Ascent Venture Partners
Description
Ascent Venture Partners is a well-established venture capital firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1985. The firm primarily focuses on investing in early-stage, emerging B2B technology companies across North America. Their investment thesis is centered on identifying and supporting disruptive software, data, and tech-enabled service businesses that are poised for significant growth and market leadership. Ascent's long tenure in the venture capital landscape underscores its deep experience and commitment to the B2B tech sector, making it a prominent player in the East Coast venture ecosystem.
The firm typically seeks to lead or co-lead investment rounds, providing not only crucial capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to its portfolio companies. Ascent's approach emphasizes active partnership, leveraging its extensive network and industry expertise to help founders scale their businesses effectively. Initial investments from Ascent Venture Partners typically range from $5 million to $15 million, reflecting their commitment to providing substantial early-stage funding. The firm also has the capacity to deploy additional capital, often investing up to $25 million over the full lifecycle of a successful portfolio company, demonstrating a long-term commitment to their ventures.
Over its nearly four-decade history, Ascent Venture Partners has built an impressive track record, having backed over 110 companies. This extensive portfolio highlights their consistent activity and success in identifying promising B2B technology firms. Their most recent fund, Ascent Venture Partners VIII, closed in 2021 with $275 million in commitments, further solidifying their capacity to invest in the next generation of B2B innovators. The firm's consistent fundraising and deployment of capital underscore its enduring presence and influence within the venture capital ecosystem, contributing significantly to the growth of the technology sector.
Investor Profile
Ascent Venture Partners has backed more than 106 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 38 rounds, about 36% of its total and boasts 49 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series Unknown, Series B, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Canada, Russian Federation.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Enterprise Software, Analytics.
- Typical check size: $5M – $15M.
Stage Focus
- Series Unknown (36%)
- Series B (23%)
- Series A (18%)
- Series C (12%)
- Series D (8%)
- Debt Financing (1%)
- Post Ipo Equity (1%)
- Series E (1%)
- Seed (1%)
Country Focus
- United States (95%)
- Canada (3%)
- Russian Federation (1%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Enterprise Software
- Analytics
- Saas
- Information Technology
- Telecommunications
- Marketing
- Security
- Manufacturing
- Hardware
Frequently Asked Questions
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