Grdnt LLC
Gradient has been investing at the forefront of artificial intelligence since 2017. We are led by former founders, technical experts, and domain specialists, who have supported hundreds of AI founders from the beginning.
In the firm's own words, from its website.
10 additional team members, 37 additional co-investors and affiliates, 129 additional investments, funds and LPs, 19 verified contacts (18 professional url, 1 firm phone)
Every relationship, signal and contact on this record, with the source on each.
Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.
What matters now
- 1 vehicleon Form D, 18 months
1 vehicle filed a Form D in the last 18 months, the latest Gradient Fund V on 16 Jun 2026. Largest offerings: Gradient Fund V $227M. $227M reported sold so far.
A Form D is filed when a vehicle takes its first money, so these are open to LPs now.
- 5 companiesportfolio raising
5 portfolio companies have new financing on record in 6 months without this firm named on the round; the latest on 11 Aug 2026 ($17.5M round).
A portfolio company raising again is a follow-on decision for the firm and a co-investment opening for others.
- 5 dealswith Y Combinator
Invests most often alongside Y Combinator (5 shared deals) and Scribble Ventures Management (4 shared deals).
pair last observed on record 1 Oct 2026, not a deal date · The firms it syndicates with are the likeliest to see the same deals and to fill out its rounds.
Measuredshared rounds and portfolio companies on recordFor Founders building a round, co-investorsCo-investors →
People to know
View all people- PartnerWhy: Partner: part of the investment decisionProfile
- PartnerWhy: Partner: part of the investment decisionProfile
- Managing DirectorWhy: Managing directorProfile
Relationship network
186 connected entities2 observed rounds
From financing rounds and every investor named in them, Form ADV and Form D filings, the firm's funds and team, and disclosed LP commitments in the venture capital graph. A round's amount is the size of the round, not money that moved between two investors.
Some relationships on this record are counted rather than named here. They open with the full profile.
Click any name or line for the rounds and sources behind it. Line weight is rounds together; dashed lines are inferred.
- Sponsor
- Company
- Fund or vehicle
- Person
›How strength and recency are read
Co-investors are read from the rounds: three or more shared rounds is a strong observed relationship, two a repeat co-investor, one a single round. Funds and people are structural. Nothing is scored that a reader cannot check.
Darker lines were active in the last 24 months or are current; lighter lines are older or undated.
How am I connected?
Name your firm, a company or a person, and DFX finds the published routes to Grdnt LLC: a shared portfolio company or board, a prior employer, a co-investor, a shared LP or service provider. Every step is a filed or published record with its source; none is a guess about who knows whom.
See how you connect to Grdnt LLC
Includes 3 days of DFX Intelligence. Then $199/month unless canceled.
Investing
132 companies on record, 0 new in 12 months
Investments on record
What these amounts mean“This investor” is the amount disclosed for this investor alone; it is unknown unless a source said it. The round size is the whole round.Acquired, Public, Exited and Active are what the firm’s own portfolio card says, read on the date shown when you hover the chip; they are not deal dates. A company with no chip is one whose card states no outcome: DFX does not assume it is active.| Company | Round | Role | Partner | Round size | This investor | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airspace Intelligence | portfolio listing | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact Firm website |
| Alfresco | portfolio listing | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact Firm website |
| Algorithmia | portfolio listing | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact Firm website |
Stated thesis versus observed behaviour
- Sectors
- ai
- Stages
- seed, early
- Geography
- global
- Check size
- not stated; DFX does not estimate checks from round sizes
- Self-described
- seed
Team
12 current, 1 departed
Decision makers
- Andrew Brackin · PartnerWhy this person: Partner: part of the investment decision; Named with investment responsibility; Confirmed current on the firm's own site 2026-10-01LinkedIn or profile link on file (firm website, their bio on the firm's website), confirmed 2026-10-01, confidence 90%
- Clayton Petty · PartnerWhy this person: Partner: part of the investment decision; Named with investment responsibility; Confirmed current on the firm's own site 2026-10-01LinkedIn or profile link on file (firm website, their bio on the firm's website), confirmed 2026-10-01, confidence 90%
- Darian Shirazi · Managing DirectorWhy this person: Managing director; Named with investment responsibility; Confirmed current on the firm's own site 2026-10-01LinkedIn or profile link on file (firm website), confirmed 2026-10-01, confidence 90%
Ranked by the role the firm or its filing states, a route on file and deals led. Every reason is read from the record, never inferred. 3 with a route on file. Routes are published by the person or the firm (their bio, the team page or a filing) and are revealed on a plan; data bought from a provider is never shown, and a route printed at a firm the person has since left is held back.
