We founded Greycroft in 2006 on three principles

1. Venture capital is a long term business.

It is common for us to hold positions for over ten years, and in that timeframe entrepreneurs need more than capital. We support and advise entrepreneurs, empowering them to build best-in-class businesses and execute on their vision.

2. Entrepreneurs are better off with a flexible investor.

We are flexible on ownership percentage, check size, and board seats. This allows us to bring together syndicates that are otherwise impossible when investors need 20% ownership.

3. The best VC firms are aligned with founders.

We have deliberately kept our venture funds small. This allows us to support any outcome—in fact, we have never voted against management on exit. We have a separate growth fund that writes larger checks from Series B through IPO when companies are at scale.

 

Greycroft is a full lifecycle investor. The venture fund invests between $500,000 and $10 million in a first check, and will invest up to $15 million over multiple rounds. The growth fund starts at $10 million and will invest up to $50 million in a company. These two funds enable us to support entrepreneurs at any stage.

Our portfolio companies benefit from active, hands-on assistance from the partners and from our Platform team. Greycroft’s partners work as a team, which means our CEOs have access to the collective networks and expertise of the entire partnership. We leverage an extensive community of media and technology connections to help you gain visibility, build strategic partnerships, and successfully exit.

The best way to get to know us is to speak with entrepreneurs who have chosen us as their partner.

What do you do for startups?

We strive to be a trusted advisor to our entrepreneurs. We are constantly helping on a broad range of initiatives including business development, recruiting, financing, strategy, sales, marketing, and exit. Entrepreneurs also benefit from being part of the Greycroft community, comprised of other top teams in their respective sectors. And of course, we provide funding, often over multiple rounds and many years.

How do you help us get new business?

We bring a range of talented people and firm resources to help each of our companies grow. We have invested in a Platform team that is compromised of former C-suite operators from tech unicorns, in addition to people experienced in Business Development, Partnerships, Communications, and Events. We host digital innovation days with large companies, where we introduce our portfolio to potential customers. We also host a number of events throughout the year, including annual summits, where we bring together executives from over 100 of the world’s largest companies across a variety of sectors. Our investment partners also have extensive networks of senior contacts at almost every major company in the sectors where we invest.

What geographies do you focus on?

Greycroft is a global firm with investments headquartered in 15 countries around the world. In the United States alone, our companies are headquartered in over 20 states. Our offices are in New York and Los Angeles, the two largest cities in the United States, with direct flights to almost anywhere.

What markets and technologies do you invest in?

We invest across a broad range of internet sectors and geographies. We currently group our portfolio into ten verticals: Data and AI, Fintech, AdTech, Healthcare, Retail, Tech-Enabled Services, Publishing, Gaming, Enterprise Software, and Marketing Technology. Our entire portfolio is available online here: Companies.

How much do you invest?

Greycroft makes initial investments from $500,000 at the seed stage to up to $50 million from our growth fund. At the Series A stage, the investment is typically between $1 million and $10 million. We are one of the most active Series A investors in the United States.

The growth fund invests $10–$30 million on an initial basis, and will reserve for up to double that amount over time. Target growth fund companies have proven unit economics, annual revenue growth in excess of 50%, and a management team that is prepared to scale.

Who do you partner with?

We have co-invested with almost every venture fund in the US. We partner with investors, operators, and advisors who are deeply committed to the company’s success. We look to lead or co-lead our investments, and we we are flexible in allowing existing angel investors to take their pro-rata rights. We want to support the founder by helping put together the best syndicate for long-term success. If you don’t have a network of other VCs, we are happy to make introductions on your behalf.

What do you look for in an investment?

Strong Founding Team
We prefer to fund teams with prior market and technology experience. We have had a lot of success with repeat entrepreneurs, although we fund plenty of first-time entrepreneurs as well.

Large Potential Market
We have to believe that a company is capable of reaching a $100MM+ outcome, even if the path is uncertain and subject to change.

Commercial Adoption
In consumer-oriented ventures we look for highly engaged users. In business-oriented ventures we look for revenue from at least a handful of paying customers who we can call and reference.