What Applied Ventures does

Applied Ventures, LLC is the corporate venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT), a U.S.-headquartered, private LLC subsidiary based in Santa Clara, California. The firm invests up to $100 million per year in stage-agnostic equity rounds into deep technology startups and to date has backed more than 90 companies across 19 countries, facilitating over 10 portfolio company IPOs. Investment focus spans semiconductors, AR/VR, life sciences, robotics, cleantech and advanced materials, with the strategic objective of extending Applied Materials' materials-to-systems roadmap through external innovation.

Applied Ventures' portfolio reflects an evolving thesis around next-generation computing and intelligent automation. Recent disclosed bets include a $30 million Series A co-led in Salience Labs to commercialize photonic switches for AI datacenter connectivity, a Series A lead in Summer Robotics for its Kortx machine-vision platform enabling robot operation in unstructured environments, a strategic investment in Singapore-based Augmentus for AI-driven adaptive automation in high-mix manufacturing, a strategic collaboration with Qolab on scalable superconducting quantum hardware, and an investment in India's VVDN Technologies as it targets an IPO. A $400 million 2023 commitment to build an engineering centre in India, the India Deep Tech Alliance partnership and engagement with Tata Group on the ₹4,500 crore Semiconductor Laboratory upgrade in Mohali underline a deepening India footprint.

The business model is equity investment with strategic value-add rather than commercial product revenue: Applied Ventures deploys capital directly into portfolio companies and supplements that capital with privileged access to Applied Materials' materials-engineering expertise, semiconductor technology breakthroughs, and global fab infrastructure, alongside introductions to global customers, supply chain partners and co-investors drawn from influential corporate and financial VC firms. Deal sourcing is conducted through industry events (notably the ASTRA conference series), direct outreach, referrals, and participation in technology ecosystem programs, with marketing maintained primarily through the Applied Materials newsroom and the firm's X and LinkedIn channels.

Name

Applied Ventures

Legal name

Applied Ventures, LLC

Website

https://appliedventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Applied Ventures, LLC is the corporate venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc., investing up to $100 million per year, stage-agnostically, in deep tech startups across semiconductors, AR/VR, life sciences, robotics, cleantech, and advanced materials in 19 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Venture Capital / Deep Tech Investing

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing (FSANAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

Keywords

• Corporate venture capital
• Deep tech investing
• Semiconductor startup funding
• Stage agnostic equity investment
• Applied materials venture arm

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equity Investment Returns: Applied Ventures generates returns through equity investments in startup companies, with exits achieved through IPOs and acquisitions. The firm has facilitated over 10 IPOs among its portfolio companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Applied Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc., providing stage-agnostic equity capital of up to $100 million per year to early-stage and growth-stage startups developing disruptive deep technologies. Portfolio companies receive not only funding but also strategic access to Applied Materials' materials engineering expertise, semiconductor process technology, and global fab infrastructure, along with introductions to global customers, supply chain partners, and influential corporate and financial co-investors.

Product overview

Applied Ventures is the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc. It is not a product company but rather an investment firm that provides capital to early-stage startups with disruptive technologies. The firm invests up to $100 million annually across deep tech sectors including semiconductors, AR/VR, life sciences, robotics, cleantech, and advanced materials. To date, Applied Ventures has invested in more than 90 companies across 19 countries. Its portfolio companies gain access to Applied Materials' materials engineering expertise, semiconductor technology, and global fab infrastructure, along with connections to customers, supply chain partners, and co-investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage-Agnostic Equity Investment Program
• Applied Materials Strategic Value-Add for Portfolio Companies

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 90 companies invested across 19 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• India Deep Tech AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Applied Ventures joined the India Deep Tech Alliance as a corporate strategic partner, signaling deeper engagement with India's semiconductor and deep-tech ecosystem. The company committed $400 million in 2023 to build an engineering centre in India.
• Tata GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Applied Materials is participating in a ₹4,500 crore project to upgrade the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali alongside Tata Group, supporting India's semiconductor ecosystem development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Intel Capital: Intel's CVC arm, also stage-flexible and investing across deep tech, semiconductors, AI, and adjacent hardware. Directly comparable as a semiconductor-industry CVC that combines capital with strategic access to a fab and process technology platform.
• Samsung Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Samsung, deploying capital into semiconductors, displays, advanced materials, and AI hardware. Highly comparable in sector focus and in the strategic value of being backed by a global semiconductor leader with global fab infrastructure.
• Qualcomm Ventures: CVC arm of Qualcomm, focused on mobile, AI, automotive, IoT, and semiconductor-related startups. Comparable as a sector-specialized corporate investor in connected/edge hardware and adjacent deep tech.
• Micron Ventures: CVC arm of Micron Technology, investing in memory, storage, and semiconductor-adjacent deep tech. Comparable profile: backing by a major memory and storage manufacturer with deep process-engineering expertise that can be leveraged to support portfolio companies.
• TSMC (Corporate Investments / TSMC Ventures): TSMC's corporate investment program, focused on semiconductor design, equipment, materials, and manufacturing-adjacent innovation. Most direct comparable in terms of providing portfolio companies with strategic access to leading-edge fab capacity.
• IBM Ventures: Corporate venture arm of IBM, investing in AI, hybrid cloud, quantum, and semiconductor-adjacent deep tech. Comparable as a CVC from a strategic technology incumbent with strong R&D and infrastructure that can be offered to portfolio companies.
• Bosch Ventures: CVC arm of Bosch, with deep activity in semiconductors, MEMS, sensors, automation, and AI. Comparable as a large industrial corporate with global fab/automation infrastructure that supports deep tech portfolio companies.
• M12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund): Corporate venture arm of Microsoft investing across AI, cloud infrastructure, and deep tech adjacencies. Comparable in being a CVC from a global technology incumbent offering strategic go-to-market and infrastructure to portfolio companies.

Emerging players

• Lux Capital: Independent deep tech VC with significant overlap in semiconductors, photonics, robotics, and advanced materials. Comparable in thematic focus, though as a financial investor rather than a CVC with strategic fab access.
• Founders Fund: Independent VC with notable deep tech and frontier technology exposure. Comparable in backing ambitious hardware and deep tech founders, though without the strategic fab and process technology moat of a CVC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Applied_VC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applied-ventures-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments113 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Applied Ventures