AI/Q Fund

AI/Q Fund

Invests in Connecticut startups at the intersection of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and deep technology.

The AI/Q Fund is a $50 million equity investment vehicle managed by Connecticut Innovations (CI), Connecticut's quasi-public venture capital authority, targeting companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and deep tech. The fund was established to position Connecticut as a hub for the next decade of transformative technology, building on CI's existing portfolio, which includes AI and quantum companies such as Quantum Circuits Inc., CopyLeaks, and Bexorg. The fund is directed by Gwen Cheni, formerly a partner at Khosla Ventures and IndieBio/SOSV.

Investment is made via priced equity rounds. The fund targets scalable commercial ventures with high growth potential. A strict geographic condition applies: any company receiving investment must be willing to relocate to or expand operations in Connecticut. Companies outside the state that are not prepared to establish a Connecticut presence are not eligible. There are no published per-company investment caps or stage restrictions in the available programme documentation, but CI's broader investment history favors early-stage and seed-stage ventures.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline. Founders submit a pitch deck via CI's online form. Given the fund's $50 million total pool and mandate to catalyse a Connecticut AI and quantum ecosystem, companies that combine technical defensibility with a credible Connecticut expansion plan are best positioned. Prior CI portfolio companies in AI — including those in drug discovery, asset management infrastructure, and enterprise software — illustrate the range of verticals the fund has engaged.