ESN.net

Short posts on anything worth a second look.

Battery Ventures has closed a new $3.25 billion fund with a sharp AI lens

By Leave a Comment

Battery Ventures has closed a new $3.25 billion fund, reinforcing its position as one of the most active and globally minded technology investors operating across the U.S., Europe, and Israel. The new vehicle, Battery Ventures XV, lands at a moment when artificial intelligence is no longer a future thesis but a present driver reshaping software, infrastructure, and industrial technology. Michael Brown, a general partner at Battery Ventures, framed the moment plainly, calling AI “one of the most consequential eras in the history of technology,” a line that feels less like hype and more like a statement of operating reality given how quickly capital, talent, and enterprise demand are converging around AI-native platforms.

The fund follows a notably strong period of liquidity for Battery, with 15 exit events announced in 2025 alone and more than $10 billion realized across its funds over the past five years. That track record matters here, not as a victory lap, but as context for how Battery thinks about timing and scale. The firm’s stage-diversified strategy—spanning early, growth, and buyout investments—has allowed it to stay active through cycles, rather than betting everything on one narrow window of market optimism. In a climate where many funds are still digesting earlier vintages, Battery is clearly signaling confidence and readiness to deploy.

Battery Ventures XV will continue backing companies across application software, infrastructure software, and industrial technology, with particular emphasis on data and AI platforms, developer tools, cybersecurity, and life-science tools. What stands out is not just the breadth of sectors, but the continuity of focus. Battery has spent decades in enterprise software and infrastructure, and the rise of AI slots naturally into that foundation rather than forcing a strategic pivot. Brown emphasized that point directly, highlighting the firm’s long-term concentration on software and enterprise tech as a key advantage in navigating this new wave.

Internally, the firm has also been reinforcing its leadership bench. Marcus Ryu, co-founder and former CEO of Guidewire Software, was promoted to general partner, while Zak Ewen, Satoshi Harris-Koizumi, and Justin Rosner advanced to partner roles during the deployment of the previous fund. In Tel Aviv, Barak Schoster joined as a partner, underlining Battery’s continued commitment to Israel as a core innovation hub rather than a satellite market. Late last year, the firm also moved into a new London office, which now serves as the base for its European investment operations, building on more than 150 transactions completed across the U.K. and a dozen European countries since 2005.

Since its inception, Battery has invested in more than 530 companies globally, excluding seed-stage deals, resulting in 73 IPOs and over 225 M&A outcomes. Those numbers tell a story of scale, but the subtext is durability. Battery Ventures XV feels less like a bold reinvention and more like a confident continuation, aimed at capturing value in a market where AI is rapidly becoming the default layer across software and industry. The fund suggests that, for Battery, this moment isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about leaning into a shift they believe will define the next decade of technology investing.

Upcoming tech events:

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *