LvlUp Ventures

What LvlUp Ventures does

LvlUp Ventures is a privately-held venture capital firm founded in 2023 by Brandon Maier and Aaron Golbin, headquartered in Los Angeles with operational offices in New York City and a regional investment hub in Dubai. The firm operates 10+ specialized funds and accelerator programs that collectively span idea-stage to Series A+ across 25+ industries and 6 continents. Its capital stack includes the Industry-Agnostic Seed Fund ($150K–$250K checks), CPG Fund ($10K–$150K initial, up to $250K follow-on), First Check Fund ($1K–$10K cash plus $10M perks via SAFEs targeting 1,000 investments in 2026), B2B SaaS Non-Dilutive Fund ($25K–$3.5M), Tech and Real Economy Non-Dilutive Funds ($20K–$20M each), a $250M CPG Non-Dilutive vehicle backed by Wayflyer, the E-Commerce Ecosystem Builders Fund anchored by SHOPLINE, and the Small Business Fund. The firm also runs three accelerators: LvlUp Labs (general), LvlUp Labs CPG (10-week consumer-brand program), and LvlUp Labs Marketing Edge Accelerator (digital-marketing program powered by SmartPush). The firm's go-to-market is direct-application via web and Airtable forms, supported by the VC-in-Residence (VIR) network of 2,000+ scouts, the Innovation Alliance of 750+ corporate and investment partners, and a calendar of curated founder-investor events across NYC, LA, and Dubai. LvlUp is monetized through management fees and carried interest on equity funds, interest income on non-dilutive vehicles underwritten by Wayflyer and ECL, and accelerator program fees. The firm ranks #7 most active VC globally, #4 in the U.S., and #1 most active in CPG & Tech per PitchBook (2025), has backed 1,000+ startups representing $12.5B+ in cumulative portfolio market value, and supports founders whose companies have collectively raised $1B+.

Name

LvlUp Ventures

Legal name

LvlUp Ventures

Website

https://lvlup.vc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

LvlUp Ventures is a multi-stage global venture capital firm operating 10+ specialized funds and accelerators that back 1,000+ startups across 25+ industries and 6 continents with dilutive equity, non-dilutive financing, and operating support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Revenue-Based Financing (RBF) Providers (FSANAIAF), Independent Venture Debt Funds / Platforms (FSANAIAB), Equipment Financing / Leasing (Venture-backed) (FSANAIAE)

Keywords

• Venture capital investing
• Seed stage funding
• Consumer brand investment
• Non-dilutive financing
• Startup accelerator programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Seed Fund Equity Investments: LvlUp's Seed Fund writes $150K-$250K equity checks into tech-agnostic early-stage startups at pre-seed to Series A stages, generating carried interest and equity upside.
2. Non-Dilutive Venture Financing: Multiple non-dilutive funds (CPG, B2B SaaS, Tech, Real Economy) provide $20K-$20M revenue-based financing at 10-12.5% over 3-36 months, underwritten via Wayflyer and ECL, generating interest income.
3. CPG Fund Equity Investments: Dilutive equity checks of $10K-$150K (initial) up to $250K (follow-on) into consumer packaged goods brands, with strategic support and access to retail/distribution partners.
4. First Check Fund Investments: $1K-$10K cash plus $10M in perks invested at idea/pre-formation/pre-seed stage via standard SAFEs, targeting 1,000 investments in 2026 for portfolio construction and downstream upside.
5. Accelerator Program Fees & Investments: LvlUp Labs CPG charges participating brands for 10-week programs with a $5K-$20K initial investment plus up to $20K performance-based capital; similar structure in Marketing Edge Accelerator ($5K-$25K initial, up to $250K post-program).
6. Small Business Fund Equity / Revenue-Share: Up to $50K equity or revenue-share investment plus up to $1M non-dilutive financing to brick-and-mortar and service businesses, generating returns through equity appreciation and revenue-share agreements.
7. E-Commerce Ecosystem Builders Investments: Up to $50K on day one plus follow-on up to $250K for e-commerce tech builders, with portfolio companies also gaining distribution via SHOPLINE's 600K+ merchants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LvlUp Ventures is a multi-stage, multi-sector venture capital firm that deploys capital across more than 10 specialized funds and accelerator programs into early-stage startups. It writes $1K to $250K+ equity checks via its Seed, CPG, First Check, E-Commerce, and Small Business Funds, and provides $20K to $20M non-dilutive revenue-based financing through its CPG, B2B SaaS, Tech, and Real Economy Non-Dilutive Funds. The firm also runs hands-on accelerators (LvlUp Labs, LvlUp Labs CPG, Marketing Edge Accelerator) supported by a 2,500+ extended team and a 750+ partner Innovation Alliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LvlUp Seed Fund: Industry-agnostic seed fund writing up to $250K checks for tech founders worldwide.
• LvlUp CPG Fund
• LvlUp CPG Non-Dilutive Fund (CPG Accel Fund)
• LvlUp First Check Fund
• LvlUp B2B SaaS Accel Fund
• LvlUp E-Commerce Ecosystem Builders Fund
• LvlUp Real Economy Non-Dilutive Fund
• LvlUp Tech Non-Dilutive Fund
• LvlUp Small Business Fund
• LvlUp Labs
• LvlUp Labs CPG
• LvlUp Labs Marketing Edge Accelerator
• LvlUp VC in Residence (VIR) Program
• LvlUp Ventures Innovation Alliance
• LvlUp Ventures MENA Global Investment Hub
• NextUp by LvlUp Ventures

