Starlight Ventures Research
Investment Thesis
Starlight Ventures is a Miami-based venture capital firm founded in 2017 that focuses exclusively on solving multi-decade problems that humanity has no choice but to solve. The firm invests in teams and technical solutions addressing humanity's biggest challenges and opportunities in deep technology, from basic research to commercialization. They partner with founders bringing breakthrough science and technology to solve problems at scale.
Core Investment Focus Areas
Starlight Ventures specializes in four key technology domains:
Energy Transition & Advanced Materials:
- Fusion energy and next-generation nuclear
- Geothermal energy systems
- Advanced materials for industrial applications
- Thermal energy solutions and high-temperature industrial processes
- Electrostatic motors and energy efficiency
Synthetic Biology & Life Sciences:
- Biotech and life sciences applications
- Cell-based food and biotechnology
- Synthetic biology applications
Space Technology:
- Satellite technology and space infrastructure
- Space-based solutions
Next-Gen Computing & Platforms:
- Quantum computing applications
- Advanced computing platforms
- Software infrastructure for deep tech
Stage Focus
Starlight Ventures focuses primarily on early-stage investments:
- Pre-Seed: $250K-$500K
- Seed: $500K-$2.5M
- Occasional Series A follow-ons for existing portfolio companies
They typically invest as lead or co-lead investors in rounds, providing not just capital but strategic guidance on capital stacking and scaling deep-tech companies from lab to commercial stage.
Check Size
Typical investment range: $250K - $2.5M
- Pre-seed: $250K-$500K
- Seed: $500K-$2.5M
- Average check size: ~$500K for pre-seed, ~$1M-$2M for seed
The firm maintains a $50M fund size with focus on deploying capital efficiently across 40+ portfolio companies.
Recent Activity & Fund Status
Starlight Ventures Fund II is actively deploying capital:
Recent Major Investments:
- January 2026: Ammobia (seed stage, synthetic biology)
- August 2025: Commonwealth Fusion Systems Series B2 - participated in $863M round
- Recent portfolio includes Strand Therapeutics (clinical stage biotech), Twelve (sustainable materials), Carbon Engineering (direct air capture), Satellogic (satellite imagery), Kula Bio (synthetic biology), Emulate (tissues on chips)
Fund Status: Actively deploying Fund II with strong track record of follow-on investments and successful exits.
Notable Portfolio Performance:
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Valued at $5B+ after $863M Series B2 (August 2025)
- Multiple portfolio companies in commercialization stage
- Active participation in major funding rounds alongside Tier 1 investors
Investment Decision Process
Decision Structure: Partnership model with founder-friendly approach
- Matias Mosse (founder) and Andras Forgacs (managing partner) lead investment decisions
- Deep domain expertise in deep tech and life sciences
- Conservative approach emphasizing business fundamentals alongside breakthrough science
Decision Timeline: 2-4 weeks typical for seed decisions
Warm Introductions: Preferred but not required - strong referral network
Team Composition
Starlight Ventures operates with a lean, technical team:
Leadership:
- Matias Mosse, Founder & Managing Partner: Argentine-born serial entrepreneur and venture investor. Early internet entrepreneur in Latin America (mid-1990s). Deep expertise in venture capital, founder of Starlight Ventures in 2017. Focuses on fusion, geothermal, advanced materials, climate tech, and multi-layered capital stacking for deep-tech founders.
- Andras Forgacs, Managing Partner: Serial entrepreneur in deep tech and life sciences. Co-founder of Modern Meadow (biofabrication) and Organovo (3D bio-printing). Former McKinsey consultant. 20+ years in deep tech and venture capital. Brings unique perspective on scaling biotech companies.
Investment Team:
- Nicolas Piuma, Partner: Investment and operations focus
- Michelle Wax, Analyst: Early-stage sourcing and deal support
Operating Partners:
- Fernando Cadilla Sousa
- Olivia Vigil
- Silvana Novidelsky
- Grant Allen
- Carlos Araque
"For Founders. By Founders" - The team includes multiple founders who have built companies, providing operational insight beyond capital provision.
