Updated:
Catapult Capital
Jeff Bonforte and partners invest $10M to $100M+ equity checks from an operator-led private equity base in San Francisco.
Catapult Capital
Catapult Capital operates from San Francisco as a concentrated private equity vehicle for seasoned operators. The firm was founded by Managing Partners Jeff Bonforte, Rick Marini, Gary C. Hsueh, and Michael Levit — a quartet whose resumes stack M&A leadership at Goldman Sachs, product-line turnarounds that generated hundreds of millions in revenue at Yahoo, and multiple founder exits totaling over $350M. Senior Advisor Jacqueline Reses brings further institutional weight, having led Square Capital, chaired Alibaba's audit committee, and executed media buyouts at Apax Partners. The firm targets profitable or near-profitable companies past the venture stage, writing equity checks between $10M and over $100M per transaction. Its mandate spans buyouts, complex carve-outs, divestitures, and corporate spin-offs — situations where the partners' operating experience becomes the underwriting edge. Catapult's investing partners have deep consumer-tech and enterprise-software DNA, with track records as angel investors in Snapchat, Reddit, Opendoor, Poshmark, PAX Labs, and Outreach (per Forbes, 2018). While the current portfolio composition is not publicly detailed, the team's combined network and geography — San Francisco and Northern California — anchor its proprietary sourcing model. Catapult's team includes four named Managing Partners and a Senior Advisor, supported by a network of technology-focused operating consultants. The firm does not disclose total AUM or fund structures publicly. Its partners maintain strong ties to the Silicon Valley ecosystem through angel networks (Rick Marini's 50-startup portfolio, Jeff Bonforte's 60-plus investments) and advisory roles at venues such as Founders Den, the co-working space Michael Levit helped launch. The firm has not publicized recent closed transactions or vehicle launches. Catapult's structural differentiator is that every investment decision is made by partners who have personally founded, scaled, and exited venture-stage companies and later managed billion-dollar P&Ls inside large public tech platforms. The firm does not present as a traditional fund manager or a multi-family office; it is closer to an operator-led holding company deploying concentrated, judgment-heavy capital into complex situations — a posture that shades more toward a permanent-capital vehicle than a typical institutional GP.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Jeff Bonforte
Managing Partner
Rick Marini
Managing Partner
Gary C. Hsueh
Managing Partner
Michael Levit
Managing Partner
Jacqueline D. Reses
Senior Advisor
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Catapult Capital?
Four Managing Partners — Jeff Bonforte, Rick Marini, Gary C. Hsueh, and Michael Levit — lead the firm. Each brings a mix of founder-operator experience and large-company executive tenure, including senior roles at Yahoo, Goldman Sachs, and Hearst. Senior Advisor Jacqueline Reses, formerly of Square Capital and Apax Partners, adds board-level guidance. The firm does not disclose a separate investment committee structure.
How does Catapult Capital source its deals?
Catapult relies on its partners' personal networks, built across two decades of founding startups, angel investing, and holding executive roles at large tech companies. Rick Marini's 50-startup angel portfolio and Jeff Bonforte's 60-plus investments create a proprietary top-of-funnel. Michael Levit's Founders Den connections and the partners' collective alumni networks across Yahoo, Goldman Sachs, and Hearst further concentrate origination inside the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem.
What is Catapult Capital's typical investment size?
Catapult targets $10 million to over $100 million in equity capital per investment, according to its own disclosure. The firm looks for companies that are past the venture stage and typically profitable or approaching profitability. This check size puts Catapult in the small-to-mid-cap buyout and growth-equity segment.
Does Catapult Capital focus on a specific stage or transaction type?
Catapult concentrates on buyouts, complex corporate carve-outs, divestitures, and spin-offs. The partners' operating backgrounds make them suited for transactions that require hands-on strategic or operational intervention beyond what a traditional financial sponsor typically provides. The firm does not pursue early-stage venture deals.
Which sectors does Catapult Capital target?
Catapult's partners have deep experience in consumer technology, enterprise software, digital media, and fintech. Rick Marini's own exits span social networking, professional networking, and enterprise messaging. Jeff Bonforte led consumer internet platforms at Yahoo. Jacqueline Reses' background covers fintech, banking-as-a-service, and media. The firm does not publicly exclude sectors but its network tilts heavily toward technology and technology-enabled services.
Does Catapult Capital disclose its assets under management?
No. Catapult Capital does not publicly disclose assets under management, fund structures, or limited partners. The firm operates with a low public profile and shares only its investment-size range and strategy orientation on its website.
How is Catapult Capital structured relative to the partners' other activities?
Catapult Capital is a distinct private equity vehicle, but its four Managing Partners also maintain significant external roles — Rick Marini as an active angel investor, Michael Levit as a board advisor and co-working-space founder, Jeff Bonforte with his own startup portfolio, and Gary Hsueh with his banking and operating network. These overlapping activities serve as a deal-sourcing engine for Catapult rather than a conflict, though the firm does not publicly detail its internal economic allocation or conflict policies.
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.
Need institutional-grade insight on private equity firms?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: