Theme / 01
AI unlocking existing hardware
Over $200B of GPU CapEx is deployed and under-utilised. Software that squeezes more from what's already installed wins the CapEx-fatigue era.
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
Bricksters build unicorns.Now they back them.
The Brickster Alumni Ecosystem writes first VC checks into Databricks alumni building deeptech AI companies — and surrounds every check with senior operators who've done it before.
Brickster Alumni Ecosystem — Overview
Our conviction
Capital alone doesn't build companies. Capital plus execution does.
Capital+Execution=Flatten the J-curve
Most early-stage companies burn eighteen months learning what experienced operators already know. We compress that. First checks arrive with the people who scaled Databricks and MuleSoft from day one to IPO — so the J-curve gets shallower, and the climb starts sooner.
Bricksters are known for building unicorns
The Databricks alumni network is one of the densest concentrations of proven company-builders in tech. This ecosystem is where that network compounds — a safe place to co-build and co-own deeptech AI companies together.
We double down on winners
We aim to invest follow-on funding into the best-performing companies in the ecosystem — first checks are the start of the relationship, not the end of it.
Support all the way
Portfolio companies get unique access to capital, execution, and strategic support at every stage — from first check through Series A and beyond.
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
What we invest in
Pre-seed and seed AI companies with real technical depth.
We don't back thin wrappers on someone else's model. We back proprietary technical depth, workflow lock-in, and infrastructure-level differentiation — companies a frontier lab can't replicate by shipping a feature.
12
Target investments / year
Theme / 02
Energy optimization for AI
Grid scarcity is now a hard constraint on AI scaling. Software-level efficiency gains are the necessary bridge — and regulation is a tailwind, not a threat.
Theme / 03
AI for robotics & automation
Labour is 30–60% of revenue in services and knowledge work. Vertical-specific automation with measurable output is the most direct ROI story.
Stage
Pre-seed & Seed
Focus
Deeptech AI
Who
Databricks alumni
Follow-on
Into best performers
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
Who it's for
One ecosystem. Three ways in.
Whether you're building, operating, or investing — if you carry the Databricks alumni badge, there's a seat at this table.
01 — Startups
Get your first VC check — and a team behind it
- First institutional checks into alumni-founded deeptech AI companies
- Senior fractional operators — CTO, CFO, CMO, GTM — funded alongside the round
- GTM frameworks from the people who scaled Databricks $0 → $500M+
- Follow-on capital targeted at the ecosystem's best performers
02 — Experts
The expert bunch we look for
- Ex-Databricks operators with scars from real scaling — GTM, product, data, infra
- Senior fractional leaders ready to embed with pre-seed and seed teams
- Compensated in cash plus VCI™ — equity-like upside across the portfolio, not one bet
- Builders who want ownership in the companies they help build
03 — Investors
Direct access and VCI™ opportunities
- Direct co-investment access into curated alumni-founded companies
- VCI™ investment opportunities — portfolio-level exposure to ecosystem execution
- Deal flow sourced through the densest alumni network in data & AI
- Backed by a fund team with a demonstrated early-stage track record
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
Team & track record
Operators first. Investors with receipts.
Celero Ventures Fund I — an emerging data, infrastructure & AI fund led by the executives who scaled Databricks and MuleSoft from day one. Fifteen portfolio companies and counting.
CloudNC
Series B follow-on · 2024
Tower.dev
Pre-seed · Nov 2024
Catio
Pre-seed · 2024
Syncly
Seed · 2026
Suger
Series A · 2024
Haize Labs
Seed · 2024
Pandatron
Seed · 2024
BTON
Pre-seed · 2025
Archestra.AI
Pre-seed · 2025
Zettafleet
Pre-seed · 2025
Auryx
Pre-seed · 2025
NVISIQ
Pre-seed · 2025
GeoSurge
Seed · 2026
Duku.ai
Pre-seed · 2026
Revenue Labs
Pre-seed · 2026
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
The team behind it
Who's building this with you.
Ecosystem operator
Celero Ventures
Led by veteran tech executives who scaled Databricks and MuleSoft from day one to IPO and $500M+ revenue. Nick & Dave's Databricks alumni network is the primary sourcing engine for this ecosystem — the same network that has already produced Fund I's strongest deals.
Execution infrastructure
Execution Capital
The execution-first venture infrastructure behind the ecosystem. EC finances senior fractional operators through Tickets and retainers, aligned to outcomes via VCI™ — so every first check arrives with the execution capacity to convert it into proof.
David Wyatt
Founder
Dave & Nick have worked together for over 12 years, and in that period have delivered billions of dollars in shareholder value in the success of building and scaling out businesses for both Mulesoft and Databricks. They are both entrepreneurial software executives with extensive start up and scale up experience as co-founder, early employee and executive leadership.
Operated by Celero Ventures · Powered by Execution Capital
Built a unicorn once?Build the next one with your own people.
First checks, senior operators, and follow-on capital — reserved for the Databricks alumni network.
The Brickster Alumni Ecosystem is an independent initiative operated by Celero Ventures and powered by Execution Capital. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Databricks, Inc. “Databricks” is a trademark of Databricks, Inc. Investment involves risk, including loss of capital. Performance figures relate to Celero Ventures Fund I and past performance is not indicative of future results. This page does not constitute an offer or solicitation to invest.