Carbon Silicon Ventures

Carbon Silicon Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage biotechnology startups applying engineering and scalable technologies to the life sciences sector. The firm primarily targets pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, writing initial checks ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 for companies focused on synthetic DNA, automated laboratories, computational drug design, and RNA therapeutics. Maintaining an active portfolio of more than 15 companies, the firm supports founders developing healthcare infrastructure, laboratory robotics, and biotech software. The firm frequently co-invests alongside major funds like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz to back notable portfolio companies such as Medra AI, which recently secured a $52 million Series A, and Ansa Biotechnologies, which raised a $54.4 million Series B. Carbon Silicon Ventures was founded in 2022 by Nish Bhat, who previously co-founded the startup Color.

Carbon Silicon Ventures operates as a venture capital firm dedicated to fostering innovation at the intersection of biology and engineering. The firm provides early-stage capital and strategic support to companies developing scalable solutions within the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Its investment approach centers on identifying founders who leverage engineering methodologies to address complex biological challenges, aiming to transform biological processes into predictable and programmable systems.

The firm was founded in 2022 by Nish Bhat, who previously co-founded Color Genomics, a company known for its work in oncology and population health. Bhat's insight stemmed from his experience scaling biological and health-related enterprises, recognizing an opportunity to systematically apply engineering principles to unlock new capabilities and efficiencies in biological disciplines. This background informs the firm's focus on technological rigor and scalability in its portfolio companies.

Carbon Silicon Ventures backs visionary founders who are building the next generation of biology-driven enterprises. The firm's long-term vision is to accelerate the development of foundational technologies and platforms that bring engineering discipline to biological sciences, ultimately creating significant advancements in healthcare and beyond. It seeks to empower companies that are fundamentally reshaping our ability to understand, interact with, and engineer biological systems.