Geographic Focus
Primary focus:
- United States (especially tech hubs with deep tech clusters)
- Europe (selective investments)
Based in Miami, Florida, the firm benefits from proximity to Latin American emerging tech ecosystems while maintaining US and European investment focus.
Founder Preferences & Decision Criteria
Starlight Ventures looks for:
Founder Profile:
- Technical founders with deep domain expertise (PhDs, seasoned engineers)
- Founders with relevant experience scaling companies
- Teams addressing problems that have no choice but to be solved
- Founders capable of building across scientific and commercial domains
Company Characteristics:
- Breakthrough science with clear path to commercialization
- Large addressable markets (energy, food, materials, computing)
- Technical differentiation and defensibility
- Products addressing decade-long or longer problems
- Teams capable of navigating complex capital requirements (venture + strategic)
Anti-Profile:
- Consumer apps and social media
- Incremental improvements to existing markets
- Teams without deep technical understanding of their domain
- Business models without clear path to meaningful scale
Typical Involvement & Board Dynamics
Board Seat: Yes, for seed and above investments Advisor Role: Active involvement in capital stacking and fundraising Operational Support: Strategic guidance on scaling deep-tech companies, fundraising strategy, go-to-market for scientific products
Lead Tendency
Leads and Co-Leads: Starlight Ventures typically leads or co-leads seed rounds they participate in, bringing both capital and strategic guidance.
Notable Portfolio Companies (49+ investments)
Unicorn/Major Exits:
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems: $5B+ valuation (fusion energy)
- Twelve: Sustainable materials and chemicals
- Strand Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene therapy
- Carbon Engineering: Direct air capture technology
- Satellogic: Satellite imagery and geospatial intelligence
Active Portfolio:
- Electrified Thermal Solutions: High-efficiency thermal energy
- Thea Energy: Geothermal energy
- Kula Bio: Synthetic biology
- Emulate: Tissues on a chip
- Zero Acre: Sustainable fermentation
- Modern Meadow: Biofabrication (Andras Forgacs co-founder)
- Ammobia: Ammonia synthesis (recent 2026)
- C-Motive: Electrostatic motors
- Blue Energy: Alternative energy
Capital Stacking & Fundraising Strategy
Starlight Ventures advises founders on multi-layered capital stacking for deep-tech companies - combining venture capital with strategic investment, government grants, and corporate partnership funding. This is a key differentiator, as deep-tech companies typically need capital sources beyond traditional VC.
Performance & Fund Dynamics
Fund I Performance:
- Successfully deployed across biotech, fusion, and deep tech sectors
- Early exits and portfolio company success
Fund II Status:
- $50M+ fund (targeting deployment through 2026-2027)
- Active fundraising and deployment
- Strong LP support from family offices, foundations, and strategic LPs
Market Position
Starlight Ventures positions itself as a specialist deep-tech venture firm with:
- Deep expertise in energy transition, materials science, and life sciences
- Founder-led approach combining technical understanding with venture experience
- Networks spanning scientific community, strategic corporates, and venture ecosystem
- Unique position in Miami as a hub for deep-tech venture capital
Competitive Landscape
Direct competitors: Lowercarbon Capital, Energy Impact Partners, The Climate Collaborative, SOSV (for deep tech), Portfolio shifts.
Key differentiators:
- Founder-led expertise (Mosse as serial entrepreneur, Forgacs as deep-tech builder)
- Multi-layered capital stacking approach
- Strong track record with Commonwealth Fusion Systems and other successful deep-tech exits
- Lean team with high operational engagement
Investment Timing & Pace
- Quarterly deployment targets: 4-8 new seed investments per year
- Round time: 2-4 weeks for decision on seed companies
- Follow-on strategy: Reserve capital for follow-on investments (typical for seed funds: 30-40%)
Future Direction
Starlight Ventures appears positioned to raise Fund III based on Fund II success. Key growth areas:
- Continued focus on fusion, geothermal, and advanced materials
- Potential expansion into quantum computing and biotech infrastructure
- Increased participation in Series A rounds for successful portfolio companies