Santa Clara is a core part of Silicon Valley, and its funding environment is a direct reflection of that. Here, you'll find the venture arms of major tech companies investing alongside smaller, more focused funds.

Firms like Intel Capital have backed well over 1,600 companies and seen more than 500 exits. Others, like Better Capital, have built portfolios with more than 170 investments in early-stage startups.

Below is our list of the best 10 VC firms in Santa Clara.

Failory's Top 10 Picks

NVentures Logo

As the venture capital arm of NVIDIA, NVentures funds early-stage companies at the forefront of technological innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence. The firm supports founders developing groundbreaking AI by offering them access to NVIDIA's deep technical expertise and global ecosystem.

Year Founded2021
Founders—
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage
Nº of Investments63 (21 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits—

As a micro venture firm, Better Capital invests in early-stage and seed companies that prioritize profitability and delivering value. Through their operating portfolio, Better Labs, the firm also creates and funds its own product businesses.

Year Founded2018
FoundersVaibhav Domkundwar
Investment StageEarly Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments170 (53 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits10
Contact(952) 758-2304

U First Capital builds and manages dedicated investment funds for corporations through its Venture Capital as a Service model. They connect these corporate partners with early-stage startups and university technologies to help them achieve specific strategic and financial goals.

Year Founded2018
FoundersEkta Dang, Sanjit Dang
Investment StageEarly Stage
Nº of Investments4
Nº of Exits—
Contactinfo@ufirstcapital.com / 4085823141

As Intel's global investment organization, they provide capital to startups in deep tech sectors including AI, 5G, autonomy, and silicon manufacturing. This support has helped launch category-defining companies such as DocuSign and Razer.

Year Founded1991
FoundersDave Johnson, Les Vadasz, Peter Levin
Total Funding$12.5B
Average Check Size$50M
IndustriesCloud, AR & VR, Gaming, Hardware, Manufacturing
Investment StageConvertible Note, Early Stage, Late Stage, Post-Ipo, Private Equity, Seed, Series A
Nº of Investments1612 (565 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits520 (91 IPO'd)
Top Portfolio StartupsRazer, Animoca Brands, Docusign
ContactIntel.Capital@intel.com

As the venture capital arm of the LG Group, LG Technology Ventures invests in early-stage companies across information technology, automotive, manufacturing, and life sciences. They help portfolio companies succeed by creating strategic partnerships with the various businesses within the LG Group.

Year Founded2018
FoundersKoo In-Hwoi
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Post-Ipo, Seed
Nº of Investments72 (18 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits10 (3 IPO'd)
Contactcontact@lgtechventures.com / 1-669-212-6190

As the venture capital arm of nanomanufacturing leader Applied Materials, Applied Ventures invests in early-stage deep technology companies. Their strategic funding helps accelerate startups in fields like semiconductors and life sciences, developing technologies that complement the parent company's core business.

Year Founded2006
FoundersAnand Kamannavar
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments99 (25 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits19 (5 IPO'd)
Contactapplied_ventures@amat.com / 408-563-5300

Heuristic Capital backs early-stage hardware companies. Drawing on personal startup experience, they help founders navigate the hurdles of prototyping, financing, and manufacturing.

Year Founded2016
FoundersMichael Liao
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments24 (1 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits5 (1 IPO'd)
Contactrickywang@lab360.com

ServiceNow Ventures invests in companies building next-generation enterprise software solutions. They support startups at both early and late stages, providing capital and strategic guidance to help them succeed in the enterprise market.

Year Founded2012
Founders—
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage
Nº of Investments23 (7 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits2
Contact(408) 501-8550

Venture Capital College of America provides training programs for entrepreneurs who want to enter the venture capital industry. Its applied education model uses leading members of the VC industry as faculty, delivering programs that reflect current market conditions and professional standards.

Year Founded2016
Founders—
Investment Stage—
Nº of Investments—
Nº of Exits—
Contactinfo@usavcc.com

Oriza Ventures invests in early-stage US technology companies, backing passionate founders with disruptive ideas. Drawing from their own entrepreneurial backgrounds, the partners provide mentorship and access to a unique cross-border network spanning China and Silicon Valley.

Year Founded2015
FoundersAlex Liang, John Yu
Investment StageEarly Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments47 (1 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits5