Organization · Corporate Venture Capital

Cisco Investments

Cisco Investments is the corporate venture capital arm of Cisco Systems, focusing on strategic investments in technology startups across various sectors including AI, cloud computing, and security. With over 30 years of experience, it operates globally to foster innovation and support the growth of technology companies.

Corporate Venture CapitalFunder

Overview

What Cisco Investments does

What Cisco Investments is

Cisco Investments is the corporate venture capital arm of Cisco Systems, focusing on strategic investments in technology startups across various sectors including AI, cloud computing, and security. With over 30 years of experience, it operates globally to foster innovation and support the growth of technology companies.

How it participates in the startup ecosystem

The current public profile supports funder capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.

Operational profile

Organization status and context

Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.

Operational status
Active
Organization type
Corporate Venture Capital
Founded
Founded in 1993
Approximate age
About 33 years
Structured capabilities
Funder
Last reviewed
May 5, 2026

Official channels

Find Cisco Investments elsewhere

Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.

Capability profile

Cisco Investments as a funder

Investment thesis

Cisco Investments aims to invest in technology startups that deepen, broaden, and add value to Cisco's core technology capabilities, particularly in AI-driven infrastructure.

Focus narrative

Cisco Investments primarily focuses on technology sectors such as AI/ML, Cloud Computing, Data Center Networking, IoT, and Security Services. The organization targets various stages of company development, from early-stage startups to more established firms, emphasizing collaboration and partnerships to drive innovation and market growth.

Value beyond capital

Cisco Investments adds value to its portfolio companies by leveraging Cisco's extensive resources, expertise, and market presence. The firm facilitates strategic partnerships and integration opportunities within Cisco's ecosystem, enhancing the growth potential of its investments.

Focus and fit

Stages
Seed · Series A · Series B · Series C · Growth Equity
Regions
Global · North America · Asia · Europe

Availability

Currently deploying
Yes

Portfolio and track record

Recorded portfolio count
345

Portfolio context

Cisco Investments has a diverse portfolio that includes notable companies such as Cohere, an enterprise-focused AI LLM platform; Mistral AI, a generative AI company; Scale AI, an AI data infrastructure platform; Gruve, an AI-native managed services company; Aliro Technologies, a quantum networking firm; and Maven AGI, an AI-powered customer service platform.

Common questions

What to know about Cisco Investments

Upseed classifies Cisco Investments under the Corporate Venture Capital organization type. Its current public profile includes funder capabilities.

Next step

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Source and update disclosure

Know what this page is based on

Source basis

Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.

Last reviewed

May 5, 2026

Known limits

Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.

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