Apollo and 8VC Partner to Accelerate the Next Wave of American Industrial Innovation

Apollo Global Management and 8VC have joined forces to address a major challenge in scaling industrial technologies: the lack of adequate funding for large-scale projects. By combining Apollo’s $840 billion in assets under management (as of June 2025) with 8VC’s expertise in advanced industries, they aim to invest billions into sectors like manufacturing, aerospace, energy, life sciences, logistics, and natural resources. The focus is on providing non-dilutive capital - a funding approach that allows companies to grow without giving up equity.

Key Points:

• Goal: Bridge the funding gap for scaling transformative industrial technologies.
• Focus Areas: Advanced manufacturing, AI, robotics, biotech, nuclear energy, and more.
• Investment Strategy: Use asset-backed financing tied to real assets, long-term contracts, and proven models.
• Why It Matters: Traditional venture capital often falls short in funding large-scale infrastructure and operations. This partnership connects innovation with private credit markets, enabling companies to scale effectively.

This collaboration represents a shift in how large-scale industrial projects are funded, with Apollo and 8VC leveraging their combined strengths to support the next wave of American industrial growth.

💡 𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗧𝗗 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧

Investment Goals and Target Sectors

The Apollo-8VC partnership is setting its sights on sectors that require substantial capital to drive large-scale transformation. Their mission? To reshape entire industries by funding the development of both digital and physical infrastructure. With billions of dollars allocated, this partnership is backing technology companies that are building the foundation for the future.

By concentrating on businesses focused on large-scale infrastructure, the collaboration aims to nurture the next wave of American industrial leaders. The broader goal is to promote economic growth, disinflation, and long-term industrial strength in the U.S. Below, we’ll dive into the core sectors they’re targeting and the asset-backed strategy guiding their investments.

Primary Investment Sectors

The partnership has identified key industries that are central to America’s industrial framework: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, energy, life sciences, logistics, and natural resources. These sectors not only define industrial capability but also present opportunities for groundbreaking technological advancements.

• Advanced Manufacturing: With AI and robotics at its core, this sector demands heavy investments in automation and state-of-the-art production facilities.
• Aerospace: Aerospace innovation is capital-intensive, requiring significant funding to develop and scale cutting-edge technologies.
• Energy: From nuclear power to renewable energy solutions, this sector relies on partnerships with private credit markets to achieve meaningful progress.
• Life Sciences: Investments in biotechnology aim to advance medical treatments and transformative health technologies.
• Logistics: Modernizing supply chains is essential for efficiency, making logistics a critical sector for investment.
• Natural Resources: The raw materials essential for industrial production remain a cornerstone of economic growth.

Asset-Backed Investment Approach

To support these ambitious investments, the partnership employs an asset-backed strategy that prioritizes tangible value. This approach focuses on opportunities tied to real assets, long-term contracts, and proven operating models. By doing so, the partnership ensures that its investments are grounded in security and stability, leveraging Apollo’s expertise in asset-backed financing.

Real assets - such as manufacturing plants, equipment, or natural resource reserves - offer collateral that provides a safety net often absent in traditional venture investments. Long-term contracts, whether with government entities or private customers, bring revenue predictability and stability, which are crucial for scaling industrial operations. Additionally, working with experienced operators who understand the complexities of these industries ensures that investments are built on a solid foundation.

"The initiative will prioritize opportunities anchored by real assets, long-term contracts and established operating models, in partnership with experienced builders and operators."

This asset-backed model also enables the partnership to offer creative financing solutions that go beyond traditional venture capital. By blending equity with debt financing secured by real assets, they can provide the non-dilutive capital necessary for scaling industrial innovations. This approach aligns seamlessly with Apollo’s strengths in hybrid and structured financing, giving the partnership a unique edge in supporting transformative projects.

Capital Solutions and Deal Structure Methods

Apollo-8VC has developed a unique approach to funding high-growth industrial companies by combining asset-backed financing, hybrid funding methods, and in-depth sector knowledge. This strategy is designed to address the gaps left by traditional venture capital, offering the substantial resources needed for scaling operations and building infrastructure. Each partner - Apollo, 8VC, and Cadma - brings a distinct set of strengths to this collaborative effort.

Apollo's Asset-Backed Financing Solutions

Apollo's main strength lies in its ability to provide non-dilutive capital backed by tangible assets, long-term contracts, and proven financial models. Unlike traditional equity or debt, these solutions allow companies to secure significant funding without giving up ownership stakes, making them particularly useful for large-scale infrastructure projects.

"There is a growing need for creative, non-dilutive capital to support the companies driving industrial innovation. Structured and asset-backed solutions can help bridge this funding gap and unlock large pools of capital for transformative companies."

