Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm established in 1998 that focuses on investing in early-stage companies across a diverse range of sectors. The firm targets technology-led businesses as well as non-technology opportunities in areas such as advertising and media, healthcare, education, financial services, and retail. It engages in various investment stages, including seed, early-stage, later-stage, and expansion-stage financing. Lightspeed specializes in debt financing for start-ups and growth companies while also exploring opportunities in consumer, enterprise, cleantech, and other markets. The firm is known for its strategic investments in innovative sectors, including big data, bitcoin, mobile technology, and software solutions.
Sarona 4 Zvi Strachilevich Street Tel Aviv 6473957 Israel
Vaibhav Agrawal
Associate Partner
Saqib Awan
Partner
Mercedes Bent
Partner
Akshay Bhushan
Partner
Guru Chahal
Partner
Yoni Cheifetz
Partner
Shelley Chu
Partner
James Ephrati
Partner
Gaurav Gupta
Partner
David Gussarsky
Partner
Galym Imanbayev
Partner
Nnamdi Iregbulem
Partner
Raviraj Jain
Partner
Arif Janmohamed
Partner
Ansaf Kareem
Partner
Dev Khare
Partner
Harsha Kumar
Associate Partner
Pinn Lawjindakul
Partner
Pachara Lawjindakul
Partner
Will Leas
Partner
Jeremy Liew
Partner
Jonathan MacQuitty
Venture Partner
Hemant Mohapatra
Partner
Andrew Moley
Operating Partner and CFO
Tal Morgenstern
Partner
Justin Overdorff
Partner
Nicole Quinn
General Partner
Christopher Schaepe
Co-Founder
Shan Shan
Partner
Shuvi Shrivastava
Partner
Adam Smith
Partner
Bejul Somaia
Partner
Rahul Taneja
Partner
Anoushka Vaswani
Partner
Rytis Vitkauskas
Partner
Jerry Ye
Partner, Data Platform
Connor Love
Partner
Peter Nieh
Partner and Co-Founder
John Thompson
Venture Partner
James Alcorn
Partner
Alex Taussig
Partner
Past deals in Entertainment
Pocket FM
Series D in 2024
Pocket FM is an audio series platform that specializes in long-form audio entertainment, offering a diverse range of content across various genres such as fantasy, science fiction, romance, horror, and thriller. The platform is designed to provide a refined listening experience, allowing users to enjoy audio series in English and select Indian languages. Pocket FM facilitates direct communication between listeners and creators, including access to podcasts, enabling a global audience to engage with its extensive library of material. By focusing on broad and entertaining content, Pocket FM caters to a wide range of preferences, enhancing the overall audio experience for its users.
Medallion
Series A in 2023
Medallion is a New York City-based company in the media and entertainment sector, launched in 2020. It has developed a blockchain-based platform aimed at connecting artists with their fans. This platform enables users to create digital environments and foster communities while facilitating the exchange of digital goods. By leveraging this technology, Medallion assists artists in enhancing fan engagement, gaining actionable insights, and maximizing their economic potential.
It's Good
Seed Round in 2023
It's Good is an innovative online platform that specializes in delivering travel, food, and experience recommendations sourced from critics, celebrities, and influencers. The platform is designed to create a trusted system of recommendations, allowing users to discover information about the best places to stay, eat, and drink worldwide. Users can curate, save, and share their favorite recommendations, enhancing their travel and dining experiences. By leveraging insights from notable figures in various fields, It's Good aims to provide a unique and reliable resource for individuals seeking exceptional experiences during their travels.
The Believer Company
Series A in 2023
The Believer Company is a game development studio focused on creating engaging gaming experiences by prioritizing the player. With a diverse team of developers from around the globe, the company has a rich history of crafting various popular titles, including games like Words With Friends and League of Legends. The Believer Company specializes in developing open-world games that are accessible across multiple platforms, allowing players to immerse themselves in entertainment that transcends traditional boundaries.
Zigazoo
Seed Round in 2022
Zigazoo is a social media brand that focuses on providing a safe and creative environment for children, specifically targeting Generation Alpha. Launched in 2020, the Zigazoo app allows kids and families to engage with educational prompts through short videos, fostering healthy online relationships and promoting self-expression. The platform has rapidly gained popularity, becoming the largest social network for this demographic and attracting top-tier creator talent, celebrities, and major brands such as the NBA and Netflix. Zigazoo aims to make screen time healthier and more enriching, empowering millions of children to express their authentic selves while enjoying a positive social media experience. The company has received support from notable investors in the tech and entertainment sectors, further solidifying its position in the market.
