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Overland AI

Overland AI is a Seattle-based startup spun out of the University of Washington that develops self-driving/autonomous ground vehicles for...

Facts

HQ
Seattle
Sectors
Defense and Space Manufacturing
Type
Corporation Seattle business license
Employees
144
Registered name
Overland AI Inc Seattle business license
Stage
Growth
Total raised
$122.3M SEC Form D filings Total of this company's SEC Form D filings
Last round
$80M · Nov 2025 SEC Form D
Founders
Byron Boots, Stephanie Bonk, Greg Okopal

EP12: Kirby Winfield - Founders first VC

## Key Points ### Keywords venture capital, investment strategies, AI technology, founder insights, decision-making frameworks, early stage investing, capital allocation, startup funding, Overland AI, Kirby Winfield ### Summary In this conversation, Martin Tobias interviews Kirby Winfield, a seasoned venture capitalist and founder, discussing his journey in venture capital, particularly focusing on his investment in Overland AI. Kirby shares insights into his decision-making frameworks, the importance of founder evaluation, and the evolution of his investment strategies over the years. He emphasizes the need for confidence in capital allocation and highlights common pitfalls that investors face in early-stage ventures. The discussion culminates…

Also (Rivian spinout) opens 17,459-sq-ft Seattle office and retail hub at 1300 N. Northlake Way led by REI vet Ben Steele

Also, a micromobility startup spun out of Rivian, has opened a 17,459-square-foot Seattle office and retail hub at 1300 N. Northlake Way near Lake Union to be at the center of the city's bike commuting activity. Ben Steele, a former nine-year REI executive and Also’s chief commercial officer, will lead business operations, marketing and customer functions from the new location, which currently houses 38 employees.

2 commentary posts

Seattle’s ‘Third Act’: VCs Say Local Superstars Are Deep-Tech Startups Building Rockets, Geothermal Plants and Autonomous Vehicles

Two Seattle venture capitalists argue that the city’s next wave of superstar startups are already here but focus on deep tech—intelligent machines and physical products like rockets, geothermal plants and autonomous off-road vehicles—rather than pure software. They frame this shift as Seattle’s "Third Act," building on maritime/aerospace roots (Act I) and the software/cloud boom (Act II) to combine hardware and software using local infrastructure and talent.

Nominal opens permanent Seattle office, led by Stephen Slattery, after $80M raise at $1B valuation

Los Angeles-based industrial-software startup Nominal is opening a permanent Seattle office, led by Stephen Slattery, and plans to more than double its local team after raising $80 million at a $1 billion valuation. The company, which serves defense, energy, robotics and automotive customers, cited Seattle's engineering and aerospace talent as key reasons for the expansion.

Ascend series: Seattle’s ‘Third Act’ — physical AI startups on Lake Union signal a shift toward software-enabled hardware

The piece reports from Lake Union to argue Seattle is entering a third industrial era—'physical AI'—where hardware-enabled intelligent machines mix with legacy maritime and aerospace industries, exemplified by startups like Overland, Anduril, Brinc, and Endurance Energy. The authors say Seattle has the talent, infrastructure, and institutions to lead but needs more risk-taking, investor capital for hardware, and pro-innovation policy to fully capitalize on this shift.

Kirby Winfield | Ascend

Winfield is a four-time operator (two IPOs, two acquisitions) who spent two years as investor-in-residence at the Allen Institute for AI before launching Ascend in 2019. That background drives a blunt thesis most polished VCs won't say out loud: pre-seed money from finance-trained "quants" is dangerous, because the people writing first checks need to understand the zero-to-one journey, not underwrite growth. He frames his own value as narrow and purpose-built for the first check, and tells founders that if they don't want to take his call again after the first meeting, they shouldn't take his money. His sharpest point is…

Kirby Winfield | Ascend

Winfield is a four-time operator (two IPOs, two acquisitions) who spent two years as investor-in-residence at the Allen Institute for AI before launching Ascend in 2019. That background drives a blunt thesis most polished VCs won't say out loud: pre-seed money from finance-trained "quants" is dangerous, because the people writing first checks need to understand the zero-to-one journey, not underwrite growth. He frames his own value as narrow and purpose-built for the first check, and tells founders that if they don't want to take his call again after the first meeting, they shouldn't take his money....

