Manhattan Venture Partners
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MVP is a principal investor and advisor focused on the secondary market for private, venture-backed technology companies. It works with investors deploying capital, startups designing liquidity programs, and shareholders seeking liquidity.
Also known as MVP
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Manhattan Venture Partners (MVP) is a New York-oriented private markets firm that invests in and advises on secondary transactions in venture-backed technology companies. The firm describes itself as a principal investor and advisor providing liquidity solutions to private companies and their shareholders, organized around four activities: principal investing through venture funds and co-investment vehicles, liquidity advisory for issuers, agency brokerage for institutional-scale transactions, and an in-house private markets research department.
On the investment side, MVP runs the MVP All-Star Funds, committed-capital vehicles offering diversified exposure to mid-to-late-stage technology companies backed by top-tier venture firms, targeting a one-to-four-year exit horizon and acquiring positions through both primary and secondary purchases. The MVP Opportunity Funds provide single-company, deal-by-deal co-investment exposure and are structured as a Series LLC so that the assets and liabilities of each series are separated; these are offered first to All-Star investors and then to the broader investor network. MVP also operates a wholly owned broker-dealer, allowing it either to invest from its All-Star fund or to act as broker on a shareholder's stock sale depending on the characteristics of the transaction. A firm representative has stated that MVP is registered as both a Registered Investment Adviser and a broker-dealer, that it does not lead funding rounds but participates in them, and that its Form D filings are public.
The firm's website highlights relationships with management and shareholders at companies including Impossible Foods, RapidSOS, Klarna, Epic Games, Patreon, Flexport, Plaid, Cohesity, Discord and Instacart, and publishes research reports, a watchlist and a year-in-review, alongside webinars such as an Outlook 2025 session on artificial intelligence and business.
Business model
MVP combines balance-sheet and fund-based principal investing with fee-based services. It manages venture funds (All-Star) and SPV-style co-investment vehicles (Opportunity Funds), advises private companies on structuring liquidity and secondary programs under a "Secondary as a Service" offering, and brokers institutional-scale blocks of private company stock through a wholly owned broker-dealer. Forum commentary describes the funds as carrying standard 2-and-20 economics and the SPVs as charging an upfront fee plus carry on profits after return of the initial investment, though these fee terms are unverified market commentary rather than company disclosure.
Management fees and carried interest on venture funds and co-investment vehicles, plus brokerage and advisory fees on secondary transactions executed through the firm's broker-dealer.
Traction
Reported assets under management exceed $1 billion, with over $10 billion in secondary transactions administered by the team over more than a decade and advisory work with hundreds of private companies. The firm lists engagement with shareholders and management at companies including Klarna, Epic Games, Flexport, Plaid, Discord, Instacart, Patreon, Cohesity, Impossible Foods and RapidSOS.
Latest developments
The company site promotes an Outlook 2025 webinar on rewiring business for the AI age, alongside its research reports, watchlist and year-in-review publications.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
MVP describes more than $1 billion in assets under management and states that its team has collectively administered over $10 billion of secondary transactions over more than a decade. Industry forum participants characterize it as a recognized participant in the pre-IPO secondary market, while others question whether its structure amounts to an SPV provider rather than a traditional investment manager.
MVP positions its combination of roles — principal investor, issuer advisor and licensed broker — as allowing it to source shares directly from companies and large holders rather than through intermediaries. It cites a research-driven investment process using thousands of data points to assess real-time pricing of private company stock, a team of former startup operators and professionals with experience at Carta and financial advisory and investment banking firms, and single-security (non-commingled) SPVs. Its dual broker and investment-manager role has been criticized by some industry commentators as a potential conflict of interest; the firm responds that it maintains FINRA and SEC compliance and prioritizes fund investors' interests.
Technology
The firm applies a data-driven pricing approach, drawing on thousands of data points to evaluate where the market is pricing private company stock in near real time, supported by an internal private markets research department that publishes reports.
Go-to-market
Direct relationships with company management teams, venture general partners, asset managers, family offices and institutional private-market groups, supported by published research, a watchlist, webinars and an LP portal; the firm also markets co-investment opportunities first to its existing All-Star fund investors before its broader network.
Investors deploying capital into late-stage private technology companies (including ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices for smaller co-investment minimums), private companies designing employee and shareholder liquidity programs, and existing shareholders such as founders, executives and early investors seeking to sell startup stock.
Geography
Positioned in the United States private markets, with forum discussion placing the firm in the U.S. Northeast; investment focus spans technology companies across various stages, sub-sectors and geographies.
History
A firm representative writing in December 2023 referred to MVP as approaching its 10-year anniversary and to its longstanding registration with FINRA and the SEC as both a broker-dealer and a Registered Investment Adviser.
Risks & controversies
The firm's simultaneous roles as broker, fund manager and issuer advisor have drawn conflict-of-interest criticism in public industry forums, alongside claims that it functions primarily as an SPV provider. A firm representative disputed this, stating MVP manages late-stage venture funds as well as SPVs, is registered with FINRA and the SEC, prioritizes fund investors' interests, and publishes both successful and unsuccessful positions. Forum commentary also raises questions about demand for late-stage pre-IPO secondary products.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsMVP promoted an "Outlook 2025" webinar titled "Neural or Nothing: Rewiring Business for the AI Age" on its website.
In a Wall Street Oasis forum thread, a representative of MVP stated that the firm manages late-stage venture funds (MVP All-Star Fund) as well as SPV co-investment vehicles (MVP Opportunity Fund), is registered as both an RIA and a broker-dealer with public Form D filings, does not lead funding rounds but participates in them, and maintains FINRA and SEC compliance regarding conflicts.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- Manhattan Venture Partnersmvp.vc · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Manhattan Venture Partners do?
- Manhattan Venture Partners is a principal investor, advisor and broker-dealer in secondaries for late-stage private tech companies.
- Who are Manhattan Venture Partners's investors?
- Manhattan Venture Partners's investors include Finberg.