At a Glance
Upfront Ventures is a Los Angeles venture capital firm founded in 1996 and the largest early-stage investor headquartered in Southern California. It invests at seed and Series A across enterprise and consumer software and manages roughly $2 billion in assets. Its stated edge is deep expertise in brick-and-mortar commerce and marketplace businesses, a legacy of its first decade underwriting retail and transaction economics. Portfolio and exit names include Ring, Maker Studios, TrueCar, Ulta Beauty, Warby Parker, Bird and MeUndies.
The firm operated as GRP Partners until 2013, when it rebranded to Upfront and moved to Santa Monica, adding a San Francisco office in 2020. That history explains the commerce concentration that separates it from Bay Area peers of similar vintage, and it has backed more than 200 companies.
Upfront runs three capital lines rather than one. Core early-stage funds have moved from a $250 million target in 2014 to $280 million for the most recent vehicle, a deliberate decision not to inflate fund size as assets grew and a signal that the firm intends to keep entering at seed. A parallel growth series carries follow-on capital into breakout positions. Since 2022 the firm has also built an unusually active secondary practice, beginning with a $176.5 million continuation fund and adding seven further secondary vehicles through 2026, a liquidity apparatus few firms its size run in-house.
“Southern California-based investor focused on early-stage companies with deep expertise in brick-and-mortar commerce and marketplace businesses.”
Upfront's fund record on EDGAR runs from Upfront V, filed in November 2014 against a $250 million target, through Upfront VI in May 2017 at $380 million, Upfront VII in June 2020 at $280 million, and Upfront VIII in September 2023, again at $280 million. Upfront VII is the one core vehicle whose amendment reports a completed raise: $280,158,300 sold to 52 investors as of July 2022. A separate growth line runs alongside the flagship funds, with Upfront Growth III at a $250 million target in July 2019 and Upfront Growth IV at $200 million in September 2023, plus Upfront Opportunity Fund I at $100 million in 2015 and a second opportunity vehicle in 2017. In January 2022 the firm closed Upfront Continuation Fund I at $176.5 million from two investors, a single-purpose secondary vehicle, and has since filed seven further secondary funds through 2026. Mark Suster signs as managing member of the general partner on every fund from Upfront V forward.
Kara Nortman
Partner, Upfront Ventures
Kobie Fuller
General Partner, Upfront Ventures
Yves Sisteron
Managing Partner, Upfront Ventures
Upfront Ventures 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.
Upfront Ventures is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Upfront Ventures focuses on investments in Enterprise, Consumer. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Upfront Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $750K to $7M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
Upfront Ventures manages approximately $2B in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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