Ashton Kutcher leaving Sound Ventures to launch new AI-focused VC fund with Morgan Beller

Ashton Kutcher is leaving Sound Ventures, the firm he co-founded with Guy Oseary, to launch a separate venture capital fund with Morgan Beller, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal and independently confirmed by TechCrunch. The new firm’s focus will be on early-stage investments in AI infrastructure, energy, and deep tech startups, areas that underpin the AI systems developed by category-leading labs.

Kutcher’s departure does not indicate trouble at Sound Ventures, which has backed companies such as Brex, Gusto, OpenAI, Anthropic, and World Labs. Instead, the split reflects differing investment priorities: Sound Ventures has concentrated on high-conviction bets in established AI labs, while Kutcher and Beller are targeting the foundational technologies that power those labs.

Kutcher and Beller’s new fund will emphasize startups built around hard science and engineering breakthroughs, rather than software alone. This strategy aligns with a broader trend of increased attention to AI infrastructure and energy, which are critical to scaling AI capabilities.

Despite leaving Sound Ventures, Kutcher will continue to serve as an adviser to the firm. Guy Oseary and Sound general partner Effie Epstein will also advise Kutcher and Beller’s new venture, indicating a collaborative rather than adversarial split.