Cosmos Ventures has unveiled Fund I, totaling $77.6 million, to back founders who aim to build institutions for the AI era. The early portfolio includes AIUC, Prime Intellect, and Workshop Labs, the latter of which was acquired by Thinking Machines, as well as an education company that has not been disclosed.

Brendan McCord, co-founder of Cosmos Institute and Cosmos Ventures, and Matt Mandel, who previously worked at Union Square Ventures, lead the new fund.

Limited partners in the vehicle include Reid Hoffman, Joe Liemandt, Stand Together, Fred Wilson, Micky Malka, and the Astera Institute.

Cosmos Ventures argues that AI presents the largest opportunity for institutional building since the founding of the United States, noting that AI challenges the traditional link between intelligence and humanity and leaves many needed institutions unbuilt. It describes founders for this era as philosopher-builders who must address normative questions machines cannot answer and embraces the motto Condere aude, meaning “dare to found.”