Pratik Budhdev

Senior Investment Director | Energy Transition, Mobility, Industrial Infrastructure

📍 San Francisco Bay Area, United States🔄 Updated September 2026💼 26 investments📅 14 years investing🗓 Last invested Oct 2024𝕏 @upgrade_to_unlock
VC🌍 United States20+ investments
26
Total investments
5
Early stage
7
Mid stage
4
Late stage
14y
Years active

Portfolio

22 investments · sorted by recency
All investments
Early stage
Mid stage
Late stage
Investor
Oct 2024
Everyone wants fast AI. Everyone needs cheap AI. At Tensordyne, we are driven by one defining challenge: How do we build the architecture that delivers both? We design AI chips and rack-level systems purpose-built for ultra-fast and ultra-efficient data center inference. We build rapidly, iterate constantly, and we are about to deploy our technology into the real world to change the trajectory of AI compute. We are in a high-growth phase and looking for brilliant minds who thrive on autonomy and tangible impact. With a global footprint spanning the heartlands of Silicon Valley and Europe, our reach is wide and our momentum is accelerating. Check out our careers page at https://www.tensordyne.ai/careers
Investor & Board
Aug 2024
In a time of great transformation processes, RIIICO is pioneering the synchronisation of physical factories with their digital counterparts. Our technology complements digital twin systems such as Siemens Tecnomatix and NVIDIA Omniverse with accurate and fine-grained 3D reality data generated by deep learning on spatial data. This way, we support leading manufacturers in addressing todays disruptive manufacturing challenges. At the heart of our startup is the RIIICO AI engine, which uses state-of-the-art object recognition to render each object CAD-compatible while maintaining its original location. This allows users to seamlessly integrate reality-based 3D intelligence into established workflows enabling customers to enhance simulation and planning even in the absence of consistent and up-to-date data. By providing an accessible solution for faster VSOP validation and iterative refinement, RIIICO ensures rapid time-to-market for new products.
 Join us as we build the next generation of AI-based industrial design. Feel free to contact us at team[@]riiico.com
Investor
Apr 2023
dcbel develops technology and designs products that put people at the center of the modern energy ecosystem. The company was founded in 2015 on the principle that everyone deserves clean, reliable and sustainable energy to live a life without compromise. dcbel Home Energy Station perfects the art and science of smart home energy, allowing people to take ownership over their energy supply with one small device. Homeowners can supply their home and EV with solar power, use vehicle-to-home charging to make power outages a thing of the past, and reduce energy costs with artificial intelligence.
Investor
Feb 2023
We believe in building innovative technology that feels familiar, natural, and human. Technology that improves the human experience and is born from good intentions. Products that put us back in touch with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Experiences that are built on trust with interactions that feel magical, and bring joy. Humane is the next shift between humans and computing. The best human experience, ever.
Investor & Board Observer
Apr 2022
UVeye is transforming vehicle inspections with AI-powered computer vision and proprietary hardware. Our systems deliver fast, automated scans that detect damage, mechanical issues, or safety threats in seconds—above, below, and around the vehicle. Founded in 2016 by Amir and Ohad Hever, UVeye operates at 700+ locations globally, including OEM plants, dealership service lanes, auctions, rental fleets, logistics centers, and security sites. We’re trusted by General Motors, Volvo Cars, Toyota Tsusho, CarMax, Hyundai Motors, Hertz, Amazon, and more. Backed by $380M in funding from top investors like Toyota Tsusho, CarMax, Hyundai Motors, Hanaco VC, and W.R. Berkley, UVeye is automating inspections across the vehicle lifecycle, improving accuracy, transparency, and road safety.
Investor
Jun 2021
Niron Magnetics is reshaping American manufacturing. We saw the problems caused by rare earth dependence and took a fundamentally different approach, reconceptualizing how magnets can be made. Our groundbreaking Iron Nitride technology was born at the University of Minnesota, then developed and manufactured right here in Minnesota. The result is a more secure and sustainable supply chain, and a material that unlocks innovation in magnet-using devices. With facilities clean enough to sit in the heart of cities, and our world-class team of experts, we are creating the future of magnetics.
late stageManufacturing
Investor / Board Member
Feb 2020
Actasys pioneers innovative thermal management solutions to optimize data center performance. Our cutting-edge ActaJet™ Technology delivers precise, energy-efficient cooling for critical components like Network Interface Cards (NICs), Data Processing Units (DPUs), and switches. With smart, software-driven cooling, we enable industries to meet increasing demands for computational power, ensuring scalability, efficiency, and enhanced AI capabilities.
Investor (Growth Round)
Feb 2019
Zūm has reimagined student transportation— managing every vehicle, driver, passenger, parent, and ride on a single platform. We’re growing fast and looking for super-smart folks motivated to fix the nations largest mass transportation system and make a real difference for students, schools, drivers, parents and caregivers. If fixing an antiquated system hidden in plain sight excites you, drop us a note at apply@ridezum.com today.
Investor (Series A)
Sep 2018
FreeWire is an industry leader in battery-integrated ultrafast electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions solving grid infrastructure constraints by designing and manufacturing scalable clean power, driving the global transition to electrified transportation. FreeWire is a trusted partner to Fortune 100 companies, commercial and utility customers, fleets, retail locations, and gas stations, supporting their entrance into the EV charging market and increasing the availability and reliability of EV charging. Join us in powering the electric revolution.
Investor (Growth round)
Sep 2018
Luminar (Nasdaq: LAZR) is a global automotive technology company ushering in a new era of vehicle safety and autonomy. For the past decade, Luminar has built an advanced hardware and software platform to enable its more than 50 industry partners, including the majority of global automotive OEMs. From Volvo Cars and Mercedes-Benz for consumer vehicles and Daimler Trucks for commercial trucks, to tech partners NVIDIA and Intel’s Mobileye, Luminar is poised to be the first automotive technology company to enable next-generation safety and autonomous capabilities for production vehicles. For more information please visit www.luminartech.com
