Prime Highlights
- Ashton Kutcher is leaving Sound Ventures to launch a new venture capital firm focused on early-stage AI, energy and deep tech startups.
- Morgan Beller will co-found the new investment firm, while Kutcher will remain an adviser to Sound Ventures.
Key Facts
- Sound Ventures was co-founded by Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary 11 years ago.
- The firm has invested in companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Brex and Gusto.
Background
Actor and investor Ashton Kutcher is leaving Sound Ventures, the venture capital firm he co-founded with Guy Oseary more than a decade ago, to launch a new investment firm focused on early-stage technology startups. The new venture will be co-founded with Morgan Beller, a former general partner at NFX and an ex-partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
The new firm’s name has not been announced. It will focus on investing in early-stage companies working in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, energy and deep technology, targeting businesses built on scientific and engineering innovation.
Kutcher’s departure is not linked to the performance of Sound Ventures, which has built a strong investment portfolio over the years. The firm has backed companies including Brex, Gusto, OpenAI, Anthropic and World Labs, establishing itself as an early investor in leading AI businesses.
According to reports, the decision reflects different investment strategies. Sound Ventures has increasingly focused on more mature startups, while Kutcher plans to concentrate on younger companies at the early stages of development.
Industry observers said the move also reflects growing investor interest in technologies that support AI development, including computing infrastructure and energy systems, rather than only investing in AI application companies.
Despite leaving the firm, Kutcher will continue serving as an adviser to Sound Ventures. At the same time, Guy Oseary and Sound Ventures general partner Effie Epstein will advise Kutcher and Beller’s new investment firm.
The move marks a new phase in Kutcher’s investment career as he expands his focus on emerging technologies and the next generation of AI-driven innovation.