for pre-seed startups solving hard problems with hard tech
HAX is the world’s first and most active program built for pre-seed startups working at the intersection of science and engineering, where real-world, industrial-scale problems need more than software and slide decks. That’s exactly where HAX operates. We seek founders tackling the hardest physical challenges of our time, across plasma, critical minerals, climate infrastructure, chemistry, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
more than capital – a global engineering organization
Most investors wire money and wish you luck. At SOSV HAX, we build an entire engineering organization around you. In addition to up to $550K in pre-seed funding, we provide a six-month residency at our 35,000 square-foot facility in Newark, NJ – steps from major finance, research, and industrial hubs. Founders gain access to the space, tools, and technical depth needed to turn research into prototypes, and prototypes into real products. Complementing the Newark operation are HAX’s design, engineering and manufacturing experts in Pune and Shenzhen.
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$550K
$11B
$225M+
$1.5B
$3.5B
new opportunities in plasma
a seasoned team of scientists & engineers
Led by Duncan Turner, SOSV General Partner and HAX Managing Director, and Avra van der Zee, SOSV General Partner, SOSV HAX is powered by a global team that blends rigorous scientific training with real-world commercial experience. Our team knows what it takes to validate technology in industrial environments, navigate manufacturing constraints, and shape complex technology into investor-ready narratives. We work alongside founders to pressure-test ideas, refine the science, and accelerate toward market traction. It’s a hands-on, deeply technical partnership that starts on day one and continues long after the initial residency.
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join the founder community by applying to a HAX program
jobs in hard tech →
join a high-growth HAX startup across disciplines
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support and advise startups with your unique expertise
industry partnerships →
corporate collaboration around the world’s hardest problems
invest with us →
meet startups currently raising or invest in SOSV
university partners →
pathways for students & researchers into hard tech