Products and services

• Industry-Agnostic Seed Fund Industry-agnostic seed fund writing $150K-$250K equity checks into early-stage startups from pre-seed to Series A across all geographies, with hands-on venture support.
• CPG Fund Dedicated fund for high-growth consumer packaged goods brands in Health & Beauty, Wellness, Food, Beverage, Hardware, and Dual-Use Technologies doing $250K+ ARR, with $10K-$150K initial and up to $250K follow-on equity checks.
• First Check Fund Pre-formation and pre-seed fund providing $1K-$10K cash plus $10M in perks to idea-stage founders via standard SAFEs, targeting 1,000 investments in 2026 as the first institutional check.
• E-Commerce Ecosystem Builders Fund Fund investing in tools and technology serving the e-commerce space, with up to $50K on day one plus follow-on up to $250K; portfolio companies also gain distribution via SHOPLINE's 600K+ merchants.
• Small Business Fund Fund providing up to $50K equity or revenue-share plus up to $1M non-dilutive financing to brick-and-mortar and service businesses, with SHOPLINE POS integration and LvlUp ecosystem access.
• CPG Non-Dilutive Fund Non-dilutive revenue-based financing fund for breakout CPG brands, providing $20K-$20M at 10-12.5% over 3-36 months, underwritten by Wayflyer.
• B2B SaaS Non-Dilutive Fund Non-dilutive financing fund for B2B SaaS companies with $40K-$1M+ MRR, providing $25K-$3.5M at 10.5-11.5% over 3-36 months, underwritten by ECL.
• Tech Non-Dilutive Fund Non-dilutive financing fund for tech startups with $10K+ MRR operating 6+ months, providing $20K-$20M at 10-12.5% over 3-36 months.
• Real Economy Non-Dilutive Fund Non-dilutive financing fund for brick-and-mortar and online businesses with $10K+ MRR operating 6+ months, providing $20K-$20M at 10-12.5% over 3-36 months.
• LvlUp Labs Flagship boutique startup program and founders-only membership community providing access to VC resources, weekly office hours, and direct engagement with the investment team.
• LvlUp Labs CPG 10-week high-touch CPG accelerator and operating platform for emerging consumer brands with $5K-$20K initial investment plus up to $20K performance-based capital; includes SHOPLINE migration, 1:1 office hours, demo days, and warm investor introductions.
• LvlUp Labs Marketing Edge Accelerator Digital marketing growth accelerator providing $5K-$25K initial and up to $250K post-program capital, with bi-weekly 1:1 support, SmartPush platform access, and masterclasses; targeting 750+ startups in 2026.
• VC in Residence (VIR) Program Global network of 2,000+ venture scouts, fellows, and associate venture partners who source deals for LvlUp and its funding partners using the VIR Dashboard; scouts receive cash or equity when LvlUp or partners invest in their referrals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60x growth case (InHouse America after joining LvlUp Labs)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SHOPLINEflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHOPLINE is LvlUp's anchor LP for the CPG Fund and E-Commerce Ecosystem Builders Fund. Portfolio companies gain preferred placement across SHOPLINE's 600,000+ global merchants, white-glove site buildouts, backend data migration, payment service linkage, and POS infrastructure. SHOPLINE powers brands like FILA, LUSH, Polaris, and LEGO.
• SmartPushcoreTechnology or IntegrationSmartPush is an advanced e-marketing platform powering growth execution and email/digital campaigns across portfolio companies in the LvlUp Labs Marketing Edge Accelerator via an exclusive partnership.
• SemrushminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSemrush sponsored the LvlUp Ventures "SEO Stardom" Pitch Competition with 400+ applicants and winner Lil Bucks.
• NotionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNotion sponsored the LvlUp Ventures "Operations Master" Pitch Competition with 130+ submissions, including Top 5 Finalist Smart Credit.
• SlackminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSlack sponsored the LvlUp Ventures "Execution Excellence" Pitch Competition.
• Campaign MonitorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCampaign Monitor sponsored the LvlUp Ventures "Rising Star" Pitch Competition, including founder ApolloX Tech.
• Intuit MailchimpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIntuit Mailchimp partnered with LvlUp Ventures on a pitching session that included Markeret (Outlander VC).
• ZendeskcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZendesk partnered with LvlUp Ventures as a venture capital partner in its $100M Zendesk for Startups program, giving LvlUp's portfolio access to closed-door AI sessions, quarterly portfolio reviews, and direct access to Zendesk executives.
• TechstarscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechstars is a peer accelerator partnering with LvlUp Ventures in Zendesk's $100M, two-year startup initiative, providing VC-aligned sessions and portfolio reviews.
• 500 GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner500 Global is a peer VC partnering with LvlUp Ventures in Zendesk's $100M, two-year startup initiative.
• NVIDIA Inception ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVIDIA Inception Program backed Lokam.ai alongside LvlUp Ventures as part of AI-driven automotive retail investments.
• JP Morgan ChaseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJP Morgan Chase is a featured Innovation Alliance partner displayed across LvlUp's MENA hub and corporate-collaboration pages.
