Sequoia pursues AI investments more aggressively under Lin and Grady

Sequoia Capital, the firm that helped build Apple, Google, and WhatsApp into household names, is placing its biggest bet ever on a single technology category. Under new co-stewards Alfred Lin and Pat Grady, the storied venture firm is chasing AI deals more aggressively, at higher valuations, and with a sense of urgency that marks a clear departure from the more cautious posture of the prior regime. The shift follows a leadership transition in November 2025, when Roelof Botha stepped down as managing partner. Lin and Grady, who succeeded him, have wasted little time putting their stamp on the portfolio. The numbers behind the pivot Sequoia is targeting approximately $10 billion for dedicated AI initiatives. That figure represents the largest concentrated investment in the firm’s history, which stretches back to 1972. The firm has already made several marquee moves. Sequoia reinvested in OpenAI at a $300 billion valuation. It has also increased its stakes in Anthropic and xAI, two of the other major players in the foundation model race. Beyond the headline-grabbing model companies, Sequoia’s AI portfolio stretches into vertical applications. Harvey, a legal AI startup, sits at a repo...