Investment and support
for the next generation of
artificial intelligence founders

Investment
and support
for the next
generation of
artificial intelligence
founders

 INVESTMENT 

AI Seed is an award-winning specialist AI fund offering the opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of institutional-grade AI startups normally only accessible to deep tech venture capital investors.

Since 2017, our team of successfully exited software entrepreneurs has built the UK’s largest and best-performing portfolio of early-stage AI companies with over 40 investments and the industry’s leading track record of AI investment returns.

  SUPPORT  

AI Seed is run by founders who have successfully built and sold their own startups. We understand the unique needs of AI startups, and we provide specialist support to help founders achieve their vision:

  • Access to some of the world’s best AI entrepreneurs
  • Help acquiring the best AI talent for your startup
  • Introductions to AI commercial partners and customers
  • Business support and mentoring for AI scaling and growth

We are active in both the London and the Silicon Valley AI startup ecosystem and offer unique international support to UK AI startups seeking to expand into the US.

 TEAM 

Michael Axelgaard (Founder and Managing Partner)

Based in London, Michael has invested in over 40 successful AI startups. Previously, he built his own medical software startup Inmedico and sold it to Natus Medical.

He holds a BSc in Engineering from UC Berkeley and an MPhil in Scientific Computing and Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University and is active in both the London and Silicon Valley AI startup ecosystem.

Jacques de Cock (Operations and Managing Partner)

Based in London, Jacques has over 30 years of startup experience. Previously, he grew his own fintech software startup Patsystems from a six-man team to an IPO on the London Stock Exchange.

He holds a BA and an MA in Physics from Oxford University and an MBA from London Business School where he is Entrepreneur in Residence and is active in the London AI startup ecosystem.

Steve Weis (Technical Analysis and Managing Partner)

Based in San Francisco, Steve is a senior software engineer at AI cloud data platform Databricks. Previously, he built his own security software startup PrivateCore and sold it to Meta.

Steve holds a BS in Applied Mathematics from UC Berkeley, a BA in Computer Science from UC Berkeley and a PhD in Computer Science from MIT and is active in the Silicon Valley AI startup ecosystem.

General Partners and Support Staff

AI Seed’s Managing Partners are supported by General Partners who provide strategic advice and Principals who provide administrative support.