Cerberus Ventures

Cerberus Ventures is a deep-tech venture firm launched in 2023 as the venture arm of Cerberus Capital Management, focused on companies building consequential capabilities across AI, energy, compute, biotechnology, and critical infrastructure. The firm was founded by Chris Darby, who previously served for 17 years as President and CEO of In-Q-Tel cerberus-ventures — the CIA's strategic investment vehicle — and draws heavily on that lineage: several team members are In-Q-Tel alumni. The team includes Sarah Istel, a Managing Director who focuses on multi-stage deep-tech defense investments including in the maritime sector, and came from the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. cerberus-ventures Portfolio companies include Ghostdog Systems, Maybell Quantum, Nudge Security, ChipStack, and DG Matrix, among others. The firm positions itself as an operator-investor with national security orientation, backed by the broader Cerberus platform.