A*
Venture capitalSan Francisco · Pre-Seed–Series A · 11 people tracked
Also known as A-STAR PARTNERS, LLC
Investment thesis
A* positions itself as an early-stage venture firm aiming to shift away from transactional capital toward meaningful, long-term partnerships with founders. The team draws on experience founding, operating, and investing in prominent technology companies. Its approach centers on three principles: conviction-led investing (committing early and with strong belief), relentlessness that mirrors the drive of the founders it backs, and a founder-centric collaborative style focused on shaping the future together. The firm describes its mission as guiding exceptional founders from the earliest idea stage through to IPO.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 11 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 33 of 63 portfolio companiesEnterprise Software ×14AI & Machine Learning ×12Fintech ×9SaaS ×9Marketplaces ×8E-commerce ×6Consumer ×4B2B Marketplaces ×3
HQs:United States×20Brazil×1Mexico×1
Investments · 63 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAirbnb is an online marketplace that enables people to book and list accommodations for short-term rentals, experiences, and services around the world.
ConsumerMarketplacesTravel & HospitalitySan Francisco, US
Brian Chesky(Founder/CEO)inNathan Blecharczyk(Founder/CTO)inJoe Gebbia(Founder/CPO)in
Apollo provides an AI-powered platform designed for go-to-market teams to improve sales and marketing productivity.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSales TechSan Francisco, US
Tim Zheng(Founder/CEO)inRay Li(Founder)inMatt Curl(Chief Executive Officer)Marcio Arnecke(Chief Marketing Officer)Adam Carr(Chief Revenue Officer)Phil Moon(Chief Financial Officer)
Cape is a privacy-focused cellular service provider that offers secure mobile connectivity designed to protect subscriber data and privacy.
CybersecurityEnterprise Software
John Doyle(CEO)
Carta is a cloud-based ERP platform for private capital markets that manages cap tables, equity administration, fund management, and valuations for startups, private companies, and venture funds globally.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS<UNKNOWN>
Henry Ward(Co-founder)Manu Kumar(Co-founder)Charly Kevers(Chief Financial Officer)Jeff Perry(Chief Revenue Officer)Nick Avery(Chief People Officer)Nicole Baer(Chief Marketing Officer)
Cloudwalk operates autonomous agents for small business owners and individuals—JIM manages payments, credit, storefronts, and daily operations for sellers in Brazil and the US, while Albert provides financial intelligence for Brazilian consumers through connected open finance APIs.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaS
Decagon provides AI agents that enable businesses to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
DoorDash operates a restaurant delivery platform that connects customers with dining establishments across hundreds of cities in North America through a logistics network.
ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechMarketplacesSan Francisco, US
Tony Xu(Founder/CEO)inAndy Fang(Founder)inStanley Tang(Founder)in
Faire operates a digital marketplace connecting independent retailers with wholesale suppliers, enabling small businesses to discover and purchase products for resale.
B2B MarketplacesE-commerceEnterprise SoftwareMarketplacesRetail TechSan Francisco, US
Max Rhodes(Founder/CEO)inMarcelo Cortes(Founder/CTO)inDaniele Perito(Founder)inTerrell Sherman(Executive Officer, Director)Sydney Sherman(Executive Officer, Director)
Flock Safety provides a platform that connects neighborhoods, businesses, and law enforcement to share verified incident information and enable coordinated emergency response based on shared evidence.
AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareGovTechHardwareSaaSAtlanta, US
Gusto provides payroll processing, employee benefits administration, and HR management tools to businesses, offering integrated software alongside support services for these functions.
Enterprise SoftwareHR TechSan Francisco, US
Josh Reeves(Founder/CEO)inEdward Kim(Founder/Empowering Gusto's Engineering Team)inTomer London(Founder/; Empowering Gusto's Product and Design Teams)in
Instacart operates a marketplace connecting grocery retailers with customers who order food and household items for same-day delivery or in-store pickup, serving millions of households across North America through partnerships with over 350 retailers.
ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechSan Francisco, US
Apoorva Mehta(Founder/Chairman & Founding CEO)inBrandon Leonardo(Founder)inMax Mullen(Founder)in
Uber operates a multi-sided platform providing ride-sharing, food delivery, freight logistics, and business fleet management services across various global markets.
Logistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesMobility & TransportationSan Francisco, US
Travis Kalanick(Co-founder & CEO)Garrett Camp(Co-founder)
PayPal is a digital payment platform that enables users to send money, make purchases with buyer protection, and manage international transactions securely.
E-commerceFintechMarketplaces
Joby develops electric aircraft for urban air mobility and air taxi services.
CleantechHardwareMobility & TransportationSanta Cruz, US
Kavak is an e-commerce platform and marketplace that buys, finances, and sells certified pre-owned cars through digital and physical channels across Latin America and Turkey.
E-commerceFintechMarketplacesMexico City, MX
Krea.ai is a creative AI platform that generates, enhances, and edits images, videos, and 3D meshes.
AI & Machine LearningCreator Economy
Trulia is a real estate platform that enables users to browse homes for sale and rental apartments, explore neighborhood insights, and discover communities through resident reviews and local information.
MarketplacesPropTech
Notion offers a workspace platform for teams to manage projects, documentation, and tasks through customizable views like Gantt charts and Kanban boards.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSSan Francisco, US
Opendoor offers instant cash offers for residential properties through real estate agents, allowing sellers to choose between a fast sale or list the home later.
B2B MarketplacesE-commerceMarketplacesPropTechPhoenix, US
Overwatch provides AI-powered threat intelligence monitoring across 300,000+ sources including dark web and social media to detect fraud, phishing, and cyberattacks in real-time for enterprise security and fraud prevention teams.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise Software
San Francisco, US
Evan Sharp(Executive Officer)Mike Yang(Executive Officer)Benjamin Silbermann(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Natalie Fair(Executive Officer)
BoardJeremy Levine(Director)Jeff Jordan(Director)
Sharp Performance delivers mental coaching and resilience training for professionals in high-risk occupations, including law enforcement and military personnel.
Enterprise SoftwareHR TechMental Health
Square is a financial services platform that provides point-of-sale systems, payment processing, payroll management, and cash flow tools for small and medium-sized businesses.
FintechRetail TechSaaSSan Francisco, US
Jack Dorsey(Founder & CEO)Mary Meeker(Director)Amy Brooks(Director)Paul Deighton(Director)Randy Garutti(Director)Lawrence Summers(Director)
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does A* invest at?
- A* invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does A* focus on?
- A* focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is A* located?
- A* is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
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