Starcloud Becomes Fastest Y Combinator Unicorn at $1.1B as Fusion Leader Helion Tops GeekWire 200 with $15.5B Valuation

The latest GeekWire 200 highlights a shift in the Pacific Northwest startup scene toward physical products like rockets, fusion reactors, and space-based data centers, with Starcloud becoming the fastest Y Combinator unicorn valued at $1.1 billion. Helion maintains the top spot with a $15.5 billion valuation, while notable companies like Stoke Space, Overland AI, and new unicorn XBOW also make significant moves.

Armada Grows Seattle-Area Team to 120 as Its Portable AI Data Centers Gain Adoption by Washington State and U.S. Navy

Armada, a San Francisco-based startup, has expanded its Bellevue, Washington engineering team to 120 employees to meet rising demand for its rugged AI data centers that operate in remote areas. Its technology supports critical clients like the Washington State Department of Natural Resources for wildfire connectivity and the U.S. Navy, backed by over $200 million in funding including from Microsoft.

Seattle Startups Raised $1.5B in Q1 2026 with Lowest Deal Count Since 2020, Ranking 7th in VC Capital Invested

Seattle-area startups raised $1.5 billion across 69 deals in Q1 2026, marking the lowest deal count since mid-2020 amid a trend of larger funding rounds concentrated in fewer companies, particularly in AI. The Seattle region ranked seventh nationally by capital invested but tenth by deal count, reflecting a national pattern of venture capital focusing on a small number of high-profile startups.

YEPS 2025 (Seattle Tech Week) - The Investor-Founder Playbook: Building Unbreakable Alignment

YEPS 2025 (Seattle Tech Week) - The Investor-Founder Playbook: Building Unbreakable Alignment - Bill McAleer, Co-Founder & Managing Director @ Voyager, Firm has $550 million under management and he has experience on 28 public and private boards, with 18 exits for over $5 billion - Kirby Winfield, Founder and General Partner @ Ascend (Emerging fund) - Susanna Niu, CEO of Meeboss (2nd-time founder, 1 exit) Matt McKinney, Head of Growth @ ArcBlock - Susan Paley, Parnter @ Conduit Venture Lab (Emerging fund) Young Entrepreneurs & Professionals Summit (YEPS) 2025 Wednesday, July 30 2025 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Microsoft Reactor…

Startup Founders Nour Gajial and Avi Agola Relocate from Seattle to San Francisco to Boost AI Ventures

Several early-stage startup founders, including Nour Gajial of MathGPT and Avi Agola of Talunt, are relocating from Seattle to San Francisco to leverage its dense AI startup ecosystem, investor networks, and customer base amid the AI boom. Despite Seattle’s strengths as a global AI hub, entrepreneurs see San Francisco as essential for scaling and maximizing success.

Microsoft's private OpenAI emails and Satya Nadella’s new AI catchphrase

Newly unsealed court documents reveal the behind-the-scenes history of Microsoft and OpenAI · including a surprise: Amazon Web Services was the Silicon Valley AI lab's original partner. Plus, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella debuts a new AI catchphrase at Davos, startup CEO Dave Clark gets attention for his "wildly productive weekend," Elon Musk talks aliens, and the latest on physical AI startups in the Pacific Northwest, including Overland AI and AIM Intelligent Machines. With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop; edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Startup Overland AI Partners with CAL FIRE to Test Autonomous 4-Wheelers for Wildfire Response

Seattle startup Overland AI is partnering with CAL FIRE to test its self-driving 4-wheelers for wildfire resupply and logistics, marking the technology's first use in civilian firefighting applications beyond its military background. Overland AI, founded in 2022, has existing contracts with U.S. defense agencies and recently raised $32 million to expand production capabilities.

Seattle’s UW research, Amazon alumni and military adjacency fuel startups building high-stakes, regulation-ready AI for biotech, finance and government

A Seattle high-school intern argues that strict school AI rules illuminated why AI must be disciplined in high-stakes domains, and describes how Seattle's research institutions (notably UW and the David Baker ecosystem), Amazon alumni, and military adjacency produce founders building accountable, regulation-ready AI for biotech, finance, and government.

People

See all 4
  • Byron Boots
    Byron Boots Founder, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Executive Officer, Director
  • Stephanie Bonk Founder, Co-Founder, President, Executive Officer, Director
  • Jonathan Fink Executive Officer

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