Trading.TV
Series A in 2022
Trading.TV is a content-driven financial services company for the next generation of investors. Our mission is to empower anyone to achieve financial freedom by merging entertainment and fintech into a simple, but powerful social experience. The platform enables creators to produce fun, interactive and informative content that investors can easily consume, take part in and act on by trading mentioned assets, from stocks and crypto to NFTs and collectibles – all in one place.
Volley
Series B in 2021
Volley Inc. is a developer of conversational games designed for messaging applications and voice interfaces, focusing on platforms such as smart TVs and devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Founded in 2013 and based in San Francisco, the company creates a diverse array of AI-powered games, including popular titles like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and Song Quiz, as well as interactive stories and podcasts. Through its voice-controlled gaming platform, Volley aims to provide engaging audio entertainment experiences to users, leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance interactivity and user enjoyment.
Pocket FM
Series B in 2021
Pocket FM is an audio series platform that specializes in long-form audio entertainment, offering a diverse range of content across various genres such as fantasy, science fiction, romance, horror, and thriller. The platform is designed to provide a refined listening experience, allowing users to enjoy audio series in English and select Indian languages. Pocket FM facilitates direct communication between listeners and creators, including access to podcasts, enabling a global audience to engage with its extensive library of material. By focusing on broad and entertaining content, Pocket FM caters to a wide range of preferences, enhancing the overall audio experience for its users.
FrontRow
Series A in 2021
FrontRow is an online learning platform based in Bengaluru, India, established in 2020. It focuses on creative arts, hobbies, and sports, providing a space for individuals to pursue their passions. The platform offers a variety of courses in areas such as cricket, music, and comedy, which are taught by celebrities. In addition to instructional content, FrontRow fosters community engagement through regular activities, competitions, and opportunities for peer interaction, allowing learners to practice and showcase their talents.
Cameo
Series C in 2021
Cameo is a marketplace that enables fans to book personalized video shoutouts from a diverse range of talent, including celebrities and influencers. The company aims to create authentic and personalized fan experiences by providing a platform where users can easily connect with their favorite personalities. Customers can browse through thousands of available talents and pay for customized video messages, allowing them to share unique experiences with friends and loved ones.
Epic Games
Venture Round in 2020
Epic Games, Inc. is an American video game and software company founded in 1991 and based in Cary, North Carolina. The company is known for creating and developing immersive games for various platforms, including PCs, consoles, mobile devices, and virtual reality systems. In addition to its game development efforts, Epic Games offers its proprietary game engine technology to other developers, facilitating the creation of high-fidelity interactive experiences. The company also operates a game store that empowers developers to publish quality games and 3D content, thereby fostering a vibrant community of creators and gamers alike. Previously known as Epic MegaGames, Inc., the company rebranded to its current name in March 1999.
Rheo TV
Seed Round in 2020
Rheo TV is a game-streaming platform that aims to make professional game streaming a mainstream career option in India by building an entertainment ecosystem that drives engagement and monetization. Today, India has nearly 200 million active gamers on smartphones. Ubiquitous internet infrastructure and affordable smartphones are leading to the increasing popularity of multiplayer online gaming in India, and Rheo TV is tapping into this phenomenon.
Rheo TV
Seed Round in 2019
Rheo TV is a game-streaming platform that aims to make professional game streaming a mainstream career option in India by building an entertainment ecosystem that drives engagement and monetization. Today, India has nearly 200 million active gamers on smartphones. Ubiquitous internet infrastructure and affordable smartphones are leading to the increasing popularity of multiplayer online gaming in India, and Rheo TV is tapping into this phenomenon.
Cameo
Series B in 2019
Cameo is a marketplace that enables fans to book personalized video shoutouts from a diverse range of talent, including celebrities and influencers. The company aims to create authentic and personalized fan experiences by providing a platform where users can easily connect with their favorite personalities. Customers can browse through thousands of available talents and pay for customized video messages, allowing them to share unique experiences with friends and loved ones.
Pocket FM
Seed Round in 2018
Pocket FM is an audio series platform that specializes in long-form audio entertainment, offering a diverse range of content across various genres such as fantasy, science fiction, romance, horror, and thriller. The platform is designed to provide a refined listening experience, allowing users to enjoy audio series in English and select Indian languages. Pocket FM facilitates direct communication between listeners and creators, including access to podcasts, enabling a global audience to engage with its extensive library of material. By focusing on broad and entertaining content, Pocket FM caters to a wide range of preferences, enhancing the overall audio experience for its users.
Cameo
Series A in 2018
Cameo is a marketplace that enables fans to book personalized video shoutouts from a diverse range of talent, including celebrities and influencers. The company aims to create authentic and personalized fan experiences by providing a platform where users can easily connect with their favorite personalities. Customers can browse through thousands of available talents and pay for customized video messages, allowing them to share unique experiences with friends and loved ones.