• Matt Nord, Co-Head of Equity and Head of Hybrid at Apollo

Apollo's hybrid platform further enhances its flexibility by tailoring financing structures to match a company's cash flow patterns and growth stages.

"Apollo's hybrid platform has become one of the most dynamic growth engines within the firm, enabling us to provide flexible capital across a broad swath of industries."

• Reed Rayman, Partner and Deputy Co-Head of Hybrid at Apollo

This financial structure is complemented by 8VC's expertise in deal sourcing and market analysis.

8VC's Deal Sourcing and Sector Expertise

8VC brings deep sector knowledge and entrepreneurial insight to the partnership, identifying founders and companies that align with Apollo's asset-backed financing model. By conducting thorough sector analysis and founder evaluations, 8VC pinpoints opportunities in industries critical to America's industrial growth. Their extensive network and origination capabilities ensure they identify ventures that can benefit most from Apollo's financing solutions.

This combination of financing and sector expertise offers a compelling advantage, providing companies with both the resources and insights necessary for long-term success.

Cadma's Support for Growth-Stage Companies

Cadma, an Apollo-affiliated platform, focuses on supporting companies as they scale from early-stage ventures to full-scale industrial operations. By offering flexible financing options, such as bridge loans, equipment funding, and working capital, Cadma helps businesses navigate the challenges of transitioning from prototype development to commercial production.

This role is critical in ensuring that companies have the financial support needed during this pivotal growth phase, bridging the gap between innovation and large-scale execution.

Together, Apollo, 8VC, and Cadma form a comprehensive framework that provides tailored funding solutions at every stage of a company's development, empowering industrial innovators to thrive in a competitive landscape.

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Effects on American Industrial Innovation

The Apollo-8VC partnership is redefining the landscape of American industrial innovation by providing several billion dollars in flexible capital. This approach addresses long-standing funding gaps that have hindered the development of groundbreaking technologies, paving the way for advancements in critical sectors.

Funding Support for Emerging Technologies

Traditional venture capital often falls short when it comes to financing the massive infrastructure projects needed for next-generation innovations. The Apollo-8VC collaboration focuses on transformative industries that require far more capital than conventional VC funding can provide.

Joe Lonsdale, Founding Partner of 8VC and founder of Palantir, underscores the scale of this challenge:

"The only way for these innovations to realize their full potential, bringing disinflation and prosperity to our economy, is by partnering with the multi-trillion-dollar private credit markets."

By connecting venture capital with private credit markets, this partnership opens the door to substantial funding resources. This enables companies to tackle ambitious projects that might otherwise remain out of reach due to financial constraints.

Building U.S. Industrial Leadership

This partnership goes beyond individual projects, aiming to bolster U.S. industrial leadership on a broader scale. Through flexible, non-dilutive capital solutions, Apollo and 8VC provide companies with the financial tools needed to undertake large-scale infrastructure initiatives.

Matt Nord, Co-Head of Equity and Head of Hybrid at Apollo, highlights the far-reaching economic impact:

"This collaboration with 8VC will leverage our respective strengths to help finance and fund future-defining technology and infrastructure."

With Apollo managing approximately $840 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025, the partnership is uniquely positioned to support projects that strengthen economic resilience, enhance national capabilities, and contribute to global progress.

How Clearly Acquired Supports the Industrial Innovation Ecosystem

While Apollo and 8VC drive billion-dollar breakthroughs, Clearly Acquired focuses on ensuring that smaller, Main Street businesses get the support they need to play a role in this evolving landscape. Many of these smaller and lower-middle-market businesses lack the resources and funding to fully participate in the broader innovation ecosystem. This is where Clearly Acquired steps in, offering customized capital and brokerage solutions to empower these enterprises.

By providing AI-powered business brokerage and loan brokerage services, Clearly Acquired connects entrepreneurs with the tools they need to build the industrial backbone that supports larger-scale advancements. Their approach combines capital solutions, deal sourcing, and advisory services to close the gap for smaller businesses.

Acquisition Support for Entrepreneurs and Operators

For industrial innovation to thrive, experienced operators who understand manufacturing, logistics, and operational efficiency are essential. Clearly Acquired helps these skilled operators acquire and grow existing businesses, accelerating their impact on the industrial sector.

The platform offers a business-for-sale marketplace that includes both public and private listings of small and medium-sized industrial businesses. Buyers can use advanced search tools to pinpoint opportunities by geography or industry - perfect for those focused on manufacturing, distribution, or industrial services.

Additionally, the platform simplifies investor and co-investor matching, enabling acquisition-focused operators to connect with capital providers who have a deep understanding of industrial markets.

