Top IoT Investors For Startups 2026
Find the investors backing IoT startups across industrial sensors, connected devices, and the AI models that run on them. Investor Hunt lists 7,800 IoT investors.
Investor Data Snapshot:
IoT investors in the Investor Hunt database: 7,800
Top countries represented: Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France, Israel, Canada
Top states and regions represented: Massachusetts, California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Washington
Top cities represented: Boston, San Francisco, New York City, Munich, Paris, Austin
Top industries covered: Hardware, Robotics, Sensors, Manufacturing, Cloud Computing, Industrial Technology
Data reflects investors currently available in the Investor Hunt database and is updated regularly.
What Are IoT Investors Funding?
Most IoT funding now goes to industrial systems.
Industrial IoT and cybersecurity take about 34% of IoT investment.
Connectivity and satellite services are next at 28%, then smart building and city systems at 22%, and AI-driven analytics at 16%.
The largest raises are software companies.
How Much Do IoT Investors Invest?
IoT seed rounds run $500K to $3 million. Series A runs $5 million to $20 million. Growth rounds go higher.
Checks run larger than software because hardware costs more to build and takes longer to reach revenue.
What Is the Hardware Problem in IoT Fundraising?
IoT is hardware, and venture capital prefers software.
Hardware costs more to build and runs thinner margins. An IoT startup starts from a harder position than a software company.
The IoT companies that are raising well add recurring revenue or a software layer on top. A modern day example is Tulip which sells a platform.
The Top 7 IoT Investors For Startups 2026:
1. Steve Gillan
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Private Equity Firm
- Markets include: IoT, Cloud Computing, Infrastructure, Fleet Management, Enterprise Software
Steve Gillan covers IoT alongside cloud, infrastructure, and fleet management. That mix fits founders building connected systems for enterprise and operations.
2. Talia Goldberg
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Corporate Venture Capital, Venture Debt, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Enterprise Software, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, AI
Talia Goldberg invests across enterprise software, security, IoT and cloud. Her tags point to connected software and infrastructure rather than consumer devices.
3. Scott Brady
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Private Equity Firm, Micro VC, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Robotics, Sensors, Manufacturing, Autonomous Vehicles
Scott Brady's tags cluster around robotics, sensors, manufacturing, and autonomous systems. A close fit for industrial IoT and hardware-heavy founders.
4. Berthold Freyberg
- Location: Munich, Germany
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Private Equity Firm, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Manufacturing, Clean Technology, Power Grid, Sustainable Energy
Berthold Freyberg covers IoT alongside manufacturing, clean tech, and energy. The main Europe-based investor on this list, and a fit for industrial and energy IoT.
5. Philip Chopin
- Location: London, England
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Private Equity Firm, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Cloud Computing, Medical Devices, Enterprise Software, Infrastructure
Philip Chopin covers IoT across cloud, medical devices, and infrastructure. A fit for founders building connected systems in health and enterprise, and one of two UK-based investors here.
6. Sean Cantwell
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Private Equity Firm, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Enterprise Software, Autonomous Vehicles, Marketplace Platforms, SaaS
Sean Cantwell invests across enterprise software and SaaS with IoT in the mix. His tags point to the software layer on top of connected systems, which fits the recurring-revenue model IoT investors favor.
7. Brian Long
- Location: Palo Alto, California
- Investor types: Venture Capital, Founder, Angel/Individual, Investment Partner, Investor
- Markets include: IoT, Robotics, Medical Devices, AI, Cloud Computing
Brian Long covers IoT alongside robotics, medical devices, and AI. As an angel and founder as well as a VC, he's a fit for early-stage connected-hardware companies.
How to Reach IoT Investors?
Most investors want SaaS margins and no inventory risk, and they stop replying once they hear "18-month development cycle."
So the first job is finding the investors who actually fund connected devices, not the ones who tag IoT and never write the check.
The tags on a profile tell you which is which. An investor with robotics, sensors, and manufacturing alongside IoT funds industrial hardware. One with enterprise software and SaaS next to IoT wants the software layer on top.
On Investor Hunt, every profile lists all the markets an investor covers, so you can sort the industrial backers from the software ones and the consumer ones. That turns a list of everyone who lists IoT into the few who fund what you actually build.
What Do IoT Investors Look For?
IoT investors judge a company on a few things software investors don't ask about.
- A business beyond the device.
- A working prototype with real customers. They want pilots or early users proving it works in the field.
- A realistic timeline and budget.
- A team that has built hardware before. Someone who understands supply chains, tooling, and manufacturing.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How do IoT startups get funding?
A: Through angels, VCs, corporate arms, and hardware-focused accelerators. Which one depends on the stage.
Q: Why is it harder to raise hardware than software?
A: Hardware costs more to build, takes longer to reach revenue, and carries inventory risk. Many investors prefer software margins and pass on anything with an 18-month development cycle.
Q: Do IoT investors fund pre-revenue startups?
A: At pre-seed, yes, on a working prototype and a strong team.
Q: What do IoT investors want to see in a pitch?
A: A business beyond the device, recurring revenue or a software layer, a prototype with real users, and a realistic budget.
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