The Westly Group
The Westly Group is a Menlo Park-based venture capital firm founded in 2007 that invests in early- and growth-stage technology companies across AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, energy, and manufacturing intelligence, led by founder Steve Westly.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Westly Group does
The Westly Group is a privately held venture capital firm founded in 2007 and based in Menlo Park, California. It invests in early- and growth-stage technology companies, with a recent disclosed focus on AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, electric vehicle and energy software, and manufacturing intelligence. The firm is led by founder and Managing Partner Steve Westly, a former Tesla board member, alongside managing partners Danny Cotter and Timothy Wang, CFO Marie Drez, and Principal Emily Fritze, supported by associates Jamie Daudo and Hannah Li. Its investment activity over the past year includes leading rounds in AttoTude (terahertz interconnects for AI data centers) and Squint (manufacturing intelligence), co-leading Tenet Security's seed (AI agent cybersecurity), and participating in WeaveGrid's Series A (EV charging software) and AttoTude's Series B.
The Westly Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Westly Group
- Legal name
- The Westly Group
- Website
- https://westlygroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Westly Group is a Menlo Park-based venture capital firm founded in 2007 that invests in early- and growth-stage technology companies across AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, energy, and manufacturing intelligence, led by founder Steve Westly.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Westly Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB), Late-Stage Venture Capital (Series C+) (FSANAAAC)
Keywords
Where The Westly Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Westly Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Marketing channels1 record
The Westly Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Westly Group is a venture capital firm that deploys capital into early-stage technology companies and provides strategic guidance to portfolio founders. The firm invests across AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, electric vehicle software, and manufacturing intelligence, participating in seed, Series A, Series B, and Series C rounds both as lead and co-lead investor.
Product overview
The Westly Group is a venture capital firm, not a product or technology company. As such, it does not offer products, services, or technology solutions in the traditional sense. The firm focuses on investing in early-stage technology companies across sectors including AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, electric vehicles, and manufacturing intelligence. Notable portfolio companies referenced in sources include Tenet Security (AI agent security), AttoTude (THz interconnect technology for AI data centers), WeaveGrid (EV charging software), and Squint (manufacturing intelligence platform).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Venture Capital Investment Equity capital deployment in early-stage technology startups across seed, Series A, Series B, and Series C funding rounds, combined with strategic advisory for founders. Target investee companies operate in AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, EV charging software, and manufacturing intelligence.
Companies that use The Westly Group
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
The Westly Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Westly Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Westly Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Menlo Ventures: Bay Area-focused VC with broad tech investing mandate; co-invested with Westly in Squint and operates in overlapping AI/enterprise categories.
- Sequoia Capital: Premier broad-incumbent VC; participated alongside Westly in Squint and is a frequent co-investor. Sequoia is far larger and broader, but overlaps materially in the same deals.
- Bessemer Venture Partners: Large diversified VC with active AI infrastructure and cybersecurity investing; comparable check sizes and stage profile, though broader sector mandate than Westly.
Direct peers
- Khosla Ventures: Sector-focused early-stage VC founded by Vinod Khosla with deep exposure to energy, climate, and AI infrastructure — the closest analog to Westly's energy-AI convergence thesis.
- Lux Capital: Sector-focused VC investing in deep tech including AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, and frontier science — directly comparable to Westly's category profile and check sizes.
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates-backed sector-focused fund investing in energy, climate, and AI infrastructure; co-invested with Westly in WeaveGrid — directly comparable stage and thesis.
- Mayfield Fund: Early-to-growth stage VC with deep AI/enterprise tech focus; co-led the AttoTude Series B alongside Westly and writes similar check sizes at Series A-C.
- Sutter Hill Ventures: Silicon Valley-based early-stage VC; existing AttoTude investor and comparable stage/check-size profile in deep-tech categories.
- Energy Impact Partners: Sector-focused VC investing in energy transition and grid-edge software; directly comparable to Westly's energy thesis (e.g., WeaveGrid's utility EV charging).
- DCVC (Data Collective): Sector-focused deep-tech VC investing in AI, compute infrastructure, and cybersecurity — overlap with Westly's AttoTude and Tenet Security bets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Westly Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Westly Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Westly Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Westly Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Westly Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments123 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Westly Group
What does The Westly Group do?
The Westly Group is a venture capital firm that deploys capital into early-stage technology companies and provides strategic guidance to portfolio founders. The firm invests across AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, electric vehicle software, and manufacturing intelligence, participating in seed, Series A, Series B, and Series C rounds both as lead and co-lead investor.
Is The Westly Group a public or private company?
The Westly Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Westly Group founded?
The Westly Group was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Westly Group based?
The Westly Group is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Westly Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Menlo Ventures, Sequoia Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners. Direct peers are Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield Fund, Sutter Hill Ventures, Energy Impact Partners and DCVC (Data Collective).
Does The Westly Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Westly Group.
What industry is The Westly Group in?
The Westly Group's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists), with a secondary code of FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.