In what industries/sectors will you invest?
We’ve invested and continue to be very active in consumer internet and mobile companies in a variety of industries (see portfolio page for a detailed list). Going forward, we will make big bets on mobile, e-commerce and consumer enterprise companies, as well as pursue mobile and internet applications in healthcare, education, and energy.
At what stage of a company’s life do you invest?
We specialize in seed and early stage investments though we have recently made bets at later stages as well.
What do you look for in an investment?
We invest in exceptional technical teams, first and foremost. We like to see great product fit for the target user besides compelling design. We feel that a fiercely loyal user base will attract the right business models over time. We get excited about companies that have a positive impact in our lives. It doesn’t take much to build a site/app these days so we have an overwhelming bias towards teams that have something up and running to demonstrate their ideas.
How much do you invest and at what terms?
Our initial investments are usually in the $100K – 1M range. We invest alongside other experienced investors and take great pride in helping put together a syndicate where needed. We realize that fundraising is a daunting prospect (we’ve raised outside money ourselves) and we aim to make it as frictionless as possible so that you can get back to the real business of building a great company. Finding the best founding teams is much more important to us than optimizing terms.
What value do you bring to start-ups?
We’re always available to our founders. We help with fundraising, sales, business development, hiring and anything else you might need us for. In addition to our own expertise, we bring the power of an extensive network to bear.
Do you have a location preference for your investments?
While a majority of our companies are based in the bay area, our portfolio includes start-ups from other locations in the US and around the world. When the start-up is not based in the bay area, we tend to invest alongside a local investor for obvious reasons.
How do I submit a business plan or company pitch?
We spend most of our time focused on the business plans that are referred to us through our network. So if you’re connected to someone in our network, that’s the best way to reach us. You can also submit an executive summary online through our contact page.