Ashot Arzumanyan on the TEDx stage

Partner, SmartGateVC · Los Angeles & Yerevan

Ashot
Arzumanyan

Venture capital investor and co-founder of SmartGateVC. Backing science-driven founders at the early stage.

About

I am a venture capital investor, co-founder and partner at SmartGateVC - focused on first-check investments in science-driven companies at the frontier of physical AI, neurotechnology, and cybersecurity. Since 2018, I have backed 40+ deep-tech startups sourced from institutions like Harvard, MIT, EPFL, Meta, and Bosch - with portfolio companies raising from NVIDIA, a16z, Bessemer, Khosla, and Cisco.

My edge is early-stage conviction and technology transfer - getting in when the science is proven but the company is not yet, and helping founders cross the gap from research to commercial traction.

Based in the United States and Armenia. Married with three children. I am passionate about companies that drive massive breakthroughs by solving problems from first principles - where invention, not iteration, is the foundation.

Investment Thesis

In 2018 we started investing in AI ahead of the wave - our pilot fund ranked in the top decile. Today we invest in what we believe is the next one: bringing AI into the physical world.

Early stage in deep tech. I back founders who see possibilities others miss and have the tenacity to make them real.

  • Physical AI & Robotics - sensors, actuators, control systems, and the edge compute and memory that make autonomous systems real
  • AI Security - TRiSM frameworks enabling large-scale AI adoption in enterprises and on the edge
  • Neurotech & BCI - medical devices addressing urgent neurological needs today, with a long-term vision of connecting AI to the human brain
  • Early engagement - In from day one, growing with founders through their journey

Media

Writing, interviews
& appearances

Articles & Op-eds
11
Press & Interviews
6
Podcasts & Video
5

Armenia

The Armenian Edge

A meaningful part of my investing edge comes from the global Armenian network - executives, scientists, founders, operators, and investors at leading companies and institutions worldwide. It provides deal flow, expert diligence, and portfolio support built on trust that takes decades to earn.

Selected Armenia-related media

11 items

    Contact

    Get in touch

    I am always interested in meeting exceptional founders building at the frontier of technology. If you are working on something in Physical AI, Secure Edge, or Neurotech, I would love to hear from you.

    LinkedIn

    Connect with me

    For investment inquiries, please include a brief description of your company, stage, and what you are building. I read every message but may not be able to respond to all.