HAX

What they fund

HAX provides an initial investment of $250,000 - $500,000 in pre-seed funding to startups. [2]

• Stage — Pre-seed, with follow-on support through seed and later stages via SOSV. [1]
• Sector — Hard tech, deep tech, industrial-scale challenges, including energy, advanced compute, and health tech. [1]
• Geography — Global, with major hubs in Newark, San Francisco, New York, Pune, Shenzhen, and Tokyo. [1][2]
• Company shape — Founders tackling the hardest industrial-scale challenges, requiring rigorous scientific validation and commercial experience. [1]

Investment thesis

HAX is the world’s first and most active program built for pre-seed startups working at the intersection of science and engineering. They back founders tackling the hardest industrial-scale challenges, in fields like energy, advanced compute, transportation, health tech, and manufacturing, employing the most innovative new technologies, including everything from plasma and physical AI to advanced chemistry. [1]

• Hands-on engineering support — HAX embeds an elite, global engineering organization directly into the startup, providing industrial-grade space and technical mastery to transform complex research into category-defining products. [1]
• Global residency model — The program operates through fully resourced locations in San Francisco, New York, Newark, Pune, Shenzhen, and Tokyo, allowing founders to access a global ecosystem. [1][2]
• SOSV backing — As part of SOSV, the world’s most active deep-tech venture capital firm, HAX provides a pathway to subsequent funding rounds, with SOSV continuing to back companies through seed and later stages. [1]

Value add

HAX provides hands-on support for hard-tech founders, embedding an elite, global engineering organization directly into the startup. [1]

• Industrial-grade space — Anchored in a 35,000 sq. ft. Newark HQ and an upcoming 10,000 sq. ft. HAX Plasma Forge in Princeton, providing technical mastery. [1]
• Technical partnership — A seasoned team of scientists and engineers led by SOSV General Partners Duncan Turner and Avra van der Zee pressure-test ideas and refine science. [1]

Founder diligence script:

• How does HAX's engineering support specifically address our manufacturing constraints?
• What is the typical timeline for transitioning from the HAX program to SOSV's seed funding?
• How does HAX's global network of offices (e.g., Shenzhen, Pune) facilitate our supply chain or market entry?

Portfolio focus

HAX has a portfolio of 440 startups with a total fundraising of $1.5B and a total valuation of $11B. [1]

• unspun — 3D weaving technology for apparel for on-demand production. [1][2]
• Neptune Robotics — Robotic ship hull cleaning. [1][2]
• Smartex — Automated AI-based inspection for circular knitting machines. [1][2]
• R-Zero — Building monitoring and automated air and surface disinfection. [1][2]
• Flow Neuroscience — Addressing depression with transcranial direct-current stimulation. [2]

Notable investments & exits

Oladance, BintanGo, Allozymes

Strategic implications

HAX's edge lies in its deep technical validation and manufacturing expertise, which is critical for hard tech startups that often struggle with these aspects. [1] The main risk is the long development cycles inherent in hard tech, which could strain the accelerator's resources and founder patience. [3] A signal that would change the read is if HAX expands into non-hard tech sectors, which would dilute its focus and value proposition.

Where they could go further

HAX could deepen its focus on AI integration in hardware, given the growing importance of physical AI and advanced computing. [1] Expanding its corporate collaboration programs could provide more commercialization pathways for its portfolio companies. [1] Enhancing its global supply chain support, particularly in Shenzhen and Pune, could accelerate product development for hardware startups. [3]