A group of former OpenAI veterans is leveraging their insider expertise to launch Zero Shot, a new venture capital fund aiming to raise $100 million. The fund, which has already completed its first close, marks a significant shift as the architects behind the generative AI revolution move from building models to financing the next generation of startups.
The “OGs” Behind the Fund
The founding team is composed of individuals who were instrumental in OpenAI’s most transformative years, including the development of DALL·E, ChatGPT, and Codex. This deep technical lineage provides the fund with a unique vantage point that traditional venture capitalists may lack.
The core founding partners include:
– Evan Morikawa: Former head of applied engineering at OpenAI; currently at robotics startup Generalist.
– Andrew Mayne: OpenAI’s original prompt engineer and founder of the AI consultancy Interdimensional.
– Shawn Jain: Former OpenAI researcher and engineer; founder of the GenAI startup Synthefy.
– Kelly Kovacs: A seasoned VC and former founding partner at 01A.
– Brett Rounsaville: Former executive at Twitter and Disney.
The team is further bolstered by a high-profile advisory group, including former OpenAI leaders Diane Yoon (People), Steve Dowling (Communications), and Luke Miller (Product).
Identifying the “Gap” in the AI Market
The decision to launch Zero Shot was born out of necessity. According to Andrew Mayne, the founders noticed a disconnect between the startups currently receiving massive funding and the actual technological needs of the market.
By transitioning from engineering to investing, the team aims to bridge this gap. They possess “insider access” to top-tier talent and, more importantly, a predictive understanding of how AI models will evolve. This allows them to distinguish between sustainable innovations and temporary hype.
Early Investments and Strategic Focus
Zero Shot has already begun deploying capital into several high-potential ventures:
– Worktrace AI: An AI-driven management platform designed to help enterprises automate tasks by identifying efficiency gaps. The startup recently secured a $10 million seed round, with participation from OpenAI’s own fund and Mira Murati.
– Foundry Robotics: A developer of next-generation, AI-enhanced factory robotics, which recently raised $13.5 million led by Khosla Ventures.
– Stealth Startup: A third, undisclosed company is also part of the current portfolio.
The Power of “No”: Avoiding AI Hype
Perhaps the most significant advantage of Zero Shot is their ability to identify “dead ends”—technologies that look promising but are likely to be rendered obsolete by the rapid advancement of foundation models.
The founders expressed skepticism toward several trending AI sectors:
– “Vibe Coding” Platforms: Mayne believes that as model makers improve their coding capabilities, specialized subscription platforms for “vibe coding” will become redundant.
– Robotics Video Data: Morikawa cautioned against companies focusing on “ergo-centric video data” for robotics training, noting that the “embodiment gap” remains a massive scientific hurdle that current data collection methods cannot easily solve.
– Digital Twins: Mayne noted that after conducting due diligence, he found that standard Large Language Models (LLMs) often perform as well as specialized “digital twin” reasoning models, making many dedicated startups unnecessary.
“There is a real skill in knowing how to predict where these models are going next, because it’s extremely not obvious. It’s not linear,” says Evan Morikawa.
Conclusion
Zero Shot represents a new breed of venture capital: one driven by technical expertise rather than just financial capital. By focusing on where AI is going rather than where it is now, the fund aims to back the builders who are solving real structural problems in the AI ecosystem.
