San Diego is more than just a great place to live; it's a serious city for founders seeking capital. Local venture firms have impressive track records, with players like Qualcomm Ventures funding over 500 startups and Correlation Ventures backing more than 400.
From life science specialists like Domain Associates to newer funds, there is a wide range of investors to consider. To help you get started, we've identified the firms that are actively shaping the local scene.
Below is our list of the best 9 VC firms in San Diego.
Failory's Top 9 Picks
Tool
Fundraising OS
Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.
Buy It For $97 $297 →Correlation Ventures uses world-class analytics to act as a fast, reliable co-investor, helping entrepreneurs and other VCs complete financing rounds. Their data-driven model supports companies across all stages and industries, with a portfolio that includes successes like Upstart.
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | David Coats, Trevor Kienzle |
| Total Funding | $360M |
| Average Check Size | $4M |
| Industries | Aerospace & Space, Biotech, Consumer, Healthcare, Hardware, Energy, Fintech, Industrial, Proptech & Real Estate, SaaS |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed, Series A, Growth |
| Nº of Investments | 410 (7 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 88 (12 IPO'd) |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Zebit, Virsto, Upstart |
| Contact | info@correlationvc.com / 650-353-3327 |
Founders First Capital Partners champions underrepresented entrepreneurs by providing revenue-based funding and business acceleration to companies led by women, minorities, and veterans. They build a supportive ecosystem around these businesses with advisory services, proprietary accelerator programs, and a learning platform designed for growth.
Founded by GV's former CEO Bill Maris, S32 invests at the frontiers of technology and healthcare, backing companies from seed to late stage. They aim to improve the human condition by accelerating the development of lifesaving medicines and technologies, with a portfolio that includes companies like Coinbase and Crowdstrike.
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Bill Maris |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 140 (30 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 24 (11 IPO'd) |
| Contact | press@section32.com |
Harpoon provides early-stage capital for technology companies, concentrating on the defense, aerospace, and national security industries. The firm has supported the growth of enduring businesses, backing industry leaders like SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril.
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Larsen Jensen, William Allen |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 41 (4 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
As the investment arm for Qualcomm, they fund companies from seed to late stage that are shaping the mobile technology ecosystem. Beyond capital, they provide founders with access to Qualcomm's deep industry expertise and relationships, having supported major exits like Waze, Fitbit, and Cruise Automation.
| Year Founded | 2000 |
| Founders | Paul E. Jacobs |
| Investment Stage | Convertible Note, Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 548 (132 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 144 (28 IPO'd) |
| Contact | +1 858-587-1121 |
With an exclusive focus on life sciences since 1985, Domain Associates invests in companies across the pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics sectors. They use their deep industry experience and $2 billion in capital to help form and grow ventures from early stages through private equity.
| Year Founded | 1985 |
| Founders | Jesse I. Treu |
| Total Funding | $1.2B |
| Industries | Life Sciences, Healthcare |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Private Equity |
| Nº of Investments | 305 (63 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 95 (51 IPO'd) |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Antios Therapeutics, Exalys, Seraphina Therapeutics |
| Contact | contact@domainvc.com / 609-683-5656 |
FusionX Ventures helps build the next generation of cloud-enabled smart machines by investing in early-stage companies. They specifically support startups that fuse hardware, software, and cloud services into products with a recurring revenue model.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Scott Dennis |
| Investment Stage | Convertible Note, Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 22 (4 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
Functioning as a startup studio, Launch Factory develops ventures in-house and then recruits founders to lead them. They provide these entrepreneurs with seed funding, validated technology, and an accelerator program to give them a head start.
Finistere Ventures backs entrepreneurs in agricultural technology and life sciences, supporting companies from seed to late-stage rounds. With a mission to transform agriculture and enhance food security, they provide portfolio companies with operational expertise and access to a global network of AgTech hubs.
| Year Founded | 2005 |
| Founders | Arama Kukutai, Jay Brumfield, Spencer Maughan |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 67 (20 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 7 |
| Contact | info@finistere.com / 858 793 7120 |