Mark Suster
VCManaging Partner, Upfront Ventures
LA-based operator-turned-VC backing early founders
Background
Mark Suster is a Managing Partner at Upfront Ventures, the largest venture capital firm in Los Angeles, which he joined in 2007. Before venture, he was a two-time enterprise SaaS founder: CEO of BuildOnline (acquired by SWORD Group) and CEO/founder of Koral (acquired by Salesforce, where he then served as VP of Product Management). At Upfront he has led investments in Ring, Bird, Invoca, thredUP, and Maker Studios (acquired by Disney). He holds a BA in Economics from UC San Diego and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is a prominent blogger on venture capital and startups at BothSidesOfTheTable.com.
Investment Thesis
Backs early-stage founders in B2B SaaS, consumer, and LA/Southern California ecosystem companies; emphasizes operator empathy and long-term founder relationships from pre-seed through Series A.
Investment Focus
Stages
Typical check: $1M–$15M
Sectors
Based in: Los Angeles, CA, USA (North America)
Notable Investments
Ring
Smart home security; acquired by Amazon 2018
Bird
Electric scooter sharing; Upfront led early round
Invoca
AI call intelligence platform; board member
thredUP
Online secondhand apparel marketplace
Maker Studios
Online video network; acquired by Disney 2014
Density
Space utilization sensors & analytics; board member
Nanit
Smart baby monitor with sleep analytics; board member
Modern Animal
Veterinary care platform; board member; $100M+ run rate