To manage multiple acquisition opportunities, the Import Hub organizes external deals into a centralized system. This tool ensures that no potential acquisition is overlooked, making it easier for entrepreneurs to build portfolios of complementary businesses. These portfolios, in turn, create a stronger foundation for larger innovation efforts.

Flexible Financing for Main Street Businesses

Growth doesn’t stop at acquisition - it requires ongoing access to capital. Clearly Acquired’s loan marketplace connects business owners with lenders who specialize in industrial sectors, offering flexible financing options like seller notes, earnouts, and mezzanine capital.

For businesses looking to expand, equipment financing and working capital lines of credit provide the resources needed to adopt new technologies or increase production capacity. This financing helps Main Street manufacturers and service providers implement innovations developed by venture-backed companies, bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications.

The platform also streamlines funding through its acquisition pre-qualification process, which integrates Plaid financial verification. This process significantly reduces the time between identifying an opportunity and securing funding - a critical advantage in competitive industrial markets where timing can make or break a deal.

Connecting Brokers and Lenders in Industrial Markets

The industrial innovation ecosystem relies heavily on specialized intermediaries who understand both traditional business operations and emerging technologies. Clearly Acquired’s network includes business brokers and lenders with expertise in industrial markets, manufacturing, and technology integration.

For brokers, the platform provides access to pre-qualified buyers, cutting down on time spent with unqualified prospects. Lenders, on the other hand, benefit from working with vetted borrowers whose opportunities align with specific credit requirements for industrial businesses. The platform’s deal screening tools make it easier for financial institutions to identify suitable opportunities, improving approval rates and reducing due diligence costs.

To further streamline transactions, Clearly Acquired offers tools like secure data rooms and centralized deal flow management, simplifying complex industrial deals for all parties involved.

The platform’s AI-powered business valuation tool delivers instant, data-driven valuations based on industry comparables and market insights. This feature helps brokers and lenders quickly assess opportunities and structure financing packages tailored to the unique needs of industrial businesses.

Conclusion: Partnership Impact on Innovation and Growth

The collaboration between Apollo and 8VC signals a major shift in how American industrial projects are funded. By leveraging Apollo's massive $840 billion in assets under management alongside 8VC's specialized sector knowledge, this partnership aims to fill the funding gaps that have historically slowed the development of transformative technologies. Their plan to invest several billion dollars into sectors like advanced manufacturing, aerospace, energy, life sciences, logistics, and natural resources creates a much-needed boost for entrepreneurs working to build the backbone of American industrial infrastructure. This approach not only changes how large-scale projects are funded but also lays the foundation for long-term growth.

Joe Lonsdale, Founding Partner of 8VC, summed up the challenge and the opportunity at hand:

"While venture capital is well suited to funding technological breakthroughs, it's not sufficient to fund the huge projects that are required to increase our national productivity with the next wave of transformative technologies like AI, robotics, autonomous systems, biotechnology and nuclear energy. The only way for these innovations to realize their full potential, bringing disinflation and prosperity to our economy, is by partnering with the multi-trillion-dollar private credit markets. But in my experience as both an investor and an entrepreneur, it is sometimes difficult to bridge these two worlds. That's why 8VC is excited to partner with Apollo to provide world-class founders the financial solutions they need to build enduring companies in sectors that matter deeply to economic resilience, national strength and global progress."

FAQs

What is non-dilutive capital, and how does it help companies scale industrial technologies?

Non-dilutive capital refers to funding that lets companies expand without sacrificing equity or ownership shares. This financing option is especially useful for businesses working on cutting-edge industrial technologies. It provides the means to scale operations, invest in research and development, and grow their market presence - all without reducing the ownership stakes of founders or current stakeholders.

By offering crucial resources without affecting equity, non-dilutive capital allows companies to prioritize innovation and long-term growth while keeping control over their strategic decisions.

What makes asset-backed investments different from traditional venture capital when funding large-scale industrial projects?

Asset-backed investments offer a distinct approach compared to traditional venture capital by focusing on structured, non-dilutive funding tied to tangible assets like real estate, equipment, or long-term contracts. While venture capital typically emphasizes equity funding for cutting-edge technologies, asset-backed strategies center on proven operational models and scalable infrastructure, making them ideal for driving large-scale industrial expansion.

How does 8VC’s expertise contribute to its partnership with Apollo, and what impact does it have on the industries involved?

8VC brings a wealth of experience in industrial technologies, blending specialized knowledge with a hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset. Their knack for spotting and backing transformative opportunities strengthens their partnership with Apollo, pushing forward notable progress in key industries.

By tapping into 8VC’s capabilities, this collaboration fuels innovation, enabling industries to embrace advanced solutions and pursue long-term growth.