OpenAI Alums Launch $100M VC Fund to Back Next-Gen AI Startups

Zero Shot fund aims to capitalize on founders' deep expertise in emerging AI technologies.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:54pm by Ben Kaplan

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A minimalist studio photograph featuring a sleek metallic cube, a smooth glass sphere, and a polished wooden block arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, symbolizing the abstract concepts of AI-powered automation, data modeling, and technological innovation.A conceptual still life representing the technical expertise and strategic vision driving a new wave of AI-focused venture investing.San Francisco Today

A group of former OpenAI employees have quietly launched a new $100 million venture capital fund called Zero Shot. The fund's founding partners include Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, and Shawn Jain, all of whom held key roles at OpenAI during the launch of ChatGPT and DALL-E. They've already made investments in startups working on AI-powered management software and next-gen factory robotics.

Why it matters

The Zero Shot fund represents a new wave of AI-focused venture investing led by insiders who have deep technical expertise and connections within the AI research community. Their ability to identify promising AI technologies and founders early could give them an advantage over traditional VCs in backing the next generation of breakthrough AI companies.

The details

The Zero Shot fund has already made a few investments, including in Worktrace AI, which is developing an AI-based management software platform, and Foundry Robotics, a startup working on next-gen, AI-enhanced factory robotics. The fund's founders say their inside knowledge of AI's technical limitations and future trajectory helps them avoid investing in certain 'hype-driven' areas like 'vibe coding' and 'digital twins' that they believe won't pan out.

  • Zero Shot has already closed an initial $20 million in funding and is aiming to raise a total of $100 million for its first fund.
  • The fund has already made a few investments, including in Worktrace AI and Foundry Robotics.

The players

Zero Shot

A new $100 million venture capital fund founded by former OpenAI employees, including Evan Morikawa, Andrew Mayne, and Shawn Jain.

Evan Morikawa

The former head of applied engineering at OpenAI during the launch of DALL·E and ChatGPT through Codex, and now a partner at Zero Shot.

Andrew Mayne

OpenAI's original prompt engineer, host of The OpenAI podcast, and founder of AI deployment consultancy Interdimensional.

Shawn Jain

A former engineer and researcher at OpenAI, who then became a VC and is a founder of his own GenAI startup, Synthefy.

Kelly Kovacs

Previously a founding partner at 01A, the growth-stage venture firm founded by Dick Costello and Adam Bain, and now a partner at Zero Shot.

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What they’re saying

“Maybe we should do our own fund, because we think we have a pretty good sense of where things are headed, and we have this great access to people who we think are incredible builders.”

— Andrew Mayne, Partner, Zero Shot

“There is a real skill in knowing how to predict where these models will be going next, because it's extremely not obvious. It's not linear.”

— Evan Morikawa, Partner, Zero Shot

What’s next

The Zero Shot fund is aiming to raise a total of $100 million for its first fund, having already closed an initial $20 million.

The takeaway

The launch of the Zero Shot fund underscores the growing influence of AI insiders in the venture capital world, as they leverage their deep technical expertise to identify and back the next generation of breakthrough AI companies.