• L'OréalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'Oréal is a featured Innovation Alliance partner supporting LvlUp's CPG and beauty-focused portfolio.
• Universal PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversal Pictures is a featured Innovation Alliance partner providing media and brand support to LvlUp's portfolio.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle is a named enterprise partner in LvlUp's Innovation Alliance programs providing non-equity support to startups.
• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationXero is a named enterprise partner in LvlUp's Innovation Alliance programs offering financial tooling to portfolio startups.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalmart is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within the LvlUp Labs CPG program, supporting retail access for consumer brands.
• MetacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeta is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG, providing retail product marketing expertise to consumer brands.
• AB InBevcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAB InBev is a featured world-class mentor and partner within the LvlUp Labs CPG program supporting beverage and CPG founders.
• J&JcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohnson & Johnson is a featured world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG supporting consumer health and CPG founders.
• AppleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApple is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG, supporting consumer tech and CPG founders.
• Coca-ColaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoca-Cola is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG supporting beverage and retail founders.
• CitiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiti is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG supporting CPG founders with finance and banking expertise.
• DeloitteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeloitte is featured as a world-class mentor and partner within LvlUp Labs CPG supporting consumer brands with consulting expertise.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Techstars: Techstars operates a global accelerator and seed VC network across multiple sectors, including CPG-specific programs. Both LvlUp and Techstars run multi-program accelerators plus equity investing, and Techstars is explicitly named alongside LvlUp as a VC partner in Zendesk's $100M initiative — making them directly comparable in operating model.
• 500 Global: 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups) operates a global accelerator network with multiple specialized funds across geographies, similar to LvlUp's multi-fund platform. Both run programs across continents, target early-stage founders, and are explicitly co-listed as Zendesk VC partners, indicating direct comparability.
• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage VC running founder-residency and accelerator programs across 30+ cities. Like LvlUp, Antler deploys Day-1 capital, sources globally across 6 continents, and pairs hands-on operating support with structured funds — making them a close structural peer.
• Plug and Play: Plug and Play operates vertical-specific accelerators (CPG, FinTech, Health, etc.) with corporate partner networks. Both LvlUp and Plug and Play monetize by combining accelerator programming with corporate partnerships and equity investing, though Plug and Play is significantly larger and more established.
• SOSV: SOSV runs multiple vertical-specific accelerator programs (HAX for hardware, IndieBio for biotech, etc.) plus a multi-stage VC fund. LvlUp's vertical-fund structure (CPG, B2B SaaS, Tech, Real Economy, E-Commerce) mirrors SOSV's model of running focused programs per industry.
• Founders Factory: Founders Factory operates accelerator and studio programs globally, partnering with corporates to back early-stage startups across sectors. Comparable to LvlUp in combining corporate-partner distribution (akin to LvlUp's Innovation Alliance + SHOPLINE) with seed-stage equity investing.
• gener8tor: gener8tor runs multiple accelerator cohorts and a venture fund, with concierge-style programming and a relatively small core team. Like LvlUp, it operates multiple parallel programs and supports a wide range of early-stage founders.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the largest and most established global startup accelerator, writing standard seed checks in exchange for equity. While LvlUp offers more fund variety (CPG, non-dilutive, small business), both serve the same early-stage founder segment with hands-on programming and demo-day deal flow.

Others

• Wayflyer: Wayflyer is the underwriting partner backing LvlUp's CPG Non-Dilutive and Real Economy Non-Dilutive funds. As a leading revenue-based financing provider, Wayflyer is a financial partner/ecosystem player rather than a direct competitor, but is the closest comparable in the non-dilutive CPG capital space.

Emerging players

• Clearco: Clearco (formerly Clearbanc) provides revenue-based financing to e-commerce and SaaS businesses, overlapping directly with LvlUp's B2B SaaS and Tech Non-Dilutive funds. While not a VC, Clearco competes for the same non-dilutive capital customer that LvlUp serves via its ECL/Wayflyer-backed funds.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/brandontmaier
• Xx.com/lvlupvc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1065 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LvlUp Ventures