Los Angeles Venture Capital Funds and Investors

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Los Angeles has a thriving venture capital scene, with numerous funds and investors actively seeking out innovative startups to back. One notable fund is Upfront Ventures, which has invested in companies like Dollar Shave Club and Bird.

Upfront Ventures is not the only prominent player in the LA VC scene. Other notable funds include Science, which has invested in companies like MedMen and Helix, and Greycroft, which has invested in companies like Venmo and Uber.

LA-based investors are not limited to these funds, however. Many notable investors also call LA home, including Shana Fisher of Science, who has been a key player in the LA VC scene for years.

Venture Capital Funds in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to a thriving venture capital scene, with numerous funds investing in a wide range of industries. Pasadena Angels focuses on biotech and therapeutics, while Tech Coast Angels has a strong presence in life sciences and biotech ventures.

On a similar theme: New York Angels

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Act One Ventures primarily invests in digital health, biotech, and healthcare IT, with a focus on seed-stage companies. They typically write checks ranging from $300K to $700K. Magic Fund, on the other hand, has a broader investment focus, including fintech, health care, and digital health, and has made investments in companies like Retool and Bolt.

Amplify LA, a pre-seed fund, specializes in making early-stage investments in technology, e-commerce, and healthcare, among other industries. They have a check size range of $100k to $10 million, and have backed notable companies like Cascade and Fleet Defender.

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Act One

Act One Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2016. They primarily focus on investing in pre-seed, seed-stage, and early-stage companies.

Act One Ventures typically writes checks ranging from $100,000 to $1 million. They have the capacity to invest millions more in subsequent funding rounds and are open to leading rounds or joining rounds where another firm leads.

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Act One Ventures has made notable investments in companies such as AuditBoard and Afterparty. They also have a strong focus on enterprise/B2B software/SaaS, particularly in areas like computer vision, blockchain, machine learning, and health care IT.

The firm has the capacity to invest in companies across the USA, UK, and Mexico, making them a global player in the venture capital scene.

Amplify LA

Amplify LA is a pre-seed fund founded in 2011 and based in Los Angeles, California.

Amplify LA specializes in making early-stage investments in various sectors, including technology, e-commerce, mobile, healthcare, fintech, gaming, enterprise, and SaaS.

They are known for backing LA startups and are a prominent player in the Los Angeles technology scene.

Amplify LA invests in startups across the USA.

Their check size typically ranges from $100k to $10 million.

One of their notable investments is Cascade, and they also invested in Fleet Defender.

Notable Venture Capital Funds

Some notable venture capital funds in Los Angeles include Scopus Ventures, which focuses on founder-focused startups with a strong emphasis on scalable automated technology solutions. They invest in sectors like business intelligence & automation, cybersecurity, SaaS, digital media, healthcare IT, and fintech.

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MaC Venture Capital, established in 2019, is another notable fund that invests in technology startups leveraging shifts in cultural trends and behaviors. They provide both financial support and strategic guidance to their portfolio companies. Their notable investments include Pipe and Genies.

Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Los Angeles that focuses on education technology, digital media, healthcare, financial services, and consumer goods. They seek investments from $100,000 to $1,500,000 and typically do not take lead investor roles.

For another approach, see: Technology Startup Funding

Notable Venture Capital Funds

Scopus Ventures, founded in 2016, is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, California, focusing on founder-focused startups. With a strong emphasis on scalable automated technology solutions, they invest across sectors like business intelligence & automation, cybersecurity, SaaS, digital media, healthcare IT, and fintech.

MaC Venture Capital, established in 2019, is a venture capital investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. They invest in technology startups that leverage shifts in cultural trends and behaviors, providing both financial support and strategic guidance.

Broaden your view: Investor Relations Firm

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Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Los Angeles, focusing on education technology, digital media, healthcare, financial services, and consumer goods. They seek investments from $100,000 to $1,500,000 and typically do not take lead investor roles.

Fika Ventures is a boutique seed fund that supports founders with ambitious visions and strong determination. They specialize in investments across sectors like enterprise software, fintech, marketplaces, and digital health, and allocate a significant portion of their fund for follow-on investments to support their portfolio companies as they grow.

OCV Partners is a venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2017. The firm specializes in providing both capital and operational expertise to companies they invest in, focusing on sectors like SaaS, fintech, proptech, health tech, therapeutics, med-tech, digital health, and more.

Wavemaker Partners is a venture capital firm established in 2003, known for its active role in early-stage investments. They operate with a co-investment strategy, primarily focusing on startups that are navigating the transitional phase between post-angel and pre-venture funding stages.

Stage Ventures operates with a distinctive approach in the venture capital landscape, focusing on flexible, revenue-based financing for startups, particularly those in the technology sector. They are committed to turning potential into scalable results, partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs and innovators alongside operators, strategists, and technologists to build impact-driven businesses.

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Braid Theory

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Braid Theory is a LA-based early-stage startup advisory and investment group that weaves together entrepreneurs, industry influencers, and corporate partners to accelerate adoption of transformative technology.

They focus on digital health, genetics, and biotech, which are emerging areas with huge growth potential.

Braid Theory invests in pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages, providing critical support to startups in their early development.

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Skyview

Skyview Capital is a privately held investment firm based in Los Angeles.

The firm operates a global portfolio, focusing on mission-critical businesses in services and technology sectors, including software, telecommunications, technology-enabled services, networking solutions, and information systems.

Skyview Capital targets investments in corporate carveouts and special situation buyouts, demonstrating a keen interest in nurturing and growing businesses with potential.

