Pre-Seed, Seed
$500K – $2.0M
2+ companies
13 partners
Investment Thesis
Focuses on startups at the intersection of robotics, AI, and autonomous systems.
Meet the Team
Lisa Coca
Partner
Lisa Coca is a partner at Toyota Ventures, leading the Climate Fund. She previously worked at Intel’s emerging growth division and was a founding member of GE Ventures. Lisa has a background in sustainability and strategy, and she earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Natalie Fonseca Licciardi
Managing Partner
Natalie Fonseca Licciardi is a managing partner at Toyota Ventures, overseeing day-to-day operations and helping to define the firm’s strategy. She previously consulted with the Toyota Research Institute and founded SageScape, a boutique events and marketing agency. She has also worked with Vox Media and Recode.
Jay Patel
Associate
Jay Patel is an analyst at Toyota Ventures, helping source startups and conduct market research for the Climate Fund. He has experience in corporate sustainability and climate tech through internships at Chevron, Levi Strauss & Co., and the U.S. Department of Energy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UC Berkeley.
Ethan Sohn
Principal
Ethan Sohn is a principal on the Toyota Ventures Climate Fund investment team, focusing on sourcing startups and evaluating opportunities. He previously worked at TD Securities and Siemens Financial Services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international political economy from Georgetown University.
Industry Focus
Invests In
Portfolio Companies (2)
Other
RightHand Robotics
Parallel Domain
- •Raising at Pre-Seed, Seed? You're squarely in their sweet spot.
- •Lead with your fit in Other — the sectors they actively back.
- •Size your ask to their typical $500K – $2.0M check.
- •warm intro preferred
- •Address your outreach to a specific partner, such as Chris Abshire, Principal.
- •A warm introduction beats a cold email. Get matched and request an intro.
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