Daybreak raises $100M for early-stage AI bets
Daybreak raised $100M across a core fund and follow-on fund to back early-stage AI, infrastructure and robotics startups.
Large AI rounds dominate the headlines, but early-stage AI funds are still raising fresh capital. Daybreak’s new funds point to continued investor appetite for seed-stage company-building.
What happened
Daybreak, the New York venture firm founded by former Index Ventures investor Rex Woodbury, raised $100M across two funds.
The firm raised a $75M core fund for pre-seed and seed-stage startups and a $25M follow-on fund. It plans to invest in around 30 companies, with interest in applied AI, AI infrastructure and robotics.
Why it matters
This is a strong VC signal.
While mega-funds and late-stage AI rounds get most of the attention, smaller early-stage funds are still positioning around the next wave of AI-native startups.
The bigger picture
AI investing is splitting between massive infrastructure bets and smaller funds focused on company formation. Daybreak’s raise suggests LPs still see room for specialist early-stage funds that can find AI opportunities before they become expensive growth rounds.