Prelude Ventures

Prelude Ventures is a San Francisco based venture capital firm dedicated to accelerating climate innovation and driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Established in 2009 as an investment platform by co-founders Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons, the firm formally became Prelude Ventures in 2013, with a clear mission to support groundbreaking ideas in climate technology. They exclusively back early-stage companies focused on climate change mitigation, aiming to generate both significant environmental impact and robust financial returns. The firm's ethos, 'Climate is everything,' underpins their investment strategy, championing entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of category-defining businesses designed to reshape the global economy.

What truly differentiates Prelude Ventures is its unique single-LP (Limited Partner) structure, managing capital exclusively for the Simons' family philanthropic entities. This structure affords the firm strategic flexibility, a long-term investment horizon, and a deep alignment with its core mission of climate impact. Unlike many traditional venture funds, Prelude Ventures has demonstrated a consistent commitment to investing through challenging periods in climate technology since 2009, comfortable with ventures requiring high capital intensity and those with long hardware development timelines. They also adhere to a strict 'no fossil fuels' policy, reflecting their unwavering commitment to a sustainable future.

The firm's investment approach is thesis-driven, leveraging the deep technical expertise of its team to engage substantively with founders. Prelude Ventures invests early, typically across pre-seed, seed, Series A, and Series B stages, and maintains meaningful reserves for follow-on investments, believing in long-term support for their portfolio companies. Their decision process prioritises partnership and trust, seeking out visionary entrepreneurs who possess technical depth and a commitment to tackling hard, capital-intensive problems. The firm has built a strong track record, having invested in over 80 companies to date, with a history of successful exits and IPOs, and a recent achievement of five portfolio companies being named to Fast Company's 2026 Most Innovative Companies list.

The leadership team includes co-founders Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons, alongside Managing Directors Gabriel Kra, Mark Cupta, Matt Eggers, and Tim Woodward. Gabriel Kra, a co-founder of the firm in 2013, has been instrumental in overseeing investments across a broad range of energy innovations since the platform's inception in 2009. Matt Eggers joined in 2023, bringing extensive operational and investment leadership from his prior roles at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Tesla, and Sunrun. This experienced team continues to drive Prelude Ventures' mission to foster innovations that deliver both systemic climate impact and commercial success.