Data Collective

Climate, energy and the fusion question

DCVC's energy bets include Fervo Energy, which taps geothermal heat. The firm argues that geothermal is a firm resource that can be dispatched when and where it is needed, but that it has historically been expensive to develop and operate, and it says Fervo's work changes that. A separate essay treats the U.S. Department of Energy's fusion milestone as proof that human ingenuity can tame the power of the stars. ZwitterCo, which cleans industrial wastewater for reuse, is presented as a climate technology that cuts costs while sparing the planet.

Biology, health and the AI behind them

Pivot Bio is described as replacing chemical fertilizer with biological alternatives designed using AI to understand the crop microbiome. Atomwise applies AI to chemistry for pharma and agriculture companies, and Recursion applies AI and computer vision to the behavior of living human cells. Tala uses data science to offer instant loans over mobile phones to people who are underserved or without bank accounts. Latus Bio, which works on gene therapy, is also part of the portfolio.

Space, manufacturing and autonomous transport

Planet uses more than 150 satellites and AI to image the entire Earth every day. Rocket Lab delivers complete rocket systems for fast and low-cost deployment of payloads, and Desktop Metal offers high-speed 3D metal printing for demanding production. Embark is developing autonomous trucks for long haul transport without pre-mapped roads. Reach, a wireless power company, is described as untethering power in the way WiFi untethered internet access. Illumio enforces network segmentation on compute and storage, and SentinelOne protects every endpoint against each stage of an attack.

An approach built on deep tech

The firm says it has backed entrepreneurs applying deep tech for more than twenty years, from the earliest stage onward. Its aim is to tackle problems that have looked unsolvable, especially in industries that have seen little material technological progress for decades. It describes the approach as getting more for less, and says its investments have created substantial value while improving the world. Its essay on fusion argues that the same logic applies across the whole field.

Data Collective, which trades as DCVC, is a deep tech venture capital firm. Since 2010 it has backed entrepreneurs working on difficult, high-stakes problems, and it says it employs more published scientists than MBAs.

What Data Collective does

• Deep tech investment: funding for companies using AI and advanced science.
• Energy and climate: portfolio companies such as Fervo Energy, which taps geothermal heat.
• Bio and health: companies like Atomwise and Latus Bio, working on drug discovery and gene therapy.
• Agriculture and space: including Pivot Bio, Planet and Rocket Lab.
• Research: an annual Deep Tech Opportunities report.

Who it serves

Entrepreneurs applying AI and science across sectors, from manufacturing and satellite imaging to soil microbes.

Key facts

• Founded: 2010
• Portfolio examples: Planet, Pivot Bio, Atomwise, Desktop Metal, Rocket Lab