8 VC

Technology Focus Areas (Top 4): Healthcare; Logistics; Advanced Manufacturing; FinTech

Series: Seed & Series A

Locations: Austin, TX

History of 8VC

From Formation 8 to Austin Powerhouse

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.

The firm has raised six flagship funds since its inception, with fund sizes growing dramatically from the mid-hundreds of millions in early funds to nearly $1 billion in recent vintages. Fund V, announced in March 2023, raised $880 million, while Fund VI in March 2025 closed at $998 million. According to 8VC, the firm now manages over $6 billion in committed capital across all funds and special vehicles.

8VC typically writes checks ranging from roughly $100,000 up to $50 million, investing at all stages from pre-seed through Series B and beyond. Across its funds, 8VC has made approximately 500 investments, focusing on companies they believe can "fix a broken world."

Leadership Team with Proven Track Records

Joe Lonsdale serves as Founder and Managing Partner, bringing heavyweight Silicon Valley credentials. As a co-founder of Palantir Technologies (now public), he also founded Addepar (wealth-tech platform with $7 trillion on the platform) and OpenGov (sold for $1.8 billion). His early investments include Anduril (defense), Oculus VR (acquired by Facebook for $2 billion), Guardant Health, Oscar Health, Illumio, Wish, Blend Labs, Flexport, and Joby Aviation. Lonsdale is known for the firm's mission "to fix a broken world" and for aggressively backing founders early.

Drew Oetting serves as Founding Partner, focusing on vertical software, health delivery, and biomanufacturing. A former partner at Formation 8 and Lonsdale's former Chief of Staff, he now leads many 8VC investments. Oetting co-founded Affinity (enterprise relationship management) and regularly speaks on venture culture through podcasts and industry events.

Alex Kolicich is a Founding Partner specializing in IT infrastructure and biotech. Previously a Partner at Formation 8 and Principal at Mithril (Peter Thiel's fund), he worked on investments in AppDirect, C2FO, and Helion Energy, and advised early teams at Palantir and Google.

Kimmy Scotti focuses on healthcare and consumer sectors as Founding Partner. Before 8VC, she led business development at a New York family office and co-founded a direct-to-consumer healthcare company. She's also co-founder and executive chairman of consumer startups Fig.1 (skincare) and Dear Kate (women's health).

Jake Medwell serves as Co-founder and Partner, specializing in logistics and transportation. He co-founded startups including Terminal Logistics (AI yard management), BATON (acquired by Ryder Systems in 2022), and consumer app Humin (acquired by IAC). Medwell leads 8VC's logistics practice, which was ranked #1 globally in 2022.

Active Media and Content Strategy

8VC maintains a visible presence in tech media and community discussions. Major outlets like TechCrunch regularly cover the firm's activities, from fund announcements to investment philosophy. The firm has drawn attention both for its successes and occasionally for controversies around Lonsdale's public statements.

The firm runs its own blog on 8vc.com where partners announce investments and share insights. Recent posts include "Announcing the Augment-8VC Partnership" and "Announcing Our Investment in Overland AI." The Fund V and Fund VI announcements were detailed posts explaining the firm's thesis and approach.

8VC partners regularly appear on industry podcasts and videos. Drew Oetting has given multiple interviews about 8VC's culture and strategy, while the firm published a "How 8VC Builds Billion-Dollar Companies" video featuring team discussions about Palantir, Addepar, and other successes. The Chat8VC series hosts fireside chats with portfolio company teams.

Portfolio Success Stories

8VC has invested in roughly 500 companies across industries including logistics, AI, life sciences, fintech, defense, healthtech, and consumer sectors. Many 8VC-backed startups have become major businesses or achieved lucrative exits, often with 8VC as an early partner.

Major successes include companies where Lonsdale was involved from the founding stages: Palantir (co-founded by Lonsdale, later went public), Addepar ($7 trillion in assets under management), and OpenGov ($1.8 billion exit). Other notable portfolio companies include Anduril (defense AI unicorn), Oscar Health and Guardant Health (both NASDAQ IPOs), and Slack (acquired by Salesforce for $27 billion).

Broader portfolio spans Asana, Blend Labs (NYSE), Flexport (logistics unicorn), Mammoth Biosciences (gene editing), Wish (NASDAQ), Hims & Hers (telehealth unicorn), and Qualia (acquired by RealPage). The firm reports dozens of portfolio unicorns and exit events, with industry data suggesting around 15 IPOs and 30+ acquisitions from 8VC startups.

The Augment example illustrates 8VC's approach to repeat entrepreneurs. When Augment's founders (who had previously built logistics firm Deliverr, which exited to Shopify for $2.1 billion in 2022 with 8VC's support) started their new AI company, 8VC again led their Series A round. This demonstrates the firm's commitment to long-term partnerships with proven founders.

The 8VC Investment Philosophy

8VC often invests very early in the seed stage and provides active support beyond capital. As Joe Lonsdale has noted, the firm maintains a seed program to back founders before other VCs even see them. His first venture check went to Wish, which grew to billions in annual revenue.

The firm emphasizes its Build program, where they launch new companies in challenging sectors rather than just investing in existing startups. This hands-on approach extends to board participation, recruiting assistance, and strategic guidance throughout a company's growth journey.

8VC's team sits on boards of portfolio companies and provides recruiting, engineering, and market strategy help. This reflects their stated commitment to give founders significant resources and time to build transformational companies.

From Startup to $6 Billion Fund

8VC's history represents rapid growth in the venture capital world. From its founding in 2015 to raising a nearly billion-dollar fund in 2025, the firm has established itself as a major player in backing ambitious entrepreneurs.

The partnership-driven approach, including co-building startups through their Build program, has helped launch and scale many noteworthy companies across multiple sectors. Their portfolio achievements - IPOs, unicorns, and high-impact acquisitions - demonstrate the impact of their capital and guidance on startups at all stages.

The firm's mission to "fix a broken world" isn't just marketing speak - it reflects their focus on backing companies tackling significant challenges in industries like healthcare, logistics, defense, and financial services. As they continue growing their funds and expanding their reach, 8VC has positioned itself as a go-to partner for entrepreneurs building companies that aim to create lasting change.