A* Capital
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- n/a – n/a
- Stage
- Pre-Seed, Series B+
- Sectors
- Fintech, AI, Marketplace
- HQ
- San Francisco, CA
About A* Capital
A* is an early-stage venture capital firm that describes its purpose as guiding outliers from idea to IPO, and its differentiation as leading the shift from transactional capital to meaningful partnerships. It invests from pre-seed through later rounds, with stated focus areas in fintech, AI and marketplaces, and it is operator-heavy by design, offering hands-on operational and finance support to the management teams it backs.
The firm's philosophy is stated in three commitments: conviction-led, meaning it invests first and without hedging; relentless, matched to the intensity it expects from the companies it funds; and founder-centric, working alongside management rather than supervising from a board seat. That approach is backed by a team that has founded, operated and invested in some of the era's defining technology companies, which is why the operational and finance support is credible rather than boilerplate.
A* registered A-Star Partners Fund I, LP at $250 million and a parallel Fund I-A at $30 million in July 2021, then A-Star Fund III, LP at $451 million fully sold in April 2026, alongside a series of single-asset co-investment vehicles that let it concentrate capital into individual positions. Co-founders Kevin Hartz and Bennett Siegel are general partners, with Gautam Gupta as co-founder and venture partner. The portfolio spans marketplaces and payments at scale, including Airbnb, DoorDash, PayPal, Pinterest, Faire and Carta, alongside newer AI positions such as Decagon, Mercor, Krea and Paraform, plus Notion, Ramp, Palantir, Flock Safety and Cape. The firm works from 900 Kearny Street in San Francisco.
Investment Thesis
“Operator-heavy firm providing hands-on operational and finance support to portfolio companies.”
Leadership Team
A* is led by two co-founders and general partners, Kevin Hartz and Bennett Siegel, who together with co-founder and venture partner Gautam Gupta are the named executive officers on every A-Star fund filing since 2021. Hartz is the firm's best-known principal, and SEC filings place him in the public record around Xoom, the payments company, as well as Lookout and other early-stage companies, the operating and investing history the firm alludes to when it says its team has founded, operated and invested in iconic technology companies.
Vikram Ramakrishnan and Jordan Windmueller are partners. The operating side is small and senior: Michael Oravitz is chief financial officer and Louisa Edwards chief of staff, with Rebecca Galdos and Emily Chan in executive assistant roles. The firm's stated posture is to invest first and with unwavering conviction, positioning itself as a shift from transactional capital toward longer partnerships, and it operates from 900 Kearny Street in San Francisco.
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
Fund History
A* registered its first institutional funds in July 2021: A-Star Partners Fund I, LP with a $250 million offering and a parallel A-Star Partners Fund I-A, LP at $30 million, both filed from San Francisco with Kevin Hartz, Bennett Siegel and Gautam Gupta named as executive officers. The firm filed A-Star Fund III, LP in April 2026 with a $451 million offering shown as fully sold and first sales on 3 April 2026, again with all three principals named. Across the disclosed vehicles that is roughly $731 million in registered offerings.
Alongside the funds A* runs a steady stream of single-asset co-investment vehicles: A-Star Partners CT II LLC in 2021, A-Star Capital CT V LLC in 2024, and A-Star Capital CT VI LLC in January 2026. That structure lets the firm concentrate additional capital into specific positions beyond fund limits, which is consistent with a portfolio that runs from seed into companies of the scale of Airbnb, DoorDash, PayPal, Palantir and Pinterest. The firm describes its remit as guiding outliers from idea to IPO.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does A* Capital invest at?
A* Capital primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Where is A* Capital located?
A* Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does A* Capital focus on?
A* Capital focuses on investments in Fintech, AI, Marketplace. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is A* Capital's typical check size?
A* Capital's typical investment check size ranges from n/a to n/a. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
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