Upfront Ventures

upfront.com

Upfront invests at the earliest stages (seed and pre-seed) with the ability to follow through growth rounds. They invest nationally and globally, with particular strength in companies leveraging LA's advantages in talent, engineering, creativity, and cross-cultural connectivity. Their portfolio spans AI, healthcare, fintech, aerospace, gaming infrastructure, and consumer technology.

Check Size

Not specified

Stages

Pre Seed, Seed, Growth

Focus Areas

Space Tech, Ai Ml, Healthtech

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Investment Thesis

Upfront Ventures positions itself as early-stage investors who transform into long-term partners for portfolio companies. Their approach emphasizes active involvement beyond capital provision, particularly during challenging periods. As stated by General Partner Mark Suster: ‘In your best moments, every investor is your best friend. In your darkest hour, we’ll still be there solving problems with you and the company.’ They believe in rolling up their sleeves to do hard work alongside founders rather than relying solely on networks, advice, or capital.

What Sets Them Apart

LA-based headquarters providing access to diverse talent pool and cross-cultural networks (Asia, Latin America, North America)
Two-office model with investment professionals in both LA and Bay Area enabling national and global investment reach
Active operational support through both seed and growth stages with dedicated follow-on funding capability
Willingness to deliver 'tough messages' and hard advice, not just positive reinforcement
Platform and operations team structure designed to support companies beyond typical VC guidance
Annual Upfront Summit hosting 1,000+ top investors, entrepreneurs, and thought-leaders
Commitment to diversity and inclusion as both values and business imperative