Deep Tech · VC Firm

Safar Partners

Cambridge deep tech fund (founded 2018, firm-stated $1B+ under management) investing in MIT, Harvard and University of Rochester spin-outs, with quantum positions in QuEra, CavilinQ and Lightsynq (exited to IonQ, June 2025). Followed every documented quantum round rather than leading, most recently CavilinQ's $8.8M seed in April 2026.

Active Cambridge, United StatesFounded 2018

Investment thesis

Cambridge, MA deep tech firm founded in 2018 by Nader Motamedy (ex-Caspian Private Equity) and Arunas Chesonis (PAETEC founder, Cranberry Capital family office), investing seed to growth in companies spun out of MIT, Harvard and the University of Rochester, where its principals sit as board members and trustees.

Firm states over $1B under management and 75+ portfolio companies, targeting over 4x gross multiple and over 20% net IRR; Fund III: $300M target, $229M sold (SEC Form D, December 2025).

Quantum exposure runs through the Harvard neutral-atom and photonics ecosystem: early backer of QuEra Computing (recommitted in the $230M financing of February 2025, joined by new investors Google, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Valor), Lightsynq's $18M Series A (November 2024, led by Cerberus Ventures; EXIT: acquired by IonQ, completed June 2025), and CavilinQ's $8.8M seed (April 2026, led by QVT, cavity-enhanced photonic interconnects out of the Lukin and Bernien labs).

A venture fund with private equity vision: it follows university-anchored teams from first check through growth rather than leading large priced rounds.

Anti-thesis

The patterns that trigger a fast no with this fund.

  1. If your core technology is not anchored at MIT, Harvard or the University of Rochester, you are outside the sourcing engine: the firm's principals are trustees and board members at these three institutions and the portfolio is built almost entirely from their labs
  2. Safar has not led any of its documented quantum rounds (QVT led CavilinQ, Cerberus led Lightsynq, Google and SoftBank anchored QuEra's 2025 financing): if you need a lead to price and structure your round, look elsewhere first
  3. Quantum is a slice of a three-vertical generalist deep tech portfolio (cleantech and advanced materials, AI/IT and robotics, life sciences), not a dedicated practice: expect generalist deep tech diligence, not a quantum-specialist partner
  4. The firm's only quantum thesis to date is the Harvard neutral-atom and photonic-interconnect cluster (Lukin lab lineage): superconducting, trapped-ion or software-layer pitches have no documented precedent here

Notable quantum portfolio

Full portfolio
QuEra ComputingCavilinQLightsynq

Frequent co-investors