Organization · Venture Studio
Cold Start
Cold Start is a venture studio based in San Francisco that partners with founders to build companies, particularly in technology and healthcare. They focus on transforming visionary ideas into market-leading companies through operational support and capital investment.
Overview
What Cold Start does
What Cold Start is
Cold Start is a venture studio based in San Francisco that partners with founders to build companies, particularly in technology and healthcare. They focus on transforming visionary ideas into market-leading companies through operational support and capital investment.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and program host 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
- Venture Studio
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Program host
- Last reviewed
- March 5, 2026
What Venture studio means
A venture studio is an organization that systematically creates new startups by generating or sourcing ideas, validating them, building early products, recruiting founders or operators, providing shared resources, and retaining meaningful equity in the companies it helps create.
Open the glossary entryOfficial channels
Find Cold Start elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Cold Start as a funder
Investment thesis
Cold Start Ventures invests in early-stage to growth-stage companies, emphasizing hands-on involvement with founders to build market-leading companies. They provide operational support to de-risk ventures and attract additional capital from top venture capital firms.
Focus narrative
Cold Start Ventures invests in early-stage to growth-stage companies, primarily in the sectors of healthcare and artificial intelligence. They provide operational support to de-risk ventures and attract additional capital from top venture capital firms. Their investment thesis emphasizes hands-on involvement with founders to build market-leading companies.
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Seed+ · Series A · Series B · Growth Equity
- Regions
- United States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Not published
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 14
Portfolio context
Notable portfolio companies include: OpenEvidence: A healthcare company based in Miami that offers an AI-powered copilot for clinicians, aggregating and visualizing peer-reviewed medical literature. Phia: A New York City-based fashion-tech company focused on sustainable shopping. Anthropic: An AI company with a team of over 2,000, working on safe artificial intelligence solutions. xAI: A San Francisco-based AI firm dedicated to accelerating human discovery. Vercel: A platform for frontend developers to build and deploy modern web applications. Blank Street: A consumer-focused company in New York City offering premium coffee. Assort Health: An AI company that enhances healthcare provider communication. Glean: An AI-powered search platform for company data. Berry Street: A healthcare company empowering independent dietitians. PsiQuantum: An AI firm focused on creating fault-tolerant quantum computers. Grow Therapy: A healthcare platform connecting patients with therapists. Finom: A fintech company assisting small businesses with banking and cash flow. 3Y Health: A healthcare company simplifying clinician workflows. SpaceX: An enterprise company focused on space exploration. Runlayer: An AI startup in the seed stage.
Capability profile
Cold Start as a program host
Program thesis
Cold Start Ventures aims to create market-leading companies by closely collaborating with founders and leveraging their expertise in technology and healthcare. Their hands-on approach helps de-risk ventures and secure additional funding.
Focus narrative
The program emphasizes building companies in the technology and healthcare sectors, targeting early-stage to growth-stage ventures. Cold Start Ventures provides hands-on support to founders, helping them navigate challenges and scale their businesses effectively.
Value and support
Founders benefit from Cold Start Ventures' extensive operational support, access to a network of investors, and strategic guidance aimed at building market-leading companies. The studio's hands-on involvement helps de-risk ventures and enhances their potential for success.
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Seed+
- Regions
- North AmericaUnited States
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Notable alumni include OpenEvidence, an AI-powered healthcare company; Phia, a sustainable fashion-tech firm; and Anthropic, which focuses on safe AI solutions. Other alumni include Vercel, Blank Street, and Grow Therapy, showcasing a diverse range of successful ventures.
Common questions
What to know about Cold Start
Upseed classifies Cold Start under the Venture Studio organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and program host capabilities.
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
March 5, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.