A prominent figure in the startup world and former president of Y Combinator, Geoff Ralston, is returning to formal investing with the launch of a new venture fund dedicated to artificial intelligence safety.
Announced on Thursday, the fund is called the Safe Artificial Intelligence Fund—a name that captures both its mission and a nod to the investment tool it will use. Ralston intends to write $100,000 checks via SAFEs (Simple Agreements for Future Equity), a pre-seed financing instrument popularized by Y Combinator. These investments will come with a $10 million valuation cap.
While venture capital interest in AI startups has surged in recent years, Ralston’s approach stands apart with its explicit focus on AI safety, security, and responsible deployment. As he explained to TechCrunch, most AI ventures aim to solve problems or build new capabilities without prioritizing safety — a gap he hopes to fill.
“I intend to fund startups whose primary objective is safe AI — as I have (very broadly) defined it,” Ralston said.
Startups in Ralston’s scope include those working on AI interpretability, compliance alignment, IP protection, disinformation prevention, and AI-generated threat detection. He’s also interested in tools that prioritize privacy and security, such as AI-powered forecasting and negotiation systems designed to guard sensitive corporate information.
However, Ralston is drawing a clear ethical boundary. He has ruled out funding technologies that enable autonomous weapons or AI-driven bioweapons. Instead, he expresses interest in “weapon safety systems” that could prevent or detect misuse of AI in combat or warfare scenarios.
This position contrasts with a growing trend among defense-focused tech startups and VCs advocating for fully autonomous weapon systems.
Although details about SAIF’s size, target portfolio, or limited partners remain under wraps, Ralston’s return brings with it a wealth of experience and connections. Having served as Y Combinator’s president until 2022 and a longtime advisor before that, he plans to offer selected startups mentorship, guidance on YC applications, and **access to his expansive investor network
As AI continues to evolve, Ralston’s initiative may serve as a critical voice championing responsibility and restraint in one of the most transformative technologies of our time.
