Jack Selby leverages Arizona ties to secure stakes in elite hardware firms

Etched, a four-year-old venture currently valued at $5 billion, recently confirmed that TSMC produced its first proprietary chip earlier this year. As the company prepares to ship systems to customers this summer, it faces the industry-wide bottleneck of securing limited capacity at TSMC’s primary factories. Selby, a veteran of Peter Thiel’s family office and a board member of the Arizona Commerce Authority, identified this manufacturing hurdle as a strategic entry point for his Phoenix-based firm.

Since founding Copper Sky in 2021, Selby has shifted his thesis from purely regional investing toward a bridge model. By connecting high-cost coastal hardware startups with Arizona’s industrial infrastructure, he gains access to deals often closed off to traditional venture firms. This approach has already expanded the firm’s scope beyond its original Southwest focus. As Copper Sky moves to raise a $300 million second fund, Selby intends to target defense and hardware companies that align with his vision of reshoring production. His dual role as an investor and an economic recruiter allows him to offer startups a tangible path to scaling their supply chains, turning regional manufacturing capacity into a competitive advantage for his portfolio.