
Rincon Venture Partners
Description
Rincon Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Santa Barbara, California, with a primary focus on web-based businesses. Established in 2005, the firm targets investment opportunities in companies that leverage the internet to deliver services, content, and commerce. While their geographical emphasis is on Southern California, they maintain an open approach to promising ventures in other regions. Rincon typically engages with companies across Seed, Series A, and Series B funding rounds, demonstrating a commitment to supporting startups through their initial growth phases.
The firm's investment strategy is characterized by a clear initial check size, typically ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for their first investment. This structured approach allows them to provide meaningful capital at critical early stages. Beyond the initial infusion, Rincon Venture Partners strategically reserves significant capital for follow-on rounds, indicating a long-term partnership approach designed to support portfolio companies as they scale and achieve key milestones. This commitment ensures that promising ventures have continued access to funding from a trusted partner.
Over its nearly two-decade history, Rincon Venture Partners has built a robust portfolio and a strong track record of successful exits. The firm has raised multiple funds, including Rincon Venture Partners IV, which closed at $100 million in 2019, following a $60 million Fund III in 2014. Their investment activity spans over 100 companies, with notable successes including Ring, a smart home security company acquired by Amazon, and Carbonite, a data backup solution acquired by OpenText. These exits underscore Rincon's ability to identify and nurture high-potential technology companies, delivering significant returns for their limited partners.
Investor Profile
Rincon Venture Partners has backed more than 81 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 23 rounds, about 28% of its total and boasts 23 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series A, Seed, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, Denmark.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Analytics, Advertising.
- Typical check size: $500K – $2M.
Stage Focus
- Series A (36%)
- Seed (25%)
- Series B (16%)
- Series Unknown (15%)
- Series C (6%)
- Series D (2%)
Country Focus
- United States (98%)
- Denmark (2%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Analytics
- Advertising
- Saas
- Internet
- E-commerce
- Mobile
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Recruiting
- Big Data
Frequently Asked Questions
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