Zero Shot Fund Closes $20M First Close, Targets $100M
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- Zero Shot announced its first close on a $100 million target, having already secured $20 million from institutions and family offices.
- Zero Shot’s founding team includes former OpenAI staff Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, and Shawn Jain, alongside VC Kelly Kovacs and former Twitter/Disney exec Brett Rounsaville.
- Zero Shot invested in Worktrace AI, led by former OpenAI product manager Angela Jiang, and in Foundry Robotics, with a third stealth startup also funded.
- Zero Shot’s partners say they will avoid “vibe coding” platforms, “ergo‑centric video data” robotics startups, and most “digital twins” projects, citing skepticism about near‑term viability.
- Zero Shot secured advisors Diane Yoon, Steve Dowling, and Luke Miller, all former OpenAI leaders, who will receive a share of the fund’s carried interest.
- Zero Shot’s name references the AI training term “zero‑shot,” reflecting the founders’ belief they can spot promising AI directions better than many VCs.
Why it matters: Startups like Worktrace AI and Foundry Robotics gain early capital and credibility from a fund run by insiders who claim to know AI’s next moves, while hype‑driven sectors such as vibe‑coding platforms and video‑data robotics startups are left without backing, tightening funding toward practical AI applications.
