Mayfield Fund

Mayfield’s core belief is a people‑first, "inception to iconic" approach – they back founders they can serve as roll‑up‑our‑sleeves board members. Their investment focus is early‑stage (Seed, Series A and B) with a particular emphasis on AI (including AI + X and cognition‑as‑a‑service), the data economy, developer‑first infrastructure, the renaissance of semiconductors, cybersecurity/deep‑tech, and human/planetary health. Geographically they are U.S.‑centric but have historically run separate vehicles for India and China. They avoid chasing fads or investing in areas outside their domain expertise, preferring disciplined pacing (new investments every 3.5‑4 years) and a collaborative, consensus‑driven decision process. Recent activity includes a dedicated $250 M AI Start seed fund that writes $1‑4 M checks at the inception stage, complementing their flagship $580 M Seed/Series A fund and $375 M Select III Series B vehicle.

Mayfield sources deals through thematic outreach and internal networks, then two partners build a conviction dossier and present it to the full investment team for a consensus decision. They prioritize "people first" – authentic founders with a strong mission and X‑factor – and evaluate teams before market size or traction. For SaaS, retention and gross‑margin discipline are the top metrics; for marketplaces and consumer products they look for durable usage and network effects. Deal‑breakers include chasing hype without conviction, weak user engagement/retention, and founders who are not a good fit for Mayfield’s hands‑on board involvement. Their model emphasizes a measured cadence, avoiding the sprint‑style investing seen in 2021.

• HashiCorpLead
  Backed at inception to build a multi‑cloud platform, matching Mayfield’s focus on enterprise infrastructure and early‑stage, founder‑first bets.
• PoshmarkLead
  Early investment in a mobile‑native community marketplace aligns with Mayfield’s consumer marketplace experience and people‑first approach.
• TeamBridgeLead
  Enterprise workforce operating system fits Mayfield’s AI‑enabled enterprise applications and category creation focus.
• NumeralLead
  Fintech infrastructure for payments aligns with Mayfield’s enterprise and infrastructure thesis.
• LexCheckLead
  AI‑driven contract‑review software matches Mayfield’s AI‑first, enterprise software investment strategy.
• GruveLead
  AI‑assisted enterprise services embody Mayfield’s cognition‑as‑a‑service vision.
• ProRata.aiLead
  GenAI attribution infrastructure fits Mayfield’s inception‑stage, AI‑focused thesis.
• ProjectorLead
  Consumer productivity and visual‑communication platform represents early‑stage category creation with strong product DNA.
• Zimride/Lyft
  Early participation in a consumer marketplace demonstrates Mayfield’s historical interest, but leadership was not claimed.

• 
  Notable Capital

  HashiCorp
• 
  True Ventures

  HashiCorp
• 
  Uncork Capital

  Poshmark