AIN Ventures

AIN Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund founded in 2020, based in New York and Washington, D.C. Co-founded by former Naval Intelligence Officer Sherman Williams II and veteran-entrepreneur-ecosystem builder Emily McMahan, it invests in dual-use deep tech and veteran-led startups. Beyond capital, AIN runs the invite-only "Academy Investor Network," a Service Academy alumni syndicate providing deal sourcing, vetting, and post-investment support, plus mentorship on government contracting and export compliance. It also publishes an annual Dual-Use Technology Report. Focus areas include space, life sciences, resiliency, and AI/ML. Notable portfolio companies include Inversion Space, Trogenix, ClimateAI, Arcee AI, Orbit Fab, and Proteus Space. Typical initial checks range from $50,000 to $1 million at pre-seed and seed stages. AIN's "founder-first" criteria weigh leadership, grit, and technical depth, with a preference for veteran and underrepresented founders.