Samsung Catalyst Fund
Samsung Electronics' evergreen corporate venture fund investing in deep technology and strategic technology startups.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Samsung Catalyst Fund (SCF) is the evergreen corporate venture capital fund of Samsung Electronics. It was launched in February 2013 as a wholly owned investment vehicle and announced at an event in Menlo Park, California. The fund was established to invest in technology companies whose products or capabilities could generate financial value while also creating strategic or creative impact for Samsung's businesses. SCF focuses on deep technology and infrastructure-oriented startups rather than operating as a consumer-facing product brand. Its investment interests include artificial intelligence, big data, data centers, cloud computing, edge computing, quantum computing, 5G, automotive technology, robotics, digital health, the Internet of Things, and technologies relevant to semiconductors and electronic components. This mandate places the fund close to several of Samsung Electronics' major technology priorities, particularly computing infrastructure, connectivity, chips, sensors, and advanced software. The fund uses a multi-stage investment approach, allowing it to participate across different phases of startup development. Its portfolio-selection criteria combine the possibility of financial value creation with the potential for strategic relevance to Samsung. In addition to supplying capital, SCF describes its support model as including shared resources, networking, corporate development assistance, and mentorship for portfolio companies. These resources are intended to help startups scale and to create potential links with Samsung's technology and business units. SCF is distinct from other Samsung investment organizations, including Samsung Ventures and Samsung NEXT. The distinction reflects differences in mandate and investment structure, although all are connected to Samsung's broader innovation and technology strategy. SCF's international footprint is centered on its San Jose headquarters, with additional offices in Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Paris. By May 2021, the fund had made more than 60 investments. Publicly associated portfolio companies have included AI.Motive, SambaNova Systems, Fungible, Graphcore, SoundHound, Rescale, and Valens Semiconductor. Its portfolio has also produced exits through acquisitions by companies including Continental, Cisco, VMware, Intel, Facebook, Boston Scientific, Siemens, and Amazon. Other portfolio companies, including Innoviz Technologies, IonQ, and Valens Semiconductor, pursued public-market listings during 2021. These outcomes illustrate the fund's exposure to semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, autonomous driving, quantum computing, and related fields. SCF is therefore best understood as a strategic technology investment platform within Samsung Electronics rather than as a conventional standalone financial-services brand. Its public identity is tied to identifying emerging technologies that can mature into independent businesses, acquisition candidates, ecosystem partners, or sources of technological advantage for Samsung. The available public material does not establish a separate consumer product range, a public listing, or a standalone operating company outside Samsung Electronics.
History
Samsung Catalyst Fund was created by Samsung Electronics in February 2013 as a fully owned, evergreen venture capital fund. Its launch was announced at an event in Menlo Park, California, placing the fund within the technology-investment ecosystem of Silicon Valley from the outset. The vehicle was designed to invest in startups while also identifying technologies that could have relevance to Samsung's operating businesses. SCF operates separately from Samsung's other investment organizations, including Samsung Ventures and Samsung NEXT. Its mandate centers on deep technology and on sectors that can influence the future of computing, communications, electronics, mobility, and healthcare. The fund's stated areas of interest include data centers, cloud and edge computing, artificial intelligence, big data, quantum computing, 5G, automotive technology, robotics, digital health, and the Internet of Things. It also looks for businesses that can support Samsung's components and semiconductor operations. The fund follows a multi-stage investment strategy. Its investment rationale combines conventional venture-capital objectives, such as value creation and company growth, with the possibility that a portfolio company's technology could produce a strategic or creative impact for Samsung. SCF's role can therefore extend beyond financing. Portfolio companies may receive access to shared resources, professional networks, corporate-development support, and mentorship, although the available reference material does not specify uniform terms for those services. SCF is headquartered in San Jose and has offices in Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Paris. This geographic structure gives it access to startup ecosystems in the United States, South Korea, Israel, and Europe. The fund's portfolio has included companies working in artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, autonomous-driving technology, semiconductor connectivity, quantum computing, and related fields. By May 2021, the fund had reportedly completed more than 60 investments. Named investments included AI.Motive, SambaNova Systems, Fungible, Graphcore, SoundHound, Rescale, and Valens Semiconductor. The portfolio also generated a series of strategic exits. Argus Cyber Security was acquired by Continental in November 2017; BabbleLabs was acquired by Cisco; Datrium was acquired by VMware; Habana Labs was acquired by Intel; Mapillary was acquired by Facebook; Preventice Solutions was acquired by Boston Scientific; Pixeom was acquired by Siemens; and Ring was acquired by Amazon. Several portfolio companies also reached public markets in 2021. Innoviz Technologies began trading on Nasdaq in April, IonQ began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in March, and Valens Semiconductor announced a New York Stock Exchange listing plan in May. These events demonstrated the breadth of SCF's exposure to emerging technology and provided visible liquidity events associated with its portfolio. The available material does not identify a founder, a standalone chief executive, a separate public ticker, or an independent consumer business. SCF remains best characterized as Samsung Electronics' strategic venture-capital platform, using investment and ecosystem support to gain exposure to technologies that may become important to Samsung's semiconductor, component, connectivity, computing, and digital-technology businesses.
