Karlin Ventures
Karlin Ventures is an early-stage Los Angeles venture capital fund investing $250K-$2M in U.S.-based enterprise software, commerce, and marketplace startups, operating as an affiliate of Karlin Asset Management ($1.4B AUM).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Karlin Ventures does
Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Los Angeles, California, established in 2012 as an affiliate of Karlin Asset Management, a private investment firm co-founded in 2005 by David A. Cohen that manages over $1.4 billion in unleveraged equity capital. The fund invests between $250,000 and $2,000,000 per company in U.S.-based, preferably West Coast, startups working on enterprise software, commerce platforms, and marketplaces, while remaining open to compelling ideas in other verticals. Its core product is capital plus partnership support: typical checks require proof-of-concept (post-revenue or with secured contracts), capital needs of less than $5,000,000, and a path to break-even within three years, with the firm participating in follow-on rounds.
The firm operates with a single-LP structure that enables unusually quick decision-making (typically 1-2 weeks), and it differentiates through syndication relationships with leading venture funds in Southern California and Silicon Valley. As of the most recent reported figures, the fund has backed approximately 42 portfolio companies across four business sectors (9 marketplace, 17 enterprise, 6 commerce, 8 other), with 6 notable exits, $145 million in follow-on capital deployed, and 860 jobs created across the portfolio. The firm operates the Karlin Fellows program, a 1-year community fellowship for portfolio members and emerging LA tech leaders designed to support deal flow and ecosystem presence.
Karlin Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Karlin Ventures
- Legal name
- Karlin Ventures, LLC
- Website
- https://karlinvc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Karlin Ventures is an early-stage Los Angeles venture capital fund investing $250K-$2M in U.S.-based enterprise software, commerce, and marketplace startups, operating as an affiliate of Karlin Asset Management ($1.4B AUM).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Karlin Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)
Keywords
Where Karlin Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Karlin Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: Generates returns through equity investments in early-stage startups across enterprise software, commerce platforms, and marketplaces. Returns realized through exits including acquisitions and IPOs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Karlin Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund that provides equity capital to entrepreneurs, typically investing $250,000 to $2,000,000 per deal. The firm focuses on enterprise software, commerce platforms, and marketplace companies with proof-of-concept in place, and supports portfolio companies with follow-on funding, strategic guidance, and network connections.
Product overview
Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Los Angeles, California. The firm does not offer a unified product platform or modular software offering; rather, its core offering is venture capital investment services and strategic partnership support for early-stage startups. Their investment thesis focuses on contrarian entrepreneurs building solutions in enterprise software, commerce platforms, and marketplaces. The firm manages over $1.4 billion in unleveraged equity capital as an affiliate of Karlin Asset Management, and typically deploys capital in amounts ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000 per company, with participation in follow-on funding rounds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Karlin Fellows: An elite fellowship program for portfolio company members and emerging industry leaders in LA's tech community. The program spans 1 year with 4 workshops and 50+ rising industry leaders.
Products and services
- Venture Capital Investment Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 42 portfolio companies with 6 successful exits
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Karlin Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Karlin Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Karlin Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Karlin Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lerer Hippeau: NYC-based seed and early-stage VC investing across consumer and enterprise software. Comparable on stage and sector focus, though operating in different geographic markets.
- First Round Capital: Prominent seed-stage VC investing in enterprise and consumer software with a strong fellowship/community program (like Karlin Fellows). Operates at larger scale but is comparable on early-stage focus and community-building.
- Greycroft Partners: Larger early- and growth-stage VC with strong LA presence investing in enterprise, consumer, and marketplace startups. Broader portfolio and larger AUM than Karlin but operating in the same LA ecosystem and similar sectors.
- Crosslink Capital: Early- and late-stage VC with West Coast presence investing in software, commerce, and marketplace companies. Operates at larger scale and across more stages than Karlin but overlaps on enterprise/commerce focus.
Direct peers
- Crosscut Ventures: Los Angeles-based early-stage VC firm focused on enterprise software, commerce, and marketplace startups with comparable ticket sizes. Operates in the same LA ecosystem and targets similar founder profiles as Karlin Ventures.
- Wavemaker Partners: LA/SF-based early-stage VC investing in enterprise software and consumer-facing startups at seed and Series A stages. Directly comparable on stage, geography, and sector focus.
- Innovation Endeavors: Eric Schmidt-backed early-stage VC firm where Karlin advisor TX Zhuo previously worked. Directly comparable on stage, sector focus (enterprise/tech), and West Coast orientation; relevant peer given team overlap and similar model.
- Amplify.LA: LA-based seed fund focused on early-stage technology startups with a fellowship program analogous to Karlin's Fellows initiative. Direct peer in LA's seed VC ecosystem.
- Rincon Venture Partners: LA-based early-stage VC firm focused on software and marketplace companies in Southern California. Comparable in stage, geography, and sector emphasis to Karlin Ventures.
- Mucker Capital: LA-based early-stage VC investing in software, internet, and consumer technology companies. Operates in the same geographic market and stage range as Karlin Ventures with similar check sizes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Karlin Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceKarlin Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Karlin Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Karlin Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Karlin Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments57 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Karlin Ventures
What does Karlin Ventures do?
Karlin Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund that provides equity capital to entrepreneurs, typically investing $250,000 to $2,000,000 per deal. The firm focuses on enterprise software, commerce platforms, and marketplace companies with proof-of-concept in place, and supports portfolio companies with follow-on funding, strategic guidance, and network connections.
Is Karlin Ventures a public or private company?
Karlin Ventures is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Karlin Ventures founded?
Karlin Ventures was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Karlin Ventures based?
Karlin Ventures is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Karlin Ventures make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Returns.
Who are Karlin Ventures's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lerer Hippeau, First Round Capital, Greycroft Partners and Crosslink Capital. Direct peers are Crosscut Ventures, Wavemaker Partners, Innovation Endeavors, Amplify.LA, Rincon Venture Partners and Mucker Capital.
Does Karlin Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Karlin Ventures.
What industry is Karlin Ventures in?
Karlin Ventures's product category is Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.