8VC is an American venture capital firm founded in 2015 by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. Originally called "8 Partners," the firm emerged from much of the team at the dissolved Formation 8 and is now headquartered in Austin, Texas after moving there in 2020.

Point72 Ventures is the venture capital arm of billionaire Steve Cohen's Point72 Asset Management, founded in 2016. What started as Cohen applying his capital to early- and growth-stage technology startups has evolved into a sophisticated venture operation that has backed over 130 companies across fintech, AI/ML, enterprise software, healthcare, and defense tech.

Alumni Ventures (AV) started in 2014 with a simple but powerful idea: leverage alumni networks to democratize access to venture capital investing. What began as a single Dartmouth alumni fund has grown into a network-powered VC firm managing approximately $1.4-1.5 billion across 25+ funds, backed by over 11,000 investors.

In-Q-Tel (IQT) is the CIA's nonprofit venture arm, founded in 1999 to ensure U.S. intelligence agencies have access to cutting-edge commercial technology. Operating as a 501(c)(3) strategic investment firm, IQT is funded largely by U.S. intelligence budgets and has built an impressive portfolio of roughly 800 investments over its 25+ year history.

First In Ventures launched in 2020 with a focused mission: back cybersecurity, defense tech, and data startups, especially those founded by military veterans. This early-stage VC firm closed its Fund I in early 2022 at roughly $55 million total, after starting with an initial close of about $17 million in June 2021.

Founded in 2000, Lux Capital has grown into one of the most prominent venture firms backing ambitious science and technology companies. With roughly $5 billion under management across about 10 flagship and opportunity funds, Lux operates at a scale that allows them to make big bets on capital-intensive "hard tech" opportunities.

IronGate Capital Advisors operates from Tampa, Florida, with a clear mission: deploy private capital into early-stage companies whose advanced technologies serve both U.S. defense/intelligence needs and civilian markets. This "dual-use" approach lets them back startups that can scale across multiple sectors while strengthening national security capabilities.

R Squared (Risk & Return) Ventures launched in 2020 with a focused mission: bolster "national resilience" through strategic technology investments. This U.S.-based early-stage venture firm operates at the intersection of national security, healthcare, and emerging technologies, backing innovations that can strengthen America's capabilities while generating strong returns.

Scout Ventures started in 2012 (originally as BHV Entrepreneurship) with a unique thesis: back tech founders with military, intelligence, or national lab backgrounds who are tackling the hardest technical challenges. Over more than a decade, this Austin-based firm has evolved into a leading dual-use technology investor, bridging commercial innovation with national security applications.

Shield Capital launched in 2021 with a clear mission: invest in "frontier technologies" that serve both commercial markets and national security needs. Co-founders Philip Bilden and Raj Shah established the firm to back innovators working on artificial intelligence, autonomy, cybersecurity, and space technologies - all critical areas for defense and dual-use applications.

Silent Ventures is a Dallas-based venture capital firm that launched in 2022 with a laser focus on early-stage aerospace, defense, national security, and deep technology startups. Founded by serial entrepreneur Jackson Moses, the firm has quickly established itself as a key player in the defense tech ecosystem, backing dozens of cutting-edge companies building everything from autonomous drones to hypersonic missiles.

Squadra Ventures started in 2019 when Guy Filippelli decided to become the investor he wished he'd had as a founder. After successfully building and selling his cybersecurity startup RedOwl Analytics to Raytheon/Forcepoint for $54 million in 2017, Filippelli saw a gap in the venture capital world. Too many VCs in the defense and cybersecurity space weren't adding real value beyond writing checks.

Starburst Aerospace started in 2012 as something pretty unique – the world's first global aerospace accelerator. What began as an accelerator program has evolved into a major venture investor with serious funding muscle behind it.

Stony Lonesome Group (SLG) has carved out a unique niche in the venture world since its founding in 2011. Now based in Tampa, Florida, this firm has built its reputation around dual-use technology startups – companies that serve both commercial and defense markets – with a particular focus on veteran-led ventures.

TFX Capital (Task Force X Capital) has a pretty focused mission that sets it apart in the venture world. Founded in 2015 by Brandon Shelton, a U.S. Army veteran, and based in the Charlotte/Fort Mill area spanning North Carolina and South Carolina, TFX exclusively backs early-stage B2B technology startups led by former military and national security leaders.

Valor Ventures has a pretty remarkable founding story. Back in 2015, Lisa Calhoun launched what would become the first woman-led institutional VC fund in Georgia. Based in Atlanta, Valor started with a clear mission: pair capital with courage to back extraordinary founders, particularly those who might be overlooked by coastal VCs.

Moonshots Capital started with a pretty compelling origin story. Back in 2017, two West Point graduates and military veterans – Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings – decided to formalize what they'd been doing as angel investors since 2014. Based between Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California, these guys had a clear vision: back startups led by extraordinary leaders, particularly U.S. military veterans and battle-tested repeat founders.

J2 Ventures launched around 2020 with a pretty unique founding story. Alexander Harstrick, a U.S. Army Reserve combat veteran, teamed up with Jonathan Bronson, a PhD chemist with Wall Street experience. The two actually met years earlier as EMTs at Columbia University and later reconnected with a shared vision to support "dual-use" technologies – basically innovations that work for both military and civilian markets.