- 2021
Portfolio reaches more than 60 investments
[1]The fund is described as having made more than 60 investments by May 2021.
- 2021
Portfolio companies reach public markets
[1]Innoviz Technologies and IonQ begin public trading, while Valens Semiconductor announces plans for a New York Stock Exchange listing.
- 2017
Argus Cyber Security is acquired by Continental
[1]Argus Cyber Security, identified as an SCF portfolio company, is acquired by Continental in November.
- 2013
Samsung Catalyst Fund is launched
[1]Samsung Electronics launches SCF as a wholly owned, evergreen investment fund, with the announcement made at an event in Menlo Park, California.
Products and positioning
Strategic corporate venture capital for deep technology and infrastructure startups
Financial investment · 2013
Corporate venture capital investments
SCF provides equity investment to technology startups across multiple development stages. Its mandate covers deep technology, artificial intelligence, big data, data-center and cloud infrastructure, edge computing, quantum computing, 5G, automotive technology, robotics, digital health, and Internet of Things applications. Investment decisions consider both potential financial value and possible strategic relevance to Samsung Electronics.
Venture support services · 2013
Portfolio company support
Alongside capital, SCF offers portfolio companies access to shared resources, networking, corporate development, and mentorship. These services are intended to help startups develop commercially and technologically while creating potential connections with Samsung's components, semiconductor, and other business activities.
Brand decisions
2021
Continue broad deep-technology portfolio developmentOtherBackground
By May 2021, SCF had made more than 60 investments and had exposure to a range of technology sectors connected to Samsung's components, semiconductor, and digital businesses.
Action taken
The fund continued investing across multiple stages and supported portfolio companies through capital, networking, shared resources, corporate development, and mentorship.
Aftermath
Several portfolio companies subsequently exited through acquisitions or entered public markets, including Innoviz Technologies, IonQ, and Valens Semiconductor.
2013
Create a dedicated evergreen technology investment fundStrategyBackground
Samsung Electronics sought a dedicated vehicle for investing in emerging technology companies while maintaining a connection to the group's broader technology strategy.
Action taken
Samsung Electronics established Samsung Catalyst Fund as a wholly owned fund with a multi-stage investment mandate, separate from Samsung Ventures and Samsung NEXT.
Aftermath
The fund developed a portfolio spanning artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors, cybersecurity, mobility, quantum computing, and other deep-technology fields.
Recent events
- 2021
Samsung Catalyst Fund reports more than 60 investments[1]
Other
By May 2021, publicly available material described SCF as having made more than 60 investments across areas including artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors, automotive technology, and other deep-technology categories.
- 2021
Innoviz Technologies begins Nasdaq trading[1]
Other
Innoviz Technologies, a company identified as part of the SCF portfolio, began trading on Nasdaq under INVZ and INVZW on April 6, 2021. The referenced material states that the market debut raised $371 million.
- 2021
IonQ begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange[1]
Other
IonQ, identified as an SCF portfolio company, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under IONQ on March 8, 2021. The referenced material states that the transaction raised $650 million.
- 2021
Valens Semiconductor announces public listing plans[1]
Other
Valens Semiconductor, another company identified as part of the SCF portfolio, announced plans to go public on the New York Stock Exchange under VLN on May 25, 2021. The referenced material states that the offering was expected to raise $240 million.
- 2013
Samsung Electronics launches Samsung Catalyst Fund[1]
Other
Samsung Electronics introduced SCF as a wholly owned investment fund focused on technology startups. The announcement was made at an event in Menlo Park, California.
Sources2 sources
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