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The Venture Codex

Microsoft

One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, United States

Overview

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

Total investments
146
Lead investments
22
Investments · 12mo
13
Active investors
11

Sector focus

  • Data Management
  • Developer Tools
  • DevOps
  • Enterprise Software
  • Operating Systems
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Investment portfolio

  • Photonic

    Participated · Series E · May 2026

    Photonic pursues a distributed approach to quantum computing through its Entanglement First architecture, which combines silicon-based qubits with native photonic connectivity to enable scaling across existing telecom fiber infrastructure. The company positions this architecture as a path toward fault-tolerant, commercial-scale quantum systems that can interoperate with global cloud and telecom networks. Photonic is engaged in programs including Canada’s Quantum Champions Program and Stage B of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. With the recent financing, Photonic has raised over $350 million USD to date and closed a round valuing the company at $2.0 billion USD post-money. The firm says it will use the new capital to advance platform development, deepen telecom and strategic partnerships, grow its team, and pursue near-term milestones. Investors supporting Photonic range from government development banks and national telecoms to multinational strategic and growth equity backers.

  • Ineffable Intelligence

    Participated · Seed · Apr 2026

    Ineffable Intelligence is a startup that was the subject of media coverage after announcing a $1.1 billion Seed round at a $5.1 billion valuation. The raise was characterized as historic in size for a seed-stage financing. Public reporting did not describe the company's products, services, or core technology. The articles also did not provide operating metrics such as revenue or user counts. No information about the company's founding year, location, or future plans was included in the coverage.

  • OpenAI

    Participated · Equity · Mar 2026

    OpenAI develops advanced artificial intelligence products, including ChatGPT and APIs for developers. The company is establishing The Deployment Company via a strategic alliance with private-equity partners to drive deeper enterprise integration of its AI tools. OpenAI will retain majority control of the joint venture, which is capitalized with more than $4.0 billion from investors and valued at about $10.0 billion. The initiative emphasizes embedding "forward-deployed engineers" inside client organizations to tailor and implement solutions. Target industries for deployment include financial services, health care, manufacturing and logistics. The move is part of a broader shift toward monetization and scaling enterprise adoption as OpenAI and peers consider potential IPOs, and it follows an internal leadership shift assigning Brad Lightcap to oversee related market-facing projects.

  • Wayve

    Participated · Series D · Feb 2026

    Wayve builds an end-to-end neural network-based self-driving system that uses raw data from whatever sensors are on a vehicle rather than relying on specific sensors, chips, or high-definition maps. Its software underpins two commercial products: an "eyes on" assisted-driving system requiring driver attention, and an "eyes off" fully automated-driving system intended for robotaxis and some consumer scenarios. The company sells directly to automakers and has landed customers including Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis, with Nissan planning integration into ADAS from 2027. Wayve’s software is designed to run on a variety of automotive compute platforms, a capability it is expanding through strategic investments from chipmakers. Financially, Wayve recently closed a $1.2 billion Series D and announced a $60 million extension from semiconductor partners, with an additional $300 million milestone-based commitment from Uber. The company is using new funds to support integration across compute platforms and continued production deployment of the Wayve AI Driver.

  • Crink

    Participated · Seed · Feb 2026

    Crink operates a ‘Human + AI’ wellbeing platform that pairs real-time, AI-driven emotional guidance with sessions from licensed therapists. Its product addresses four key life domains—self, work, parenting and relationships—helping users manage stress, build emotional resilience and improve family as well as workplace dynamics. The company says it has already served more than 15,000 clients, signalling early product-market fit and demand among busy professionals. By using AI to surface stress patterns instantaneously, Crink lets its human therapists concentrate on deeper, outcome-oriented interventions. The founders—Rustum Usman, Mariyam and Sruthi—plan to deploy new capital to broaden the therapist network, enrich AI capabilities and reinforce the hybrid model. Over the next 2-3 years, management aims to position Crink as the default wellbeing solution for mid-to-senior professionals in India and eventually overseas. Financially, the startup has just secured ₹1.8 crore in pre-seed funding, adding to earlier backing from Kerala Startup Mission, Microsoft and The Step Up Ventures, giving it runway to scale product and distribution.

Team