The firm has been operating since 2006 and has a presence in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Skyview Capital's investment focus includes IoT, Enterprise Software, Digital Media, VR, Telecom & Mobile Infrastructure, Consumer Tech, BioTech/HealthTech, and FinTech.

The firm invests in various stages of a company's growth, from pre-seed to Series B.

Notable investments by Skyview Capital include Mimio and Riverbed.

The firm was founded by Alex Soltani and Stephen Randolph.

WndrCo

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WndrCo is a venture capital firm that specializes in building and investing in high-growth companies. They have a focus on creating new companies and investing in transformative growth companies, particularly in sectors like the Future of Work, Consumer Technology, and Cybersecurity.

WndrCo has a proven track record with 129 investments and 15 exits under their belt. Their investment approach involves accelerating revenue growth through new products and distribution channels, and partnering with world-class management teams.

They typically invest between $1M and $20M in each portfolio company. Notable investments include Gemini and Airtable, which have likely benefited from WndrCo's expertise and resources.

WndrCo is led by experienced operators and investors, including Sujay Jaswa and Jeffery Katzenberg, and Dustin Rosen. Their team's expertise has helped them navigate the complex world of venture capital and achieve impressive results.

See what others are reading: Growth Equity Investing

Early-Stage Funds

Early-stage funds in Los Angeles are a crucial part of the startup ecosystem, providing critical support to entrepreneurs and innovators.

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The UCLA Venture Capital Fund is a community of UCLA alumni and friends that supports and promotes entrepreneurship at UCLA, making early stage investments in promising UCLA-related companies.

Magic Fund is another notable early-stage fund, established in 2017, that invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with a focus on FinTech, Health Care, and Digital Health.

TenOneTen Ventures, founded in 2011, focuses on early-stage ventures, seed, series A, series B, and series C rounds in the software and information technology sectors, with a check size range of $250K – $1.5M.

Act One Ventures invests in business enterprise software at the seed stage, and in commercially viable university research ready to transition out of the lab, with a check size range of $300K-$700K.

Calibrate Ventures, established in 2017, specializes in investing in early-revenue companies that are reshaping industries with advanced software, automation, and AI, with a check size range of $1 million and $5 million.

Early-Stage Funds

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Early-stage funds are a crucial part of the startup ecosystem, providing critical support to entrepreneurs and their businesses.

The UCLA Venture Capital Fund is a community of UCLA alumni and friends that mentors faculty and students, fosters the growth of UCLA companies, and connects entrepreneurs with an interest in UCLA.

Magic Fund is an early-stage venture capital fund that focuses on investing at the pre-seed and seed stages, with a unique approach built by founders for founders.

Mucker Capital is focused on investments in seed- and pre-stage companies in internet software, services, and media sectors.

Upfront Ventures has changed its name from GRP Partners to signify its willingness to take on innovation, and it focuses on Seed or A round investments.

Torrent Ventures invests in early-stage southern California companies that fuse technology with life sciences, such as startups using data analytics or machine learning to improve clinical trials or other problems in healthcare.

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Stage Venture Partners operates with a distinctive approach in the venture capital landscape, focusing on flexible, revenue-based financing for startups, particularly those in the technology sector.

Wavemaker Partners is a venture capital firm established in 2003, known for its active role in early-stage investments, with a co-investment strategy that allows them to increase their stakes in rapidly growing portfolio companies.

Act One Ventures invests in business enterprise software at the seed stage, and in commercially viable university research ready to transition out of the lab.

TenOneTen Ventures, established in 2011 in Los Angeles, California, is a venture capital firm focusing on early-stage ventures, seed, series A, series B, and series C rounds in the software and information technology sectors.

Embark Ventures is a newly formed LA-based venture capital fund that focuses on “deep tech” companies with breakthrough proprietary technology which provides a highly defensible competitive advantage in transforming multi-billion dollar industries.

Calibrate Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Pasadena, California, that specializes in investing in early-revenue companies that are reshaping industries with advanced software, automation, and AI.

Recommended read: Series C Investment

Long Beach Accelerator

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The Long Beach Accelerator is a great resource for startups looking to secure resources and commercial partnerships in the healthcare industry.

It focuses on HealthTech, which includes medical labs, insurance providers, and senior care.

Startups can apply and potentially receive investment at the pre-seed and seed stages.

This accelerator is now accepting applications, so if you're a startup in the healthcare space, be sure to check it out.

For another approach, see: A16z Accelerator

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top 5 VCs in the US?

The top 5 venture capital firms in the US are Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Accel Partners, and Sequoia Capital, which have been major funding sources for early-stage companies. These top VCs have played a significant role in shaping the US startup ecosystem.

How do I get funding for venture capital?

To get funding for venture capital, start by sharing your business plan with potential investors, such as angel investors or venture capital firms, and be prepared to go through a due diligence review. This process typically involves negotiating terms and securing investment to support your business growth.

How much money do you need for a VC fund?

To set up a VC fund, you'll typically need between $20 million and $40 million in initial capital, covering salaries and expenses for full-time GPs. This amount may vary depending on your fund's specific goals and investment strategy.

Can anyone invest in a venture capital fund?

Venture capital is typically reserved for accredited investors and institutional investors, not the general public. To learn more about eligibility and investment opportunities, explore our investor requirements and qualification process

Sheldon Kuphal

Writer

Sheldon Kuphal is a seasoned writer with a keen insight into the world of high net worth individuals and their financial endeavors. With a strong background in researching and analyzing complex financial topics, Sheldon has established himself as a trusted voice in the industry. His areas of expertise include Family Offices, Investment Management, and Private Wealth Management, where he has written extensively on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices.

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