Bryant Stibel Investments

What Bryant Stibel Investments does

Bryant Stibel Investments is a Malibu, California-based venture capital and growth investment firm founded in 2013 by Jeff Stibel and Kobe Bryant. The firm invests in early- and growth-stage technology, media, and data companies, operating across multiple vehicles including Bryant Stibel Growth Fund, Stibel & Co. Fund I, Kobe Investments, and the Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I. Since inception, the firm has invested in over 40 businesses spanning mobile gaming (Epic Games, Scopely), consumer products (The Honest Company, Cholula, Art of Sport), legal technology (LegalZoom), education (VIPKid), connected devices (Tile), and enterprise software (TeamViewer), with roughly 75% of portfolio companies reported as still active.

The firm's stated differentiation is an "Office of the Chairman" model in which partners provide hands-on operational support to portfolio companies beyond capital deployment, leveraging operating expertise across marketing, brand, technology, and distribution. Returns are generated through equity appreciation and exits, exemplified by the 2018 sale of Cholula to McCormick for approximately $800 million, alongside continued markups in private holdings such as Epic Games and Scopely. The firm also pursues co-investment with larger institutional managers, most notably through a multi-billion-dollar partnership with Permira that created the Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I, broadening deal access and check size. Following Kobe Bryant's death in January 2020, the firm has continued operations under Jeff Stibel's leadership.

Revenue mechanics follow standard venture capital practice: management fees on committed capital across funds plus carried interest on profitable realizations. Distribution channels consist of direct portfolio investment and co-investment syndicates, with selective operating involvement and brand-marketing collaboration rather than a third-party advisory product. Customer/portfolio mix is intentionally diversified across consumer, enterprise, gaming, and EdTech verticals, reducing exposure to any single sector. The firm also maintains a portfolio of social-impact initiatives through partnerships with organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, First Star, and Open to All, which supplement but are not central to its core investment operations.

Name

Bryant Stibel Investments

Legal name

Bryant Stibel

Website

https://bryantstibel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bryant Stibel is a Malibu-based venture capital firm founded in 2013 by Jeff Stibel and Kobe Bryant that invests in early- and growth-stage technology, media, and data companies through multiple funds, offering hands-on operational support via its "Office of the Chairman" model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

Keywords

• Venture capital investments
• Growth equity funding
• Technology startup funding
• Portfolio management services
• Strategic advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Malibu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns (Carried Interest): Bryant Stibel generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies. The firm earns carried interest on successful exits, with notable exits including Cholula (acquired by McCormick for $800M) and Art of Sport (rolled out through 1,600 Target stores).
2. Investment Management: The firm manages investment capital across multiple funds including Bryant Stibel Fund I, Stibel & Co. Fund I, Bryant Stibel Growth, Kobe Investments, and Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I, generating returns through portfolio company growth and exits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bryant Stibel is a venture capital and investment firm that provides growth-stage capital investment and hands-on strategic advisory services to technology, media, data, and consumer companies. The firm invests through multiple vehicles including Bryant Stibel Growth, Stibel & Co. Fund I, Kobe Investments, and the Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I, and operates an "Office of the Chairman" model offering cross-functional operational expertise to portfolio companies.

Product overview

Bryant Stibel is a venture capital and investment firm, not a product company. The firm provides capital investment and strategic advisory services to early and growth-stage companies through multiple investment vehicles including Bryant Stibel Growth, Stibel & Co. Fund I, and Kobe Investments. The firm also offers an 'Office of the Chairman' service providing cross-functional strategic expertise to portfolio companies. The firm has invested in over 40 businesses across consumer products, technology, and education sectors, with approximately 75% of investments remaining active.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bryant Stibel Growth Fund Growth-stage investment fund that provides capital and strategic operational support to technology and consumer companies seeking to scale.
• Stibel & Co. Fund I Early-stage investment fund focused on emerging technology and consumer brands, providing seed and early-stage capital.
• Kobe Investments Investment vehicle associated with Kobe Bryant focused on portfolio companies including BodyArmor and Red Ventures.
• Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I Co-investment vehicle with global investment firm Permira for growth-stage opportunities, investing hundreds of millions of dollars into companies globally.
• Office of the Chairman Strategic advisory service providing cross-functional team expertise to portfolio company leadership for business analysis, planning, and execution support.

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)minorOthersOrganization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, seeking justice for vulnerable members of society. Kobe Bryant supported this organization, and Bryant Stibel is working with SPLC leadership on development of future strategic initiatives focused on racial equity.
• First StarminorOthersPartners with universities and child welfare agencies to support foster youth through college readiness programs. Bryant Stibel partner Judy Hackett sits on the board. Firm is partnering with First Star to launch the First Star National STEAM Academy.
• Open to AllminorOthersNational nondiscrimination campaign supported by 200+ civil rights and racial justice organizations. Bryant Stibel partners with this coalition as part of its commitment to racial equity and inclusion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Forerunner Ventures: Early-to-growth stage venture firm focused on consumer brands and commerce, with a hands-on operating model similar to Bryant Stibel's approach. Comparable size and stage focus across consumer and tech-enabled brands.
• Lerer Hippeau: New York-based seed and early-stage VC investing in consumer, media, and tech-enabled businesses. Operates with a similar operator-heavy, hands-on thesis and comparable fund size to Bryant Stibel.
• Crosscut Ventures: LA-based early-stage VC with thesis around consumer, media, and frontier tech. Geographic and sector overlap with Bryant Stibel's Malibu-based consumer and technology focus.
• Greycroft: Consumer and enterprise technology investor with a hands-on operational approach and comparable AUM range. Both firms emphasize founder partnership beyond capital deployment.
• Bonfire Ventures: LA-based seed-stage VC for software and tech-enabled businesses; cited in Bryant Stibel data as a referral partner. Comparable geographic footprint, stage focus, and consumer/tech orientation.
• Permira: Global investment firm co-managing the Bryant Stibel Permira Growth Opportunities Fund I. Operates across growth equity and buyouts with comparable consumer/tech orientation at significantly larger scale.
• Maveron: Consumer-only venture firm with comparable size and stage focus. Both firms prioritize early-stage consumer brands with hands-on operational support and founder partnership models.
• Lead Edge Capital: Growth-stage investor in consumer and technology businesses with similar deal sizes and active partnership approach. Comparable AUM scale and sector breadth as Bryant Stibel's growth funds.

Broad incumbents

• Founders Fund: Larger, established venture firm investing across technology stages and sectors. Operates with a similar founder-friendly reputation but with significantly more capital and broader sector mandates than Bryant Stibel.
• Andreessen Horowitz: Major multi-stage venture platform with consumer and technology investment verticals. Comparable in portfolio diversity (consumer, gaming, SaaS) but operates at vastly larger scale and with broader firm capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bryantstibel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments25 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Bryant Stibel Investments