Giant Step Capital
Giant Step Capital is a Chicago-based venture capital firm founded in 2020 that invests seed through Series A in deep tech, hard tech, and frontier tech startups across space, robotics, AI, energy, biotech, and autonomy, providing capital plus mentorship and global network access to founders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Giant Step Capital does
Giant Step Capital is a Chicago-based venture capital firm founded in 2020 that invests in deep tech, hard tech, and frontier tech startups. The firm backs audacious founders working at the leading edge of quantum computing, advanced robotics, breakthrough biotechnologies, defense technology, satellite and space systems, energy storage, and autonomous systems, with active check sizes ranging from seed through Series A and beyond. Its ~14-company portfolio includes Astro Mechanica (jet propulsion), Perplexity (AI search), Aethero (space-rated compute), Lumina (autonomous construction equipment), Amidon Heavy Industries (autonomous underwater vehicles), Humanity Neurotech (brain device therapies), Nucleus (genetic risk testing), Varda (in-space manufacturing), Cala (food robotics), Regent (wing-in-ground-effect electric vessels), Max Space (large-volume space habitats), Albedo (very-low-Earth-orbit imagery), K2 Space (mass-heavy spacecraft), and Picogrid (defense autonomy platform). Reported exits include Sweetgreen's acquisition of kitchen robotics portfolio company Spyce, and Varda's subsequent raise at a $500 million post-money valuation.
The firm is led by Founder & General Partner Faraz Khan, with Dr. Poppy Crum serving as Managing Director and Panos Prezas serving as Managing Director covering Battery Technology and Energy Storage. Beyond capital, Giant Step Capital markets access to its team's deep technical expertise, mentorship, and global founder network as its core value-add. Deal sourcing is conducted through direct network outreach, venture community referrals, a public submissions inbox ([email protected]), and a content-focused website that publishes portfolio and news updates. The firm does not disclose AUM, fund size, fees, revenue, employee count beyond a 1-10 range, ownership structure, or LP composition, and there is no evidence of a parent company, institutional sponsorship, or regulated entity beyond its venture capital activities.
Giant Step Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Giant Step Capital
- Legal name
- Giant Step Capital
- Website
- https://giantstep.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Giant Step Capital is a Chicago-based venture capital firm founded in 2020 that invests seed through Series A in deep tech, hard tech, and frontier tech startups across space, robotics, AI, energy, biotech, and autonomy, providing capital plus mentorship and global network access to founders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Giant Step Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where Giant Step Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Giant Step Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Marketing channels3 records
Giant Step Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Giant Step Capital is a venture capital firm that provides equity investments in early-stage startups focused on deep tech, hard tech, and frontier technology. The firm invests across seed to Series A and beyond in sectors including quantum computing, advanced robotics, breakthrough biotechnologies, space exploration, satellite imagery, autonomous systems, energy storage, and defense technology. In addition to capital, the firm offers portfolio founders insights, mentorship, and access to a global network of technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Product overview
Giant Step Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in deep tech, hard tech, and frontier tech investments. The firm does not operate a unified product platform but rather provides investment, mentorship, insights, and global network access to portfolio companies. Their portfolio spans across sectors including quantum computing, advanced robotics, biotechnology, defense technology, space exploration, energy storage, satellite imagery, and autonomous systems. The firm supports startups at various stages from seed to Series A and beyond.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Deep Tech Venture Capital Investments
- Portfolio Founder Mentorship and Network Access
Companies that use Giant Step Capital
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Giant Step Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Giant Step Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Giant Step Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Founders Fund: Established deep-tech investor with notable space and frontier-tech bets. Competes for the same audacious founders Giant Step targets, though with a much larger fund footprint.
- Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): Mega-fund whose American Dynamism practice invests heavily in space, defense, and frontier tech. Overlaps Giant Step's portfolio categories but with materially larger check sizes and broader mandate.
- Khosla Ventures: Large frontier-tech and impact-oriented venture firm with deep exposure to hard-tech, biotech, and energy. Competes for similar audacious founders though at a much larger scale.
Direct peers
- Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Climate-and-frontier-tech investor backed by Bill Gates that co-led Albedo with Giant Step. Comparable stage and sector overlap in hard-tech and energy-adjacent bets.
- Lux Capital: Long-standing frontier-tech and deep-tech venture firm investing across space, quantum, AI, robotics, and biotech. Most directly comparable competitor given Giant Step's overlapping thesis and similar sector bets.
- Shield Capital: Frontier-tech and defense-tech investor that co-led Albedo's Series A with Giant Step. Directly comparable given overlapping portfolio and co-investment history.
- DCVC (Data Collective): Deep-tech venture firm backing founders in computational biology, space, advanced materials, and engineering-heavy sectors. Closely comparable stage, sector, and thesis to Giant Step.
- Harpoon Ventures: Early-stage deep-tech investor (defense, space, industry) that co-led Material's seed with Giant Step. Comparable fund size, stage, and frontier-tech orientation.
- Outlander VC: Deep-tech focused seed/early-stage fund that co-led Material's seed with Giant Step. Closely comparable by stage, thesis, and co-investment behavior.
Emerging players
- In-Q-Tel: Strategic investor focused on frontier technologies relevant to national security, including space, autonomy, and biotech. Comparable investor category for Giant Step's defense- and space-adjacent portfolio companies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Giant Step Capital social profiles
Digital presenceGiant Step Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Giant Step Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Giant Step Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Giant Step Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments8 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Giant Step Capital
What does Giant Step Capital do?
Giant Step Capital is a venture capital firm that provides equity investments in early-stage startups focused on deep tech, hard tech, and frontier technology. The firm invests across seed to Series A and beyond in sectors including quantum computing, advanced robotics, breakthrough biotechnologies, space exploration, satellite imagery, autonomous systems, energy storage, and defense technology. In addition to capital, the firm offers portfolio founders insights, mentorship, and access to a global network of technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Is Giant Step Capital a public or private company?
Giant Step Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Giant Step Capital founded?
Giant Step Capital was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Giant Step Capital based?
Giant Step Capital is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Giant Step Capital's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Khosla Ventures. Direct peers are Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lux Capital, Shield Capital, DCVC (Data Collective), Harpoon Ventures and Outlander VC. In-Q-Tel is listed as an emerging player.
Does Giant Step Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Giant Step Capital.
What industry is Giant Step Capital in?
Giant Step Capital's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B), with a secondary code of FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.