Why is Kutcher leaving Sound Ventures?

Kutcher and Sound had different views on which startup stages to target for investments. Sound Ventures leaned toward backing more established companies, while Kutcher wanted to focus on very early-stage startups in AI infrastructure and deep tech.

Who is Morgan Beller and what is her background?

Morgan Beller was a general partner at seed-focused VC firm NFX, previously co-led cryptocurrency project Libra at Meta, and spent nearly three years as a partner at Andreessen Horowitz.

Will Kutcher remain involved with Sound Ventures?

Yes. Kutcher will continue to serve as an adviser to Sound Ventures, while Sound's Oseary and general partner Effie Epstein will advise Kutcher and Beller's new firm.

TechCrunch AIJul 1, 2026Jul 2, 2026, 06:00 JST

Ashton Kutcher leaves Sound Ventures to start AI infrastructure fund with Morgan Beller

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3 Key Points

What happened
Ashton Kutcher is departing Sound Ventures, the VC firm he co-founded 11 years ago with Guy Oseary, to launch a new fund focused on early-stage AI infrastructure, energy, and deep tech startups. He is co-founding the new firm with Morgan Beller, a former general partner at NFX who previously worked on Meta's Libra project and spent nearly three years at Andreessen Horowitz.
Why it matters
The move signals a shift in venture capital focus. Sound Ventures built its name backing AI labs and was an early investor in OpenAI, Anthropic, and World Labs. Kutcher's new fund targets the infrastructure layer underneath those companies, suggesting investors are now betting on the foundational technologies that power AI rather than the AI labs themselves.
What to watch
Despite departing, Kutcher will remain an adviser to Sound Ventures, while Sound's Oseary and general partner Effie Epstein will advise Kutcher and Beller's new firm. The new fund's name has not yet been announced.

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FAQ

Why is Kutcher leaving Sound Ventures?: Kutcher and Sound had different views on which startup stages to target for investments. Sound Ventures leaned toward backing more established companies, while Kutcher wanted to focus on very early-stage startups in AI infrastructure and deep tech.
Who is Morgan Beller and what is her background?: Morgan Beller was a general partner at seed-focused VC firm NFX, previously co-led cryptocurrency project Libra at Meta, and spent nearly three years as a partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
Will Kutcher remain involved with Sound Ventures?: Yes. Kutcher will continue to serve as an adviser to Sound Ventures, while Sound's Oseary and general partner Effie Epstein will advise Kutcher and Beller's new firm.

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