Valor Equity Partners

Valor Equity Partners, established in 1995 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a private equity firm specializing in operational growth investments. The firm partners with companies and entrepreneurs across various stages of development, focusing on those committed to excellence and industry transformation. Valor Equity typically invests $10-$30 million in companies generating $5-$15 million in EBITDA, targeting growth investments in sectors such as industrial products, manufacturing, infrastructure, and consumer goods. The firm's investment strategy includes both control and non-control positions, with initial investments ranging from $25 million to $75 million. Valor Equity Partners has a diverse investment portfolio, with a significant portion of its capital allocated to the technology sector.

Will Baine

Principal of Investment Team

Jake Benedict

Vice President

Jonah Cader

Vice President

Neil Crumpton

Vice President

Kirsten Curtis

Principal

Quincy Darbyshire

Vice President

Julie Fisher

Managing Director

Alli Folk

Principal on the Investment Team

Chandler Foster

Vice President Operations Team

Douglas Fumagalli

Managing Director

Manuel Pantelias Garcés Ph.D

Principal, Operations Team

Antonio Gracias

Founder, Principal

Anna Gurevich

Vice President

Joe Haslip

Managing Director

David F. Heskett

Operating Partner Operations Group

Sequoia Johnson

Associate

Philippe El Khazen

Principal

Theo Lederhausen

Principal

Solange Levy

Vice President

Chris Murphy

Partner

Modit Ohri

Vice President

Vivek Pattipati

Partner

Constantine Saab

Managing Director and CTO

Bradley S. Sheftel

Partner

Michael Soenen

Partner

Timothy M. Watkins

Operating Partner

Anni Ylagan

Principal

Past deals in Hardware

Positron

Seed Round in 2025
LLM Inference Hardware

QuEra Computing

Convertible Note in 2025
QuEra Computing is a company focused on developing quantum computing technology. They specialize in building large-scale quantum computers using neutral atoms. QuEra uses innovative techniques to manipulate and control qubits for quantum computation, aiming to solve complex problems in fields like chemistry, materials science, and machine learning. Their quantum computers operate on a platform that leverages arrays of neutral atoms that are highly scalable, providing a path toward achieving quantum advantage for practical applications.

Enfabrica

Series C in 2024
Enfabrica is a technology company focused on developing innovative hardware and software solutions aimed at addressing the performance and scalability challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and accelerated computing workloads. The company specializes in converged networking and memory fabric silicon, which are designed to enhance system efficiencies and performance across various infrastructures, including hyper-scale cloud, edge computing, enterprise systems, and automotive applications. By incorporating advanced technologies such as compute express link, Enfabrica enables businesses to optimize resources and manage multiple graphics processing units effectively. Its products and foundational fabric technologies are geared towards meeting the increasing demands of modern computing environments, particularly in the realm of AI and machine learning.

EXTROPIC

Seed Round in 2023
Extropic AI is a hardware startup focused on developing a specialized chip designed to optimize the performance of large language models (LLMs). The company aims to redefine computation by merging generative AI with physical processes through a unique computing paradigm. By leveraging the principles of out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics, Extropic AI seeks to enhance efficiency and scalability in computational tasks. This innovative approach enables clients to integrate generative AI more effectively into their operations, providing significant improvements in computational efficiency.

Enfabrica

Series B in 2023
Enfabrica is a technology company focused on developing innovative hardware and software solutions aimed at addressing the performance and scalability challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and accelerated computing workloads. The company specializes in converged networking and memory fabric silicon, which are designed to enhance system efficiencies and performance across various infrastructures, including hyper-scale cloud, edge computing, enterprise systems, and automotive applications. By incorporating advanced technologies such as compute express link, Enfabrica enables businesses to optimize resources and manage multiple graphics processing units effectively. Its products and foundational fabric technologies are geared towards meeting the increasing demands of modern computing environments, particularly in the realm of AI and machine learning.

Pano

Series A in 2023
Pano specializes in providing advanced hardware and software solutions designed to help fire professionals detect and mitigate wildfire threats. The company offers a unified platform that integrates cutting-edge hardware, artificial intelligence, and software to enable real-time monitoring and threat detection. By utilizing proprietary mountaintop camera feeds and satellite imagery, Pano's technology allows government agencies, utilities, insurers, and private landowners to quickly identify potential wildfire risks. This capability facilitates the rapid dissemination of critical information, empowering stakeholders to take timely actions to protect lives, property, and the environment from the dangers posed by wildfires.

Lightbit

Venture Round in 2022
Lightbits Labs, Inc., established in 2015, specializes in data storage solutions for enterprise private clouds, Software-as-a-Service, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers. Headquartered in San Jose, California, with additional offices in Israel and New York, the company offers LightOS, a Software Defined Storage solution that integrates with existing datacenter infrastructure, and LightField, a Storage Acceleration Card supporting the LightOS stack. Lightbits' innovative NVMe/TCP protocol enables high-performance block storage, simplifying scalability and reducing costs for cloud-native applications in diverse environments.

Astera Labs

Series C in 2021
Astera Labs is a fabless semiconductor company based in Santa Clara, California, established in 2017. The company specializes in designing and supplying semiconductors and connectivity solutions tailored for data-centric systems. Its product range includes system-aware semiconductor integrated circuits, high-speed mixed-signal connectivity products, and various system components like PCIe smart retimers, riser cards, and GPU booster cards. Astera Labs focuses on enhancing PCIe connectivity to address performance bottlenecks in compute-intensive environments, such as server connectivity, distributed machine learning, and high-end gaming graphics. The company collaborates with processor vendors, cloud service providers, and manufacturing partners to deliver critical connectivity performance and facilitate flexibility and customization in their clients' systems. Astera Labs also offers design and testing services, alongside its COSMOS software suite, which enhances observability and predictive analytics in connectivity solutions.

Quantum Machines

Series B in 2021
Quantum Machines is a start-up focused on developing advanced control and operation systems for quantum computers. The company specializes in creating innovative software, hardware, and electronics that integrate classical engineering disciplines, including electrical, hardware, and software engineering, with the principles of quantum computing. By employing expertise in algorithmics, digital signal processing, RF microwave engineering, machine learning, and quantum physics, Quantum Machines aims to enhance the capabilities of quantum technology. Their next-generation quantum controllers are designed to translate quantum algorithms into pulse sequences, enabling organizations across various industries to execute complex quantum algorithms and experiments in an intuitive and efficient manner.

Mythic

Series B in 2019
Mythic Inc. is a technology company that designs and develops silicon chips and artificial intelligence processing units (IPUs) for a wide range of applications, from consumer electronics and wearables to autonomous vehicles and robotic drones. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Redwood City, California, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, Mythic specializes in analog matrix processors that utilize unique compute-in-memory technology. Their products, including the M1076 Analog Matrix Processor and various PCIe and M.2 cards, integrate AI capabilities directly into compact chips, enabling desktop-level processing power in smaller devices. The company emphasizes its expertise in neural networks, processor architecture, and software design to deliver efficient AI solutions while maintaining performance, power efficiency, and accuracy in real-world environments.
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