Celesta Capital
No summary available yet.
This is one of the few funds where the "operator-led" marketing actually matches reality. The three founding partners genuinely built massive hardware businesses (Flex went from $150M to $30B under their watch), so when they say they'll roll up sleeves, they mean it. The US-India corridor focus is prescient timing as geopolitical winds shift manufacturing. However, be prepared for very hands-on investors who will want deep involvement in operational decisions - this cuts both ways depending on your tolerance for strong opinions from experienced operators. Their portfolio has genuine technical depth (semiconductors, AI infrastructure, space tech) rather than just buzzword bingo, and the exits speak for themselves with IPOs like Robinhood and Credo. The downside? These guys have run $25B+ companies, so if you're looking for patient capital while you figure things out, this might not be your crowd.
- —Best for: Deep tech founders who want genuinely technical investors with real operational chops
- —Watch out for: Very hands-on approach - they will have strong opinions about your business decisions
- —Known for: Solid exits, US-India corridor expertise, and partners who actually built hardware at scale
Celesta investments catalyze this moment, targeting companies that enable mass adoption of emerging tech, radically improve health outcomes, and transform large industries. The firm invests in brilliance at the forefront of science and engineering, targeting companies that enable mass adoption of emerging tech, radically improve health outcomes, and transform large industries.
It primarily invests in Series B round in United States based startups. They're involved in Series A, Series B with typical checks between $5 and 10 million to start with, and might go up from there for follow-ons, typically sub $20 million into a company. Heavy focus on semiconductors, AI infrastructure, space/defense, biotech, and enterprise tech across the US-India corridor with expanding presence in Israel.
Former CTO of Flextronics who helped transform a $150M contract manufacturer into a $30B global company with operations in ~30 countries and ~240K employees. Co-founded Riverwood Capital before Celesta. Known for deep technical expertise with hundreds of patented inventions and hands-on operational approach with portfolio companies.
Spent nearly 20 years at Intel Corporation in various senior management roles, including vice president of the Intel Architecture Group (IAG), vice president of Intel Capital and general manager of Intel's Incubation and Innovation Group. Prior to Celesta, was founder of IndusAge Partners, a cross border venture firm investing in the US-India Technology corridor. Active Advisory Board member of the India Semiconductor Mission.
Spent 13 years as CEO and then chairman of Flextronics International Ltd., growing revenues from $150M to more than $25B during that time and also served as Interim CEO at Tesla. Was a founding partner of Riverwood Capital and served as Partner and Senior Advisor at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Served as an Adjunct Professor at Stanford Graduate Business School from 2008-2017 and is currently a Board Director for over 20 companies.
Have a specific question about Celesta Capital?
Ask Bernie →