Ex-Y Combinator President Ralston launches new venture fund on safe AI

• Published On: 19 April 2025 at 19:55

Geoff Ralston, a major figure in the startup world and former president of Y Combinator, is returning to formal investment with the creation of a new venture fund focused on artificial intelligence safety.

The Safe Artificial Intelligence Fund, which was announced on Thursday, is named after both its objective and the investment technique it will utilise. Ralston plans to make $100,000 cheques using SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), a pre-seed fundraising vehicle popularised by Y Combinator. These investments will have a $10 million valuation cap.

While venture capitalists' interest in AI businesses has grown in recent years, Ralston's strategy stands out for its specific emphasis on AI safety, security, and responsible deployment. According to him, most AI startups try to solve problems or build new capabilities without prioritising safety, which he aims to bridge.

"I intend to fund startups whose primary objective is safe AI — as I have (very broadly) defined it," Ralston told CNN.

Ralston's portfolio includes startups focused on AI interpretability, compliance alignment, IP protection, disinformation prevention, and AI-generated threat detection. He's particularly interested in solutions that prioritise privacy and security, such as AI-powered forecasting and negotiation systems for protecting sensitive company data.

However, Ralston establishes a clear ethical threshold. He has decided not to support technologies that enable autonomous weapons or AI-driven bioweapons. Instead, he is interested in "weapon safety systems" that can prevent or detect the misuse of AI in combat or conflict settings.

This is in contrast to a growing tendency among defense-focused tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists calling for completely autonomous weapon systems.

Although SAIF's size, target portfolio, and limited partners remain unknown, Ralston's return brings a wealth of knowledge and connections. Having served as Y Combinator's president until 2022 and a long-time advisor before that, he wants to offer selected firms mentorship, help on YC applications, and **access to his extensive investor network.

As AI evolves, Ralston's project may act as a key voice advocating for responsibility and restraint in one of today's most disruptive technologies.