Lightspeed Israel

Lightspeed Israel, established in 2006, is a venture capital firm based in Tel Aviv, Israel. It invests in seed, early, and later-stage companies across the information technology and TMT sectors. The firm focuses on supporting innovative Israeli startups, providing capital and strategic guidance to accelerate their growth. Lightspeed Israel typically invests between $2 million to $25 million per company, with a particular interest in enterprise, health, fintech, and consumer sectors. It manages multiple funds, including Lightspeed Venture Partners IX and Lightspeed India Partners I & II, to support its investment activities in Israel and India.

Shaurya Aggarwal

Partner

Vaibhav Agrawal

Venture Partner

James Alcorn

Partner

Saqib Awan

Partner

Moritz Baier-Lentz

Partner and Head of Gaming

Mercedes Bent

Partner

Luke Beseda

Partner

Akshay Bhushan

Venture Partner

Taggart Bonham

Partner

Ashley Brasier

Partner

Wei Cai

Partner

Guru Chahal

Partner

Yoni Cheifetz

Partner

Yoni Cheifetz

Partner

Sun Daniel

Partner

Amish Desai

Partner

Sebastian Duesterhoeft

Partner

Barry Eggers

Co-Founder and Partner

Sam Eisler

Partner

James Ephrati

Partner

Faraz Fatemi

Partner, Consumer

Jack Fowler

Partner

Aaron Frank

Venture Partner

Merci Grace

Partner

Globin Guo

Executive Director

Gaurav Gupta

Partner

David Gussarsky

Partner

Herry Han

Co-Founder and Partner

Lisa Han

Partner

Rob Horton JD

COO

Galym Imanbayev MD

Partner

Galym Imanbayev

Partner

Nnamdi Iregbulem

Partner

Raviraj Jain

Partner

Arif Janmohamed

Partner

Julie Kainz

Partner

Francis Kao

Partner

Ansaf Kareem

Partner

Alex Kayyal

Partner

Issac Kim

Partner

Will Kohler

Partner

Harsha Kumar

Associate Partner

Pachara Lawjindakul

Partner

Pachara Lawjindakul

Partner

Pinn Lawjindakul

Partner

Will Leas

Partner

Jeremy Liew

Partner

Connor Love

Partner

John Luongo

Venture Partner

Natalie Luu

Partner

Naveed Matinfar

Partner

Ravi Mhatre

Co-Founder and Partner

James Mi

Founding Partner

Andrew Moley

Operating Partner and CFO

Tal Morgenstern

Partner

Peter Nieh

Co-Founder and Partner, Enterprise

Justin Overdorff

Partner

Zac Pan

Associate Partner

Apoorva Pandhi

Associate

Krish Parikh

Partner of Business Services

Nicole Quinn

Partner

Adrian Nicholas Radu

Partner

Alexander Schmitt

Partner

Shan Shan

Partner

Justin Shen

Partner

Justin Shen

Partner

Shuvi Shrivastava

Partner

Ishaan Preet Singh

Investor

Ajay Sudan

Venture Partner

Sydney Sykes

Partner

John Thompson

Venture Partner

Anoushka Vaswani

Partner

Jason Wang

Partner

Nathan Wang

Vice President

Nathan Wu

Partner, Growth

Mark Xu

Partner

Cici Yang

Vice President

Jerry Ye

Partner, Data Platform

Haowei Zhai

Vice President

Ju Zhang

Executive Director

Issac Zhang

Vice President

Gavin Zhu

Partner

Hu Peipei

Investment Manager

Past deals in Autonomous Vehicles

Saronic Technologies

Series C in 2025
Saronic Technologies specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). These vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge hardware, software, and artificial intelligence, creating a scalable and integrated platform for enhancing maritime security and domain awareness. Tailored for defense and surveillance applications, Saronic's products offer comprehensive operational capabilities to naval and maritime forces.

Saronic Technologies

Series B in 2024
Saronic Technologies specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). These vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge hardware, software, and artificial intelligence, creating a scalable and integrated platform for enhancing maritime security and domain awareness. Tailored for defense and surveillance applications, Saronic's products offer comprehensive operational capabilities to naval and maritime forces.

