and managing partners. Fishburne, a Duke alumna who previously worked with Peter Thiel building Breakout Labs, has spent her career investing in science-driven companies before consensus said it was viable. Moore brings a background in Wall Street equity research and deep experience guiding science-heavy founders from pitch to scale. The investment team also includes Dana Watt (Partner, diagnostics founder), Nima Ronaghi (Partner, organic chemist and PhD), and James Chan (CFO).
Investment Strategy
Breakout leads pre-seed and seed rounds as the first institutional check, writing initial checks of $500K to $5M with reserves for follow-on. The firm takes a hands-on role with portfolio companies, providing support through its Founder Success platform and a network of scientific advisors. Breakout specifically seeks founders who have deep scientific expertise and are building companies where the science itself creates the moat.
Notable Investments
The portfolio spans biotech, materials science, and AI-enabled life sciences:
Notable Exits
The firm has produced notable outcomes across its earlier funds:
Other
Breakout Labs, the Thiel Foundation grant program that preceded this fund, provides a broader ecosystem connection for founders in deep science. Founders can submit pitches directly through the Breakout website. The firm has an explicit focus on supporting underrepresented founders in the science and deep tech space.
United States
