Culture doesn’t just
influence the world.
It connects us.
We are the VC fund backing and amplifying those bold founders driving our future.
Connect Ventures is founded on the idea that great companies are built by connecting the right founders with the right platforms, people, and pathways to scale. And by helping those companies earn a durable place in daily life.
We invest in consumer and prosumer companies across sports, digital health, media, entertainment, e-commerce, and marketplaces, categories where connection isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the strategy.
We have partnered with the leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to connect and plug founders directly into CAA’s ecosystem of 1,000+ agents, talent, media, IP, partnerships, and sponsorships. Things traditional venture networks simply can’t unlock. We seek to help companies accelerate and achieve breakout velocity.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Consumer obsessed. Culture forward. Tech powered. Founder driven.
We don’t just invest. We connect and amplify.
Investing in next wave entrepreneurs.
Spotting ‘The Greats’
At Connect Ventures, we aim to invest in 'The Greats.' Exceptional founders who have found their founder-product fit and are now rewriting how consumers engage with culture and are building the generational companies of tomorrow.
This is how we think about investing.
Human-career fit is everything.
Product first, brand second, influence third.
Many small markets make a big market.
[ 01 ]
Harnessing technology to build progressive approaches in sports, media, and entertainment.
[ 02 ]
The essential toolkit for musicians to practice, perform, create and collaborate.
[ 03 ]
A platform to play, create, and remix interactive mini-apps instantly.
Journey into the minds of those at the pinnacle of their fields.
The Greats is a newsletter of thought pieces, portfolio company updates, and interviews with the very best in their business.
Between Mike and Nicole, we’ve spent over a quarter of a century in venture, incubating Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs, backing Calm, Character AI, Dapper Labs, Hungryroot, Lighter, Lightyear, Multiverse, OpenSea, Rothy’s, thatgamecompany, and other unicorns.
Nicole spent over a decade at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where she co-led the Consumer team, investing in companies shaping how people live, shop, and connect. She got her training in research at Morgan Stanley, spending a decade advising internet and retail companies through periods of rapid growth. Nicole began her career helping her late father build online pharmaceutical marketplaces in the ‘90s, angel investing in the ‘00s, and starting her own startup in the ‘10s. She holds an MBA from Stanford and a degree in Mathematics and Economics from the University of York.
"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." — Epictetus
Mike spent 15 years at CAA, where he built and led the agency’s consumer investment practice and helped launch Connect Ventures in partnership with NEA. Mike ran the agency’s mobile division, spearheading all apps and games for clients and Caravan, a startup studio where he served as Co-Founder and Board Director. Earlier in his career, he worked at Bridgewater Associates, where he developed a systems-driven approach to investing and decision-making. Blank recently co-authored Decoy Saves Opening Day, a NYT Bestselling children’s book with MLB MVP Shohei Ohtani. He graduated with honors from Yale University with a degree in Economics.
“Remember these two things: play hard and have fun” - Tony Gwynn
Adam has spent his career at CAA and serves as the day-to-day lead for the agency at the fund, while also serving in a senior business development role across the agency. He works with the agency’s most entrepreneurial clients to identify new business opportunities across the consumer, media and technology landscape. He has led the agency’s entry into new areas of business over the years, such as talent ventures and emerging technology. He started out at The Madison Square Garden Company, was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and The Hollywood Reporter’s 35 Rising Executives 35 and Under. Adam graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of UPenn’s Benjamin Franklin Society.
What Would Larry David Do?
Alexa was previously an investor at Halogen Ventures and Maven Ventures, two seed-stage consumer funds, leading media, health and ecommerce investments. Before venture, she built digital and physical products for the NBA, Target, Walgreens, MTV, Fox and Disney. She is the co-host of the weekly venture podcast Swimming with Allocators. Alexa graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford and earned her MBA in Entertainment from UCLA Anderson.
“Clueless was very deep. I think it was deep in the way that it was very light. I think lightness has to come from a very deep place if it's true lightness.” -- Alicia Silverstone
James brings an operator’s perspective to investing, shaped by experiences across sports, consumer brands, and growth-stage companies. Before Connect, he worked in consumer investment banking at Barclays, served as Chief of Staff to the CEO of the Premier Lacrosse League, and held strategy roles at Fanatics and the Oakland Athletics. He earned degrees from UC Berkeley and the University of Michigan, including an MBA from Ross School of Business.
“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us.” -- Phil Knight
Jessica oversees finance at Connect Ventures, bringing over 20 years of experience in venture capital finance and partnership taxation, including a decade at NEA. She ensures strong financial infrastructure, reporting, and operational discipline across the organization. Jessica graduated Summa Cum Laude from Towson University and received her MBA from Loyola University of Maryland.
“Eat dessert first, it’s an appetite suppressant.” - My mom