Saronic Technologies

Series A in 2023
Saronic Technologies specializes in the design and manufacture of advanced unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). These vehicles are equipped with cutting-edge hardware, software, and artificial intelligence, creating a scalable and integrated platform for enhancing maritime security and domain awareness. Tailored for defense and surveillance applications, Saronic's products offer comprehensive operational capabilities to naval and maritime forces.

Ruitai Microelectronics

Series A in 2023
Ruitai Microelectronics is a domestic supplier of high-performance analog and analog-digital hybrid chips for intelligent networked vehicles.

DAISCH

Series A in 2022
DAISCH, established in 2015 and headquartered in Shanghai, China, specializes in high-precision motion and position sensing systems and tool chains for autonomous driving. The company offers industrial unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous vehicles, leveraging technologies such as carrier phase differential, inertial navigation, and machine vision to provide precise positioning and environmental information for self-driving vehicles across varied road conditions.

CenoBots (Cenozoic Robotics)

Series A in 2022
Cenozoic Robotics is a global leading provider for the cleaning industry. Founded in 2021, Cenozoic Robotics is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong and Hangzhou. Employing knowledge and experience in L4 autonomous driving technology, the Cenozoic team realized the potential to provide customers with faster service and higher quality products than currently on the world market. With this goal in mind, Michael Wang, the founder and the CEO of Cenozoic Robotics, and his team established the company and entered the cleaning industry dedicated to renewing cleaning services with state-of-the-art technologies. Up to now, Cenozoic robots have been deployed at multiple sites in Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.

Apex.AI

Series B in 2021
Apex.AI, Inc. is a software development company focused on creating solutions for autonomous mobility systems, particularly for self-driving vehicles. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company offers Apex.OS, a software framework that simplifies the complexity of hardware and software integration through user-friendly, secure APIs. Additionally, Apex.AI provides Apex.Autonomy, a tool designed for safety-critical applications, and MARV.Automotive, a data management platform that facilitates the transfer of vehicle data to the cloud and enables advanced analytics and collaboration. The company's products leverage open-source technologies, allowing software developers to build reliable and efficient applications for autonomous vehicles.

Kodiak Robotics

Series B in 2021
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. is a technology company focused on developing autonomous systems specifically for long-haul trucking. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, the company specializes in autonomous vehicles, information technology, software, logistics, and robotics. Kodiak Robotics designs self-driving trucks that are capable of operating on highway routes, employing advanced sensor fusion systems and lightweight mapping techniques. By enabling vehicles to manage all aspects of highway driving, Kodiak aims to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs for businesses in the logistics sector.

Reliable Robotics

Series C in 2021
Reliable Robotics, founded in 2017 by Robert Rose and Juerg Frefel, specializes in advanced aircraft automation services aimed at enhancing the safety, availability, and affordability of air transportation. The company has developed a remote operation system applicable to various aircraft types, which supports its goal of expanding access to a broader range of locations. By adopting a certification-forward approach, Reliable Robotics enables fully automated, gate-to-gate operations, which has the potential to significantly transform and streamline the airline industry. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, the company operates with a distributed global workforce, committed to revolutionizing the movement of goods and people worldwide through safer and more convenient air travel.

MetaX

Series A in 2021
Muxi is dedicated to providing full-stack GPU chips and heterogeneous computing solutions that can be widely used in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, data centers, cloud computing, autonomous driving, digital twins, metaverse, and so on. It builds full-stack GPU chip products, launching MXN series GPUs (Xi Si) for AI reasoning, MXC series GPUs (Xi Yun) for AI training and general computing, and MXG series GPUs (Xi Cai) for graphics rendering, Meet the computing power requirements of data centers for "high energy efficiency" and "high versatility". Mu Xi's products all use independently developed GPU IP, have instruction sets and architectures with completely independent intellectual property rights, and are outfitted with a complete software stack (MACAMACA) compatible with mainstream GPU ecosystems. In September 2020, the company was founded in Shanghai, and it has wholly-owned subsidiaries and R&D centers in Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Wuhan.

Hesai Technology

Series D in 2021
Hesai Technology is a company based in Shanghai, China, founded in 2014. It specializes in designing laser radar systems using smart sensing technology. The primary application of these systems is to facilitate autonomous driving by enabling car companies to monitor mixed gas composition and detect hazardous leaks. Additionally, Hesai Technology develops natural gas leak detection systems for industrial processes. Its LiDAR products are used in a variety of applications including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicle fleets, last-mile delivery robots, street sweeping robots, and logistics robots. The company operates through two main segments: the LiDAR segment and the gas detection segment, with the former being the primary revenue generator.

MetaX

Seed Round in 2021
Muxi is dedicated to providing full-stack GPU chips and heterogeneous computing solutions that can be widely used in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, data centers, cloud computing, autonomous driving, digital twins, metaverse, and so on. It builds full-stack GPU chip products, launching MXN series GPUs (Xi Si) for AI reasoning, MXC series GPUs (Xi Yun) for AI training and general computing, and MXG series GPUs (Xi Cai) for graphics rendering, Meet the computing power requirements of data centers for "high energy efficiency" and "high versatility". Mu Xi's products all use independently developed GPU IP, have instruction sets and architectures with completely independent intellectual property rights, and are outfitted with a complete software stack (MACAMACA) compatible with mainstream GPU ecosystems. In September 2020, the company was founded in Shanghai, and it has wholly-owned subsidiaries and R&D centers in Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Wuhan.

Standard Robots

Series B in 2020
Standard Robots is a company based in Baoan, Guangdong, specializing in the research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and Robot Internet of Things (RIoT) software systems. Established in 2016, the company serves industries such as semiconductors, auto parts, and energy by offering standardized solutions that enhance the flexibility and agility of mobile robots in manufacturing environments. Its focus on scalable applications and predictable outcomes allows clients to achieve intelligent logistics transformation through repeatable algorithm scenarios. By providing dedicated services, Standard Robots aims to improve operational efficiency and innovation in the sectors it serves.

Hesai Technology

Series C in 2020
Hesai Technology is a company based in Shanghai, China, founded in 2014. It specializes in designing laser radar systems using smart sensing technology. The primary application of these systems is to facilitate autonomous driving by enabling car companies to monitor mixed gas composition and detect hazardous leaks. Additionally, Hesai Technology develops natural gas leak detection systems for industrial processes. Its LiDAR products are used in a variety of applications including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicle fleets, last-mile delivery robots, street sweeping robots, and logistics robots. The company operates through two main segments: the LiDAR segment and the gas detection segment, with the former being the primary revenue generator.

Apex.AI

Venture Round in 2019
Apex.AI, Inc. is a software development company focused on creating solutions for autonomous mobility systems, particularly for self-driving vehicles. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company offers Apex.OS, a software framework that simplifies the complexity of hardware and software integration through user-friendly, secure APIs. Additionally, Apex.AI provides Apex.Autonomy, a tool designed for safety-critical applications, and MARV.Automotive, a data management platform that facilitates the transfer of vehicle data to the cloud and enables advanced analytics and collaboration. The company's products leverage open-source technologies, allowing software developers to build reliable and efficient applications for autonomous vehicles.

Cognicept Systems

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Cognicept Systems specializes in hybrid robotics artificial intelligence, offering innovative solutions through its Smart+ telerobotic intervention technology and remote robot pilots. The company focuses on enhancing the deployment of robotic systems by addressing the gap between technological capabilities and customer needs. Cognicept's platform provides supervised autonomy tools that ensure reliability in unpredictable applications, thereby expanding the operational potential of robots. This technology is particularly valuable during the prototyping and testing phases of robotics development, allowing teams to avoid the complexities of creating these tools in-house. By delivering a robust operating system for remote intervention, Cognicept empowers clients to efficiently manage tasks in unstructured environments.

Aurora

Series B in 2019
Aurora Innovation develops advanced software and hardware products for self-driving vehicles, aiming to transform the movement of people and goods. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company operates additional offices in the Bay Area, Bozeman, Pittsburgh, and Dallas. Its primary offering, the Aurora Driver, is a scalable self-driving system capable of operating various vehicle types, including freight-hauling trucks and ride-hailing passenger vehicles. This technology supports Aurora's driver-as-a-service products, Aurora Horizon and Aurora Connect, catering to trucking and ride-hailing sectors. By integrating rigorous engineering with applied machine learning, Aurora Innovation seeks to create a comprehensive transportation ecosystem that connects automakers, logistics services, and mobility providers.

