At a Glance
MATH Venture Partners represents an early chapter in the career of Marlon Nichols, who would later gain prominence as co-founder of Cross Culture Ventures. Operating from Los Angeles between 2014 and its eventual transition, MATH Venture Partners established itself as a dedicated advocate for underrepresented founders in the technology ecosystem. The firm managed approximately $40 million in assets under management, positioning itself strategically in the seed and Series A investment stages across consumer technology, enterprise software, gaming, and artificial intelligence sectors. Nichols launched MATH Venture Partners during a period when diversity-focused investing was gaining momentum but remained relatively uncommercialized compared to today's landscape. The firm's Los Angeles base provided access to emerging tech talent outside traditional Silicon Valley networks, particularly in entertainment technology and consumer applications where LA's creative industries intersected with venture capital. MATH Venture Partners differentiated itself through systematic focus on founders from underrepresented backgrounds, recognizing market opportunities that larger, more traditional firms often overlooked. This approach preceded the broader industry awakening to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that would accelerate in subsequent years. The firm's investment strategy emphasized early-stage companies where smaller check sizes could secure meaningful equity positions while providing crucial support to entrepreneurs facing systemic barriers in fundraising. While specific portfolio outcomes from MATH Venture Partners remain less documented than Nichols' later work at Cross Culture Ventures, the firm served as a foundational experience that informed his subsequent investment philosophy and market approach. The transition from MATH Venture Partners to Cross Culture Ventures reflected both the evolution of Nichols' career and the maturation of diversity-focused venture capital as a distinct investment category. MATH Venture Partners operated during a formative period for Los Angeles venture capital, contributing to the city's emergence as a legitimate alternative to San Francisco Bay Area dominance in early-stage technology investing.
“Investing in underrepresented founders building category-defining technology companies.”
Marlon Nichols served as the founding partner of MATH Venture Partners, bringing experience from his earlier career in technology and finance. Before establishing his reputation in diversity-focused investing, Nichols developed expertise in evaluating early-stage technology companies and understanding market dynamics across consumer and enterprise sectors. His background positioned him to identify promising entrepreneurs and provide strategic guidance during critical growth phases. The MATH Venture Partners experience served as a crucial foundation for Nichols' later success at Cross Culture Ventures, where he would gain broader industry recognition and manage significantly larger funds.
MATH Venture Partners operated with approximately $40 million in assets under management during its active period from 2014 through its eventual transition. The firm represented Marlon Nichols' initial foray into venture capital fund management before he co-founded Cross Culture Ventures. Specific details about fund performance and timeline remain limited in public records, but the experience provided crucial groundwork for Nichols' subsequent success in raising and managing larger institutional funds focused on underrepresented founders.
MATH Venture Partners primarily invests at the Seed, Series A stages. This means they focus on companies that are building their initial product and finding product-market fit.
MATH Venture Partners is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
MATH Venture Partners focuses on investments in Consumer, Enterprise, Gaming, AI. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
MATH Venture Partners's typical investment check size ranges from $250K to $1M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
MATH Venture Partners manages approximately $40M in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
