A group of former OpenAI employees has entered the venture capital arena with the launch of Zero Shot, a new fund targeting $100 million for artificial intelligence investments. The fund, co-founded by Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, and Shawn Jain, has already secured $20 million in its first close and made several strategic investments.
Team Background and Strategy
All three founders bring deep technical and business expertise from OpenAI. Zero Shot aims to fill the capital gap for early-stage AI startups, focusing on projects with long-term technological potential. The team says it will avoid hype-driven areas like “vibe coding” and robotics video data training, citing sustainability and compliance concerns.
Selected Investments
Publicly disclosed portfolio companies include Worktrace AI, an enterprise automation platform, and Foundry Robotics, which applies robotics to manufacturing. Both projects target real-world business pain points in the AI application layer.
Industry Impact
The launch of Zero Shot reflects a trend of AI talent transitioning from research to capital allocation. As GPT models become commercialized, former big-model teams are reshaping the AI landscape through venture capital. Zero Shot will compete with established firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia, but its unique technical background and open-source community ties could provide a competitive edge. The fund aims to complete full fundraising by the end of 2027 and accelerate investment in frontier areas.