A group of former OpenAI leaders has launched a $100 million venture capital fund, named Zero Shot Fund, aimed at investing in early-stage AI startups. The fund has already completed its first close and begun deploying capital.

The fund is co-founded by Evan Morikawa, former head of applied engineering at OpenAI; Andrew Mayne, one of OpenAI’s first prompt engineers; and Shawn Jain, a former OpenAI engineer turned venture capitalist.

According to the founders, the idea for the fund emerged organically from their shared experience and access to top-tier AI talent. They aim to leverage their insider understanding of AI trends and builder ecosystems to identify high-potential startups early.

Zero Shot Fund has already backed several startups, including Worktrace AI, founded by former OpenAI product manager Angela Jiang, which recently raised a $10 million seed round. It has also invested in Foundry Robotics, which secured $13.5 million in seed funding led by Khosla Ventures, along with another stealth-stage startup.

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The founders have also outlined a clear investment thesis, choosing to avoid areas they believe are overhyped. Mayne expressed scepticism toward many “vibe-coding” platforms, while Morikawa raised concerns about certain robotics approaches relying heavily on video data, citing unresolved challenges in bridging the “embodiment gap.”

Morikawa noted that predicting the trajectory of AI innovation remains highly uncertain, describing it as “non-linear and extremely difficult to forecast.”

The launch of Zero Shot Fund highlights a growing trend of AI insiders turning venture investors, using their technical expertise and network access to shape the next wave of AI innovation.

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