Investment team
How the team is orderedPartners who lead rounds first (rounds led, then deals attributed, then seniority), then the rest of the investment team, then investor relations, finance and operations. A person named by two sources under two spellings is shown once.- Managing Director · 2 deals attributed
- Partner
- Partner
Contacts
1 firm phone, 18 professional url on record, each with its source. Values open with the complete profile.
Funds and LPs
1 vehicle, 0 LPs disclosed
Funds and vehicles
What these amounts meanGAV is the gross asset value the adviser reported on Form ADV for the vehicle, never the fund’s committed size and never dry powder. Form D sold is the amount sold as of the latest filing, never a final close.| Vehicle | Type | Vintage | Lifecycle | Reported GAV | Owners | Form D sold | Latest Form D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gradient Fund V LP | Fund | 2025 form d first sale | Newly closed | $162M Sep 12, 2026 | 119 | $227M of $227M | Jun 16, 2026 |
Limited partners
Known LPs and allocators
What these amounts and dates areEach commitment is counted once across the pension tape and the allocator graph. A commitment date prints only when the source printed one; otherwise the row carries the report date. A foundation’s 990-PF line is a holding at fair value, never a commitment. Rows without a fund on the venture graph are commitments to this manager.Relationships across DFX
82 co-investors · on 1 other DFX graph
Co-investors
- 2026-10-015 shared deals · strong
- 2026-09-304 shared deals · strong
- 2026-09-303 shared deals · recurring · they led 1
Compare portfolios with Y Combinator, Scribble Ventures Management, LLC, Gradient Ventures or any firm. Co-investors across the market
Across DFX and the capital chainon 1 other DFX graph ShowHide
- The same institution is held on RIA and Wealth, matched by identifier. See which records
Grdnt LLC is the same institution as 1 record in RIA and Wealth.
The joined record opens with the product, beside every other relationship on this page.
Checking your plan…
Evidence and history
4 dated events, 31 observations from 3 sources
Timeline
- seen on or beforeSep 14, 2026Grdnt LLC: INSTITUTIONAL_VC -> SEED_FUND_MANAGER (name or self-description says seed)Classification changedClassificationInference
- Jun 16, 2026Gradient Fund V LP: the Form D filed 2026-06-16 reports the offering fully sold ($227.2M of $227.2M, 180 investors); a final close is inferred
- Aug 26, 2025Grdnt LLC appears on the SEC adviser roster (ERA, venture capital fund adviser exemption)
Full timeline · 4 eventsnewest first; portfolio-page removals last
- seen on or beforeSep 14, 2026Grdnt LLC: INSTITUTIONAL_VC -> SEED_FUND_MANAGER (name or self-description says seed)Classification changedClassificationInference
- Jun 16, 2026Gradient Fund V LP: the Form D filed 2026-06-16 reports the offering fully sold ($227.2M of $227.2M, 180 investors); a final close is inferred
- Aug 26, 2025Grdnt LLC appears on the SEC adviser roster (ERA, venture capital fund adviser exemption)
- seen on or beforeSep 30, 2026Foundational no longer listed on Grdnt LLC's portfolio page
Identity and regulatory footprint
Address, phone, Form ADV filing and ownersForm ADV filed Mar 16, 2026 · 1 private fundsShowHide
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CAadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Office address
- unknownadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Business phone
- unknownadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Website
- gradient.com
- SEC adviser type
- Exempt reporting adviseradviserinfo.sec.gov
- SEC exemption claimed
- Venture capital fund adviseradviserinfo.sec.govItem 2.B(1): advises solely venture capital funds
- Latest Form ADV
- Mar 16, 2026
- Private funds reported
- 1 (1 venture capital funds)adviserinfo.sec.gov
- Private fund gross assets, adviser total
- $162Madviserinfo.sec.govreported GAV of the funds, the adviser's own number; not fund size, not dry powder
Classification history
Classification history
Every classification this record has carried3 on recordShowHide
- Sep 14, 2026Seed fund manager (confirmed, 95%)Name or self-description says seed
- Sep 13, 2026Institutional venture firm (confirmed, 95%)Venture manager, reported GAV $162M across 1 vehicle
- Sep 12, 2026Institutional venture firm (confirmed, 70%)Venture manager with no reported fund assets yet (scale unknown)
Evidence
Every observation behind this profile, with its source, date and class
