# AIN Ventures

> AIN Ventures is a pre-seed and seed-stage venture firm built around a practical dual-use thesis: science-heavy startups can grow faster and more capital-efficiently when they serve commercial buyers and public-sector missions. Founded by military veterans Emily McMahan and Sherman Williams, the firm invests across space, life sciences, resilient energy systems and AI/ML, then helps founders navigate government grants, contracts and customers through a network of more than 600 U.S. service-academy graduates.

- **Founded:** 2020
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States (public office; team operates across multiple locations)
- **Founders:** Sherman Williams II (Co-Founder and Managing Partner), Emily McMahan (Co-Founder and Managing Partner)
- **Team size:** LinkedIn lists a 2-10 employee company size and 26 associated profiles; the operating team is supplemented by venture partners, scientific advisers and a 600-plus-member academy network.
- **Products:** AIN Ventures early-stage fund, Academy Investor Network syndicate, Non-dilutive capital advisory, Dual-Use Technology research
- **Notable:** Built a proprietary network of more than 600 U.S. service-academy graduates for co-investment, diligence and portfolio support., Reports helping secure more than $100 million in non-dilutive capital through grants and contracts., Published five annual Dual-Use Technology reports through the 2024 edition, which analyzed 645 companies and 725 founders.

## Products & services

- **AIN Ventures early-stage fund** — Pre-seed and seed investment in deep-tech companies with dual-use applications, particularly across space, life sciences, resiliency and AI/ML, plus industry-agnostic investment in veteran-led startups.
- **Academy Investor Network syndicate** — A co-investment community of more than 600 graduates of the five publicly funded U.S. service academies that contributes sourcing, diligence, technical expertise and portfolio support.
- **Non-dilutive capital advisory** — Hands-on help navigating government grants and contracts; the firm reports more than $100 million in non-dilutive capital secured to date for companies it supports.
- **Dual-Use Technology research** — Annual market reports and sector papers tracking funding, founders, government grants, industries and technology formats across the dual-use startup market.

## Achievements

- Built a proprietary network of more than 600 U.S. service-academy graduates for co-investment, diligence and portfolio support.
- Reports helping secure more than $100 million in non-dilutive capital through grants and contracts.
- Published five annual Dual-Use Technology reports through the 2024 edition, which analyzed 645 companies and 725 founders.
- Assembled a portfolio spanning space systems, life sciences, resilient energy, AI/ML tools and other dual-use applications.
- Established AIN Ventures Fund I as a Delaware limited partnership and began selling pooled fund interests in December 2021.
- Expanded the firm’s public-sector reach through SSBCI relationships with New York Ventures and TEDCO.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Emily McMahan discussed AIN's dual-use investment approach and government-market advice for founders in a BioBuzz interview following the 2025 TEDCO Expo.
- **2025-08** — AIN was announced as a 2025 venture partner of VC in DC, supporting the Greater Washington region's deep-tech and dual-use ecosystem.
- **2025-05** — The firm published an analysis of venture capital's role in next-generation aviation defense technology.
- **2025-03** — AIN released its fifth annual Dual-Use Technology report, analyzing 645 companies that raised more than $5 million in 2024.
- **2025-02** — AIN and Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation invested in Cerbrec's seed financing for its graphical AI development platform.
- **2024-12** — AIN announced an investment in secure geolocation startup Locus Lock alongside other investors and a Colorado matching grant.
- **2024-06** — AIN published a quantitative paper asking whether defense technology valuations had entered bubble territory.

## Links

- Website: https://ainventures.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ainventures
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/AIN_ventures/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/academyinvestornetwork/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ain-ventures
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-15