Upfront Ventures
Upfront Ventures is a California-based early-stage venture capital firm focused on seed and Series A rounds for technology-led startups. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Santa Monica with an additional office in Los Angeles, the firm backs companies across software, SaaS, fintech, health tech, AI, consumer internet, gaming, hardware, and related sectors. It pursues opportunities primarily in North America with a concentration in Southern California and also considers investments in Europe and other regions. Typical checks range from 0.5 million to 15 million in seed rounds and 2 million to 5 million in Series A rounds, reserving capital for follow-ons and often taking a board seat in portfolio companies. Upfront has supported notable founders and startups across technology sectors, including Ring, TrueCar, Bird, Maker Studios, GOAT, Apeel Sciences, thredUP, Invoca, and Kyriba, reflecting a long-term partner approach to building scalable businesses.
Top Stages
Past deals in Los Angeles, CA
Crate
Seed Round in 2023
Crate is an AI-powered platform for saving, organizing, and sharing online content. The service collects data from across the internet and provides automatic sorting and categorization, along with AI-generated summaries, to help users find and use saved material. Content can be captured from anywhere via a browser extension, enabling easy access to organized information. Founded in 2021, Crate is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
dot.LA
Seed Round in 2020
dot.LA is a digital newsroom established in 2020 and based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to covering the startup and technology ecosystem in the region. The company serves as a news aggregating platform that provides comprehensive coverage of events, sponsorships, and proprietary data relevant to the local tech community. By reporting on new companies, funding rounds, and other significant developments, dot.LA aims to celebrate and empower the Los Angeles startup landscape. Additionally, the organization hosts events designed to connect stakeholders within the community, facilitating access to vital information about emerging businesses and fostering innovation.
Skurt
Convertible Note in 2017
Skurt is a technology and logistics platform that provides an on-demand car rental service, allowing users to conveniently access a vehicle through a mobile application. Customers can request a car to be delivered to their location—be it home, hotel, or office—within 60 minutes, with the flexibility to schedule a pick-up after their usage. The platform eliminates the inconveniences often associated with traditional car rentals, such as paperwork, lines, underage fees, and fuel costs, making it accessible for both locals and visitors. Currently operational in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Miami, Skurt has successfully delivered tens of thousands of vehicles, offering rentals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Skurt
Series A in 2017
Skurt is a technology and logistics platform that provides an on-demand car rental service, allowing users to conveniently access a vehicle through a mobile application. Customers can request a car to be delivered to their location—be it home, hotel, or office—within 60 minutes, with the flexibility to schedule a pick-up after their usage. The platform eliminates the inconveniences often associated with traditional car rentals, such as paperwork, lines, underage fees, and fuel costs, making it accessible for both locals and visitors. Currently operational in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Miami, Skurt has successfully delivered tens of thousands of vehicles, offering rentals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Skurt
Seed Round in 2015
Skurt is a technology and logistics platform that provides an on-demand car rental service, allowing users to conveniently access a vehicle through a mobile application. Customers can request a car to be delivered to their location—be it home, hotel, or office—within 60 minutes, with the flexibility to schedule a pick-up after their usage. The platform eliminates the inconveniences often associated with traditional car rentals, such as paperwork, lines, underage fees, and fuel costs, making it accessible for both locals and visitors. Currently operational in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Miami, Skurt has successfully delivered tens of thousands of vehicles, offering rentals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Breeze
Series A in 2015
Breeze Labs, Inc. is an online platform that allows users to earn income through on-demand car services. Founded in 2013 and based in San Francisco, the company initially focused on providing fleet management technology to modernize car ownership, making it more flexible and accessible. Although Breeze launched its services in 2014 and expanded its operations to several major cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, and Boston, it suspended operations as of July 2016 and is no longer accepting new customers for its leasing platform.
Maker Studios
Series C in 2012
Maker Studios, established in 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles, is a media company that empowers artists to create, distribute, and monetize their original content on YouTube. It provides a comprehensive suite of services, including development, production, promotion, distribution, sales, marketing, and merchandise support to its partners. Maker Studios is home to numerous prominent digital stars and content creators, making it a significant player in the online video landscape. It operates as a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
Maker Studios
Series B in 2011
Maker Studios, established in 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles, is a media company that empowers artists to create, distribute, and monetize their original content on YouTube. It provides a comprehensive suite of services, including development, production, promotion, distribution, sales, marketing, and merchandise support to its partners. Maker Studios is home to numerous prominent digital stars and content creators, making it a significant player in the online video landscape. It operates as a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
Maker Studios
Series A in 2010
Maker Studios, established in 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles, is a media company that empowers artists to create, distribute, and monetize their original content on YouTube. It provides a comprehensive suite of services, including development, production, promotion, distribution, sales, marketing, and merchandise support to its partners. Maker Studios is home to numerous prominent digital stars and content creators, making it a significant player in the online video landscape. It operates as a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
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