Reliable Robotics

Series B in 2019
Reliable Robotics, founded in 2017 by Robert Rose and Juerg Frefel, specializes in advanced aircraft automation services aimed at enhancing the safety, availability, and affordability of air transportation. The company has developed a remote operation system applicable to various aircraft types, which supports its goal of expanding access to a broader range of locations. By adopting a certification-forward approach, Reliable Robotics enables fully automated, gate-to-gate operations, which has the potential to significantly transform and streamline the airline industry. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, the company operates with a distributed global workforce, committed to revolutionizing the movement of goods and people worldwide through safer and more convenient air travel.

Apex.AI

Series A in 2018
Apex.AI, Inc. is a software development company focused on creating solutions for autonomous mobility systems, particularly for self-driving vehicles. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the company offers Apex.OS, a software framework that simplifies the complexity of hardware and software integration through user-friendly, secure APIs. Additionally, Apex.AI provides Apex.Autonomy, a tool designed for safety-critical applications, and MARV.Automotive, a data management platform that facilitates the transfer of vehicle data to the cloud and enables advanced analytics and collaboration. The company's products leverage open-source technologies, allowing software developers to build reliable and efficient applications for autonomous vehicles.

Kodiak Robotics

Series A in 2018
Kodiak Robotics, Inc. is a technology company focused on developing autonomous systems specifically for long-haul trucking. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mountain View, California, the company specializes in autonomous vehicles, information technology, software, logistics, and robotics. Kodiak Robotics designs self-driving trucks that are capable of operating on highway routes, employing advanced sensor fusion systems and lightweight mapping techniques. By enabling vehicles to manage all aspects of highway driving, Kodiak aims to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs for businesses in the logistics sector.

Reliable Robotics

Series A in 2017
Reliable Robotics, founded in 2017 by Robert Rose and Juerg Frefel, specializes in advanced aircraft automation services aimed at enhancing the safety, availability, and affordability of air transportation. The company has developed a remote operation system applicable to various aircraft types, which supports its goal of expanding access to a broader range of locations. By adopting a certification-forward approach, Reliable Robotics enables fully automated, gate-to-gate operations, which has the potential to significantly transform and streamline the airline industry. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, the company operates with a distributed global workforce, committed to revolutionizing the movement of goods and people worldwide through safer and more convenient air travel.

Citadel Defense

Series A in 2017
Citadel Defense Company, established in 2016 and headquartered in National City, California, specializes in developing and manufacturing counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS). The company offers an automated, modular drone defense solution that employs proprietary machine learning algorithms to detect and mitigate unauthorized drone threats. Citadel's team comprises experts from commercial and military drone industries, enabling them to deliver effective solutions tailored for various clients, including the U.S. Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and other government agencies. Their systems provide multi-layered protection models with escalating countermeasures, ensuring airspace monitoring, threat detection, and mitigation without interfering with common communications.

Hesai Technology

Series B in 2017
Hesai Technology is a company based in Shanghai, China, founded in 2014. It specializes in designing laser radar systems using smart sensing technology. The primary application of these systems is to facilitate autonomous driving by enabling car companies to monitor mixed gas composition and detect hazardous leaks. Additionally, Hesai Technology develops natural gas leak detection systems for industrial processes. Its LiDAR products are used in a variety of applications including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicle fleets, last-mile delivery robots, street sweeping robots, and logistics robots. The company operates through two main segments: the LiDAR segment and the gas detection segment, with the former being the primary revenue generator.

PlusAI

Seed Round in 2016
Plus is a global provider of automated and fully autonomous driving solutions, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with operations in the U.S. and Germany. The company specializes in AI-based autonomous driving software, utilizing large AI models to deliver safe, high-performance, and cost-effective autonomous vehicles at scale. Plus’s open autonomy technology platform powers vehicles currently in commercial use and incorporates advanced sensing technologies such as radar, LiDAR, and cameras to create a comprehensive 360-degree sensing system for object detection. Collaborating with leading vehicle manufacturers, fleets, and technology companies worldwide, Plus is committed to enhancing the safety, comfort, and sustainability of driving. The company has received numerous accolades for its innovative technology and business progress from various industry organizations.
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