Epic Games
Venture Round in 2018
Epic Games, Inc. is an American video game and software company founded in 1991 and based in Cary, North Carolina. The company is known for creating and developing immersive games for various platforms, including PCs, consoles, mobile devices, and virtual reality systems. In addition to its game development efforts, Epic Games offers its proprietary game engine technology to other developers, facilitating the creation of high-fidelity interactive experiences. The company also operates a game store that empowers developers to publish quality games and 3D content, thereby fostering a vibrant community of creators and gamers alike. Previously known as Epic MegaGames, Inc., the company rebranded to its current name in March 1999.
MovieBot
Pre Seed Round in 2017
MovieBot is an innovative platform designed for Gen-Z video creators, allowing them to easily produce interactive 3D movies. It empowers users to transform simple text prompts into animated videos featuring customizable characters and environments. By leveraging advanced augmented reality and mixed-reality technologies, MovieBot synchronizes user experiences across devices, enabling real-time 3D storytelling. The platform aims to inspire creativity among teenagers, providing them with the tools to craft elaborate narratives and visual experiences from the comfort of their own homes.
Vanchu
Series B in 2014
Vanchu is a music gaming company that offers an engaging platform for users to identify songs. Through its software "Guessing King," players listen to random tracks and attempt to guess the song titles, enhancing their musical knowledge and enjoyment. The platform also features a "crazy mode," which increases the difficulty of the guessing game, providing an entertaining challenge for users. By combining music recognition with interactive gameplay, Vanchu aims to create a unique and enjoyable experience for music enthusiasts.
Vanchu
Series A in 2011
Vanchu is a music gaming company that offers an engaging platform for users to identify songs. Through its software "Guessing King," players listen to random tracks and attempt to guess the song titles, enhancing their musical knowledge and enjoyment. The platform also features a "crazy mode," which increases the difficulty of the guessing game, providing an entertaining challenge for users. By combining music recognition with interactive gameplay, Vanchu aims to create a unique and enjoyable experience for music enthusiasts.
Peel
Series B in 2011
Peel is revolutionizing the home entertainment and home control experience by integrating device control and content discovery into one easy-to-navigate universal Peel Smart Remote app and platform, which has 130M-plus registered users globally, generating 10 billion remote commands a month. Peel drives brand engagement and TV tune-in through its True Tune-in™ products, which are used by major TV networks, such as CW, HISTORY, and National Geographic to promote trackable viewership.
RockYou
Series B in 2007
RockYou, Inc. is an interactive media and entertainment company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in in-game video advertising and social gaming. Founded in 2005, RockYou developed a platform that connects premium brands with users through a network of cross-platform video advertisements. The company’s offerings include a diverse portfolio of free-to-play games across various genres and platforms, including Facebook and mobile. RockYou Media amplifies the voices of multicultural millennials by providing brands and publishers with engaging content designed for a diverse audience. However, in February 2019, RockYou filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 in the US Bankruptcy Court, marking a significant shift in its business operations.
Flixster
Series A in 2007
Flixster, Inc. operates an online platform that serves as a social networking site for movie enthusiasts in the United States and Australia. Founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, the platform allows users to create profiles, invite friends, rate movies and actors, and share reviews. It provides access to movie information, showtimes, celebrity news, and video clips, fostering a community where users can engage with one another. With over 50 million registered users and more than 1.5 billion movie ratings, Flixster has gained significant popularity and outperformed other movie sites in total page views. The company also offers advertising services and is a subsidiary of Fandango Media, LLC.
RockYou
Series A in 2007
RockYou, Inc. is an interactive media and entertainment company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in in-game video advertising and social gaming. Founded in 2005, RockYou developed a platform that connects premium brands with users through a network of cross-platform video advertisements. The company’s offerings include a diverse portfolio of free-to-play games across various genres and platforms, including Facebook and mobile. RockYou Media amplifies the voices of multicultural millennials by providing brands and publishers with engaging content designed for a diverse audience. However, in February 2019, RockYou filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 in the US Bankruptcy Court, marking a significant shift in its business operations.
IGN Entertainment
Venture Round in 1999
IGN Entertainment is an online media company specializing in the video game, lifestyle, and entertainment sectors. Founded in 1996 and based in San Francisco, California, the company operates fan-focused information platforms such as IGN.com, 1UP.com, and GameSpy, which are available in over 16 languages. IGN Entertainment also provides technology solutions for online gaming, primarily targeting the 18-34 year old male demographic. In addition to its gaming-related sites, the company owns AskMen.com, a men’s lifestyle website, Vault Network, dedicated to role-playing games, and UGO.com, focused on men's entertainment. With a global presence, IGN Entertainment has additional offices in North America, Europe, and Australia, and currently operates as a subsidiary of Ziff Davis Media Inc.
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