Investor and Board Observer (Seed)
Jan 2018
Ordinary insurance wasn’t designed for extraordinary lives. At Kelly Klee Private Insurance, we build comprehensive plans designed to cover all your important personal assets and wealth. Our service was engineered for busy people, like you, who value their time.No one can predict the unexpected in life, but with Kelly Klee, you can control what happens next. See if you qualify today.
mid stageInsurance
Investor
Oct 2017
Brought to you by a team of Stanford designers, with engineering talent from UNC, we are seeking to redefine personal storage. We want to help people monetize their free space and help others find a cheaper, more convenient alternative to sketchy storage warehouses & exhorbitantly priced door to door storage companies. Stache things within your community, with fellow students, faculty, and neighbors. StartX Fall 2016 Cardinal Ventures Accelerator Spring 2016 batch SENSA Labs Incubator Spring 2016
Investor (Seed)
Oct 2017
Brought to you by a team of Stanford designers, with engineering talent from UNC, we are seeking to redefine personal storage. We want to help people monetize their free space and help others find a cheaper, more convenient alternative to sketchy storage warehouses & exhorbitantly priced door to door storage companies. Stache things within your community, with fellow students, faculty, and neighbors. StartX Fall 2016 Cardinal Ventures Accelerator Spring 2016 batch SENSA Labs Incubator Spring 2016
Investor (Seed)
Feb 2017
Namecoach aims to solve the common problem of name mispronunciation. No matter your position within an organization, being on either end of a name mispronunciation doesn’t exactly leave you with a good feeling. So, we provide a simple and effective solution: audio name pronunciations seamlessly integrated with your online tools to easily learn and remember how to say them - perfectly. Our product is useful in many education and corporate settings.
Investor
Feb 2017
Namecoach aims to solve the common problem of name mispronunciation. No matter your position within an organization, being on either end of a name mispronunciation doesn’t exactly leave you with a good feeling. So, we provide a simple and effective solution: audio name pronunciations seamlessly integrated with your online tools to easily learn and remember how to say them - perfectly. Our product is useful in many education and corporate settings.
Show all 22 investments ↓
Experience · 31 entries
All (31)
Investments (26)
Board (6)
2024
Investor
Oct 2024
Everyone wants fast AI. Everyone needs cheap AI. At Tensordyne, we are driven by one defining challenge: How do we build the architecture that delivers both? We design AI chips and rack-level systems purpose-built for ultra-fast and ultra-efficient data center inference. We build rapidly, iterate constantly, and we are about to deploy our technology into the real world to change the trajectory of AI compute. We are in a high-growth phase and looking for brilliant minds who thrive on autonomy and tangible impact. With a global footprint spanning the heartlands of Silicon Valley and Europe, our reach is wide and our momentum is accelerating. Check out our careers page at https://www.tensordyne.ai/careers
Investor & Board
Aug 2024
In a time of great transformation processes, RIIICO is pioneering the synchronisation of physical factories with their digital counterparts. Our technology complements digital twin systems such as Siemens Tecnomatix and NVIDIA Omniverse with accurate and fine-grained 3D reality data generated by deep learning on spatial data. This way, we support leading manufacturers in addressing todays disruptive manufacturing challenges. At the heart of our startup is the RIIICO AI engine, which uses state-of-the-art object recognition to render each object CAD-compatible while maintaining its original location. This allows users to seamlessly integrate reality-based 3D intelligence into established workflows enabling customers to enhance simulation and planning even in the absence of consistent and up-to-date data. By providing an accessible solution for faster VSOP validation and iterative refinement, RIIICO ensures rapid time-to-market for new products.
 Join us as we build the next generation of AI-based industrial design. Feel free to contact us at team[@]riiico.com
2023
Investor
Apr 2023
dcbel develops technology and designs products that put people at the center of the modern energy ecosystem. The company was founded in 2015 on the principle that everyone deserves clean, reliable and sustainable energy to live a life without compromise. dcbel Home Energy Station perfects the art and science of smart home energy, allowing people to take ownership over their energy supply with one small device. Homeowners can supply their home and EV with solar power, use vehicle-to-home charging to make power outages a thing of the past, and reduce energy costs with artificial intelligence.
Investor
Feb 2023
We believe in building innovative technology that feels familiar, natural, and human. Technology that improves the human experience and is born from good intentions. Products that put us back in touch with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Experiences that are built on trust with interactions that feel magical, and bring joy. Humane is the next shift between humans and computing. The best human experience, ever.
2022
Senior Investment Director
Oct 2022
Everything we do starts with people. Our purpose is to provide freedom to move, in a personal, sustainable and safe way. We are committed to simplifying our customers’ lives by offering better technology solutions that improve their impact on the world and bringing the most advanced mobility innovations to protect them, their loved ones and the people around them. Volvo Cars’ continued success is the result of a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive working environment. The people of Volvo Cars are committed to making a difference in our world. Today, we are one of the most well-known and respected car brands, with over 40,000 employees across the globe. We believe in bringing out the best in each other and harnessing the true power of people. At Volvo Cars your career is designed around your talents and aspirations so you can reach your full potential. Join us on a journey of a lifetime as we create safety, autonomous driving and electrification technologies of tomorrow. Read about our privacy policy here: http://volvoca.rs/privacy
Show all 31 entries ↓
Investment activity
2012–2024 · 26 investments
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