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Grok Ventures

Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney

Description

Grok Ventures is the private investment company of Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and his wife Annie Cannon-Brookes, based in Sydney. Established with a clear mission, Grok Ventures is dedicated to investing in technology-enabled companies and infrastructure projects that address the global climate crisis and accelerate the energy transition. Their investment philosophy is deeply rooted in impact, seeking out innovative solutions that can drive significant environmental and societal change while also generating strong financial returns.

The firm adopts a flexible, stage-agnostic investment approach, deploying capital across the entire spectrum from early-stage seed rounds through to significant growth equity and infrastructure projects. Grok Ventures actively seeks opportunities globally, though with a strong focus on the Australian and Asia-Pacific markets, particularly in areas like renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, deep technology, and climate software. They are known for their willingness to be lead investors, providing not just capital but also strategic support and access to a vast network, leveraging Mike Cannon-Brookes' extensive experience in building and scaling technology companies.

Grok Ventures has built a notable portfolio reflecting its core mission. A prime example of their commitment to large-scale climate solutions is their significant involvement and eventual acquisition of Sun Cable, an ambitious project aiming to supply solar power from Australia to Singapore. Beyond mega-projects, Grok also backs promising startups; for instance, they led a $20 million Series A round for Neara, a company developing digital twin technology for critical infrastructure. Furthermore, they participated in a substantial $100 million Series B round for V2, a space technology company. Their typical first cheque sizes range from a few hundred thousand dollars for early-stage ventures to tens of millions of dollars for more mature or capital-intensive opportunities, demonstrating their capacity to support companies across various growth phases.

Through strategic investments and a long-term vision, Grok Ventures aims to be a catalyst for a sustainable future. Their unique position, combining substantial capital with a deep understanding of technology and a passionate commitment to climate action, makes them a distinctive and influential player in the global venture capital landscape, particularly within the climate tech sector.

Investor Profile

Grok Ventures has backed more than 32 startups, with 1 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 5 rounds, about 16% of its total and boasts 4 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Series A, Seed, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in Australia, United States, Hong Kong.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Biotechnology, Machine Learning.
  • Typical check size: $500K – $50M.

Stage Focus

  • Series A (31%)
  • Seed (28%)
  • Series B (22%)
  • Series D (6%)
  • Series C (3%)
  • Series F (3%)
  • Series E (3%)
  • Series Unknown (3%)

Country Focus

  • Australia (56%)
  • United States (28%)
  • Hong Kong (6%)
  • United Kingdom (3%)
  • Israel (3%)
  • Isle of Man (3%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Biotechnology
  • Machine Learning
  • Agriculture
  • Renewable Energy
  • Electric Vehicle
  • Transportation
  • Agtech
  • Automotive
  • Mining Technology
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Grok Ventures frequently co-invest with?

Skip Capital
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney
Co-Investments: 7
Overture VC
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Co-Investments: 4
Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney
Co-Investments: 4
Felicis
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 5
Horizons Ventures
Asia, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Co-Investments: 4
Airtree Ventures
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Surry Hills
Co-Investments: 4
Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Co-Investments: 4
Blackbird Ventures
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney
Co-Investments: 12
Lowercarbon Capital
North America, Wyoming, United States, Jackson
Co-Investments: 5
Hostplus
Oceania, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne
Co-Investments: 5

Which angels does Grok Ventures often collaborate with?

JW
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
Didier Elzinga
Oceania, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne
Shared Deals: 3
SK
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
SP
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
GT
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
RN
North America, Washington, United States, Seattle
Shared Deals: 2
NR
North America, California, United States
Shared Deals: 1
Roger Allen
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney
Shared Deals: 2
Greg Roebuck
Oceania, Victoria, Australia, Melbourne
Shared Deals: 2
AC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Grok Ventures?

Endolith

Westminster, Colorado, United States

Harnessing Microbes to Fuel Sustainable Mining

Industrial ManufacturingMiningMining Technology
SeedSep 5, 2024
Amount Raised: $5,130,000
Antora Energy

Sunnyvale, California, United States

Antora Energy is electrifying heavy industry with thermal energy storage for zero-carbon heat and power.

EnergyEnergy StorageRenewable Energy
Series BFeb 22, 2024
Amount Raised: $150,000,000
Lydian

Salem, Massachusetts, United States

Lydian aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the chemical industry by electrifying the chemical production process.

ChemicalChemical EngineeringManufacturing
SeedSep 6, 2023
Amount Raised: $12,000,000
Rhizocore Technologies

Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of, United Kingdom

Rhizocore Technologies produces locally-adapted mycorrhizal fungi to enhance tree planting success.

AgricultureBiotechnologyLife Science
SeedJun 22, 2023
Amount Raised: $4,461,361
Fleet Space Technologies

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Fleet is a space tech company that explores for critical minerals

Internet of ThingsMining TechnologySatellite CommunicationTelecommunications
Series CMay 24, 2023
Amount Raised: $32,716,732
Asterix Foods

Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel

Asterix Foods is a biotechnology company designed to build protein production using plant-cell culture techniques.

Alternative ProteinBiotechnologyCommercialLife Science
SeedApr 4, 2023
Loam Bio

Orange, New South Wales, Australia

Loam Bio is an agtech company that is using microbes to help the carbon cycle.

AgricultureAgTechBiotechnology
Series BFeb 13, 2023
Amount Raised: $73,171,904
WeaveGrid

San Francisco, California, United States

WeaveGrid develops electrification software for the scalable deployment of electric vehicles on the electric grid.

AutomotiveElectric VehicleMachine LearningRenewable EnergySoftwareTransportation
Series BNov 15, 2022
Amount Raised: $35,000,000
Vow

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Vow is a meat production company specializing in producing meat from animal cells.

Alternative ProteinFood and BeverageFood ProcessingMeat and PoultryProfessional Services
Series ANov 14, 2022
Amount Raised: $49,190,597
Antora Energy

Sunnyvale, California, United States

Antora Energy is electrifying heavy industry with thermal energy storage for zero-carbon heat and power.

EnergyEnergy StorageRenewable Energy
Series AFeb 16, 2022
Amount Raised: $50,000,000