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Kevin Rose

North America, Oregon, United States, Portland

Description

Kevin Rose is a highly influential figure in the technology and venture capital landscape, known for his pioneering work as an entrepreneur and his prolific angel investment activities. As the co-founder of seminal internet companies like Digg, Milk, and Revision3, Rose established himself as a visionary builder before transitioning significantly into the investment world. His deep understanding of consumer behavior and emerging technologies has positioned him as a sought-after early-stage investor, particularly in disruptive tech.

Rose's investment thesis primarily centers on backing early-stage startups with strong product-market fit and ambitious founders. His portfolio spans a wide array of sectors, including social media, fintech, consumer applications, and more recently, a significant focus on Web3, NFTs, and cryptocurrency projects through his work with PROOF. He is known for his hands-on approach, leveraging his extensive network and operational experience to support the companies he invests in. His investment philosophy often prioritizes innovative solutions that can achieve broad consumer adoption, reflecting his background in building mass-market internet products.

His investment track record is remarkably strong, featuring early bets on companies that have grown into industry giants. Notable investments include Twitter, Facebook, Square (now Block), Chime, and Coinbase, among many others. Rose also served as a General Partner at Google Ventures (now GV) for three years, from 2012 to 2015, further solidifying his venture capital expertise and expanding his network within the institutional investment sphere. Beyond his time at GV, his personal angel portfolio is extensive, with public records indicating investments in over 100 companies, showcasing his consistent activity and belief in fostering innovation from the ground up.

Currently, Rose is deeply immersed in the Web3 space as the Co-Founder and CEO of PROOF, a collective and studio focused on NFTs and digital art, which includes the highly successful Moonbirds project. This current venture further underscores his commitment to the decentralized web and his continued role in shaping the future of technology, both as an operator and an investor. His ongoing engagement at the forefront of technological shifts makes him a valuable partner for nascent startups looking to navigate complex and rapidly evolving markets.

Investor Profile

Kevin Rose has backed more than 25 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 0 rounds, about 0% of its total and boasts 14 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Singapore, Portugal.
  • Strong thematic focus on Mobile, Apps, Blockchain.
  • Typical check size: $100K – $750K.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (52%)
  • Series A (24%)
  • Series B (16%)
  • Series C (4%)
  • Series Unknown (4%)

Country Focus

  • United States (84%)
  • Singapore (4%)
  • Portugal (4%)
  • Canada (4%)

Industry Focus

  • Mobile
  • Apps
  • Blockchain
  • Fintech
  • Software
  • Location Based Services
  • E-commerce
  • Internet
  • Messaging
  • Photo Sharing
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Kevin Rose frequently co-invest with?

First Round Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
Lowercase Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 3
Index Ventures
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 3
SV Angel
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 11
Digital Garage
Asia, Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo
Co-Investments: 2
Collaborative Fund
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Union Square Ventures
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Betaworks
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Freestyle Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 3
Greylock
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 3

Which angels does Kevin Rose often collaborate with?

GV
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 4
PB
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Shared Deals: 2
CS
North America, California, United States, Truckee
Shared Deals: 3
MM
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
TF
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 4
Dave Morin
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
AS
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
Karl Jacob
North America, Quintana Roo, Mexico, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
SP
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
JS
North America, California, United States
Shared Deals: 5

What are some of recent deals done by Kevin Rose?

ClayStack

Singapore, Central Region, Singapore

ClayStack, blockchain-agnostic staking protocol that unlock the power of digital assets in the form of liquid staking derivative tokens.

BlockchainFinancial Services
SeedJul 13, 2021
Amount Raised: $5,200,000

Universe XYZ is an NFT platform that provides blockchain technology and cryptocurrency solutions for creating and distributing tokens.

BlockchainCryptocurrencySoftware
SeedMay 14, 2021
Magic Spoon

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Magic Spoon is a food company that provides childlike, low-carbohydrate cereal foods for adult customers.

Food and BeverageFood ProcessingSalesSnack Food
SeedSep 12, 2019
Amount Raised: $5,500,000
Solana

San Francisco, California, United States

Solana is a crypto startup that builds and develops crypto apps for decentralized apps and marketplaces.

AppsBlockchainCryptocurrencyFinanceFinTechInternetMarketplaceVirtual Currency
SeedJul 30, 2019
Algolia

San Francisco, California, United States

Algolia is the Search-as-a-Service platform that enables companies to deliver fast and relevant digital experiences that drive real results.

Cloud ComputingSearch EngineSemantic SearchVertical Search
Series AMay 20, 2015
Amount Raised: $18,300,000
Shyp

San Francisco, California, United States

Shyp provides shipping services that ranges from picking-up the package to delivering it to the destination.

DeliveryLogisticsShipping
Series BApr 21, 2015
Amount Raised: $50,000,000
Unbabel

Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal

Unbabel allows modern enterprises to understand and be understood by their customers in dozens of languages.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)B2BMachine LearningNatural Language ProcessingSoftwareTranslation Service
SeedJul 18, 2014
Amount Raised: $1,500,000
Wealthfront

Palo Alto, California, United States

Wealthfront integrates investing and saving products to help young professionals build long-term wealth in any market condition.

FinanceFinancial ServicesFinTechPersonal FinanceWealth Management
Series CApr 2, 2014
Amount Raised: $35,000,000
imgix

San Francisco, California, United States

imgix is a platform for managing, processing, rendering, optimizing, and delivering your existing images.

HardwareImage Recognition
Series AMay 1, 2013
Amount Raised: $5,000,000
FOBO

San Francisco, California, United States

FOBO is a mobile app enabling users to sell goods using their mobile phones.

E-CommerceHardwareLocalMarketplaceMobileSoftware
SeedOct 18, 2012
Amount Raised: $1,600,000