| Fact | Value | Effective | Class | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why admitted | VC exemption, VC funds reported | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| SEC exemption claimed | Venture capital fund adviser | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| SEC adviser type | Exempt reporting adviser | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Latest Form ADV filing | 2026-03-16 | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Adv pdf loaded | adv-pdf-1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| SEC status | ERA - Active | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| SEC status effective | 2025-08-26 | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Business phone | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV | |
| Description | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Description | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Description | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Office address | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV | |
| Self-described type | seed | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | |
| Self-described type | seed | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | |
| Self-described type | seed | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | |
| Legal form | Limited Liability Company | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Portfolio page | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Portfolio page | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Portfolio page | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Private funds reported | 1 | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Private fund gross assets (reported) | $162M | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Stated geography | global “geography words on the home page” | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated geography | global “geography words on the home page” | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated geography | global “geography words on the home page” | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated sectors | ai “sector words on the home page” | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated sectors | ai “sector words on the home page” | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated sectors | ai “sector words on the home page” | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated stages | Seed, early “stage words on the home page” | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated stages | Seed, early “stage words on the home page” | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | |
| Stated stages | Seed, early “stage words on the home page” | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | |
| Team page | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Team page | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Team page | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Venture funds reported | 1 | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV |
| Website | Mar 16, 2026 | Fact | Form ADV | |
| Site title | Sep 30, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Site title | Sep 16, 2026 | Fact | ||
| Site title | Sep 14, 2026 | Fact |
How this is scored
Scores, classification basis and filing advisersSeed fund manager, confirmedShowHide
Name or self-description says seed
- importance
- gav: 0.37 · funds: 0.08 · people: 0.36 · investments: 0.79 · co investors: 0.77
- active deployment
- investments 12m: 0 · fund raising 18m: 0 · people joined 12m: 0 · vintage within 3y: 1 · latest investment at: not scored
- emerging manager
- fund count: 1 · reported gav: $162M · first adv filing: 2025-08-26 · years since first filing: 1.1
Fits, record history and connections
scored matches for this investor, every identity change, every edge
Fits
- score 51.4confidence 100%Why: sector fit; geography fit; activity; analogousWatch: adjacent portfolio
- score 48.9confidence 100%Why: sector fit; geography fit; activity; analogousWatch: adjacent portfolio
Scored by DFX match engines from the record's observed portfolio, stage, geography and recent activity. A fit is a reason to look, not a mandate; the blockers say what the model could not confirm. Names and the evidence sentences show with the names on this page.
Record history
- Organization classification changed2026-09-14
- Adviser's first ADV filing2025-08-26source on record
The ledger records every merge, rename and reclassification this record went through and the dated filings observed on it, so the identity on this page can be traced to the records it was built from. The ledger's own sentences name other records, so they show with the names.