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500 Startups
500 Startups is a global venture capital firm founded in 2010, investing in over 2,700 companies across 70+ countries.
500 Startups
500 Startups was founded in 2010 by Dave McClure, a former PayPal executive and angel investor whose thesis centered on democratizing access to venture capital. The firm launched with a focus on early-stage investments and a signature accelerator program, quickly building a portfolio that spans seed to Series A. McClure stepped down in 2017 amid misconduct allegations, and Christine Tsai, the firm's first employee, took over as CEO (per public record). The firm deploys capital through both direct investments and its accelerator program, targeting a broad range of sectors including enterprise software, fintech, digital health, and consumer tech. Its portfolio includes notable names such as Canva, Credit Karma, and Twilio (per public record). Geographic reach spans North America, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East, with dedicated funds for specific regions like Latin America (500 LAFonds). 500 Startups has raised multiple funds, including 500 Startups Venture Capital Fund V, and operates a network of over 200 venture partners globally. The firm maintains offices in San Francisco, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Dubai. In 2023, the firm launched its fifth early-stage fund at $150 million, focused on fintech and enterprise tech across emerging markets (per public record). A structural differentiator is 500 Startups' use of a distributed network of venture partners and data science tools to source and diligence deals at scale — a model that allows it to maintain a global portfolio with a relatively lean central team. This operating architecture contrasts with traditional firms that rely on a small group of general partners for all investment decisions.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital Firm
Year founded
2010
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, California, United States
Additional offices
Mexico City · Tokyo · Dubai
Principals
Dave McClure
Founder
Christine Tsai
CEO
Courtney Powell
Chief Operating Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at 500 Startups?
CEO Christine Tsai oversees firm strategy, while investment decisions are distributed across a global network of venture partners and investment professionals. The firm uses data-driven tools to screen and select startups for its accelerator and direct investment programs (per public record).
How does 500 Startups source proprietary deal flow?
The firm relies on a network of over 200 venture partners across 70 countries who surface local opportunities. Additionally, its accelerator program acts as a funnel, bringing in hundreds of startups per cohort that are vetted by the firm's investment committee (per the firm's official communications).
What investment stages does 500 Startups typically target?
500 Startups invests primarily at the seed and Series A stages, with check sizes typically ranging from $100,000 to $2 million. The firm also occasionally makes follow-on investments in later rounds for high-performing portfolio companies (per public record).
Does 500 Startups participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
500 Startups operates through direct investments and its accelerator program. The firm does not serve as a fund-of-funds; instead, it deploys capital directly into startups across its various sector and region-specific funds (per public record).
Which sectors does 500 Startups explicitly avoid?
The firm avoids heavy-asset industries like oil and gas, real estate, and infrastructure, focusing instead on scalable technology and tech-enabled services. It has traditionally steered clear of biotechnology and deep-science startups (per public record).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
500 Startups is an institutional venture capital firm, not a family office. Its capital comes from limited partners including pension funds, endowments, and high-net-worth individuals. The founding team's personal wealth originated from technology success, but the firm itself is funded externally (per public record).
How is 500 Startups related to its founder Dave McClure?
Dave McClure founded the firm in 2010 and served as CEO until 2017, when he resigned following allegations of sexual harassment. Since then, the firm has been led by Christine Tsai, and McClure has no formal role in investment decisions or operations (per public record).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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