Fundraising Fox

Carl Sparks

Investor

Managing Partner at Interlock Partners · Board director at ActionIQ · Director at COPART INC

Fort Worth, Texas

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

About

Carl Sparks is a Managing Partner at Interlock. His prior operating roles include CEO of Academic Partnerships, CEO of Travelocity Global, President of Gilt Groupe, and CMO at Expedia, as well as Senior Adviser to Bain Capital's TMT group. He holds a degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Contact· self-published, not guessed

Board director at ActionIQ

Intro paths

→

In turn, Carl can intro founders to ActionIQ's investors below.

ActionIQ's investors · 8

Amplify PartnersMenlo Park · $500K – $5M checksAndreessen HorowitzMenlo Park · $500K – $50M checks · since 2021Bowery CapitalNew York · $1M – $2M checksCisco InvestmentsSan JoseFirstMark CapitalNew York · $500K – $8M checksInterlock PartnersDallas · $1M – $5M checks · since 2019March Capital PartnersSanta Monica · since 2021Sequoia CapitalMenlo Park · $4.4M – $214M checks

Co-founders at ActionIQ

NJ
NITAY JOFFEExecutive Officer, Director
AA
ANASTASIOS ARGYROSExecutive Officer, Director
NJ
Nitay JoffeFounder
TATasso Argyros
Tasso ArgyrosFounder

Director at COPART INC

Intro paths

→

In turn, Carl can intro founders to COPART INC's investors below.

COPART INC's investors · 1

Interlock PartnersDallas · $1M – $5M checks · since 2023

Co-founders at COPART INC

WJ
Willis J. JohnsonDirector

Experience

  1. The RealestBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
  2. Smoothie King (SKFI)Board of Directorscurrent2024 — presentDallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
  3. Waste ConnectionsBoard Member/Executive Committeecurrent2024 — presentCanada
  4. GoodBuy GearBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentBoulder, Colorado, United States
  5. Plex, Inc.Board Membercurrent2022 — present
  6. CopartBoard Membercurrent2021 — presentDallas, Texas, United States
  7. The Nature ConservancyTexas Board of Trustesscurrent2021 — presentDallas, Texas, United States
  8. Interlock PartnersManaging Partnercurrent2020 — presentDallas, Texas, United States
  9. CintBoard Membercurrent2022 — present
  10. Music Audience ExchangeBoard Member2017 — 2025Plano, Texas, United States
  11. ActionIQMember Board of Directors2016 — 2023New York, NY
  12. Lucid, LLCMember Board Of Directors2018 — 2021
  13. Avis Budget GroupBoard Member & Chairman Audit Committee2018 — 2021
  14. CommentSoldBoard Advisor2020 — 2021
  15. Hookset Holdings: Investing and Advising Seed Stage and Series A Stage StartupsFounder, Investor, Adviser2014 — 2021Dallas/Fort Worth Area
  16. Dunkin'​ BrandsMember Board of Directors2013 — 2020
  17. Bain CapitalSenior Advisor2018 — 2019Greater Boston Area
  18. VonageMember Board of Directors2011 — 2018
  19. Academic PartnershipsCEO2016 — 2017Dallas
  20. TravelocityPresident and CEO2011 — 2014Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
  21. Gilt GroupePresident Gilt.com2009 — 2011
  22. ExpediaGeneral Manager Hotels.com2008 — 2009
  23. ExpediaCMO Expedia NA and SVP Marketing Expedia.com2006 — 2007
  24. Expedia Inc, Hotels.comSVP Marketing and Merchandising2004 — 2006
  25. Capital OneVP Direct Programs and Brand2002 — 2004
  26. living.comVP Business Development1999 — 2000
  27. DiageoVP Marketing and Business Development Guinness Americas1997 — 1999
  28. PepsiCoManager Corporate Planning1996 — 1997
  29. Boston Consulting GroupCase Team Leader/Consultant1992 — 1996
  30. LEKAssociate1989 — 1991

Skills & more

Strategy87Strategic Planning30Leadership4E-commerce99SEM57Database Marketing10SEO37Web Marketing8Business Development58Brand Architecture6Advertising26Consumer Marketing7
+12 moreStrategic AlliancesOnline AdvertisingStrategic PartnershipsAnalyticsStart-upsOutcome focusedCEOsBoard of Director experienceTurnaround ExperienceMarketingOperations ManagementConsumer Goods

From Carl's professional profile.

Deals · 6

COPART INCBoard seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Oct 2023 · $108M raise

Music Audience ExchangeBoard seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Oct 2022 · $5M raise

HootsuiteBoard seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Apr 2022 · $3.3M raise

PlexBoard seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Feb 2022 · $20.7M raise

ActionIQBoard seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Dec 2019 · $32.4M raise

TreeHouse, Inc.Board seat

via Interlock Partners · filed Jul 2018 · $15.7M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Other disclosed investments

Board seats

Cint ABCopartWaste Connections

Sources: SEC Form D filings · the firm's website.

Colleagues at Interlock Partners

Cameron Llewellyn
Investor at Factorial Funds
Courtney Line
Operations at Interlock Partners
Harry Hawks
Venture Partner at Interlock Partners
Jason Story
General Partner at Interlock Partners
Jeff Williams
Managing Partner at Interlock Partners
Riley Friedenberg
Associate at Interlock Partners

Network8

Bradley HorowitzScout
Investor at Wisdom Ventures
Clara SiegScout
Operating Partner, Revolution Ventures at Revolution
David FragaScout
Partner at Civeta Investment
Irene AuScout
Angel at Khosla Ventures
Jason FingerScout
Managing Partner at Upper90
Jason Story
General Partner at Interlock Partners
Kirk Holland
Managing Partner at Access Venture Partners
Riley Friedenberg
Associate at Interlock Partners

Investors connected to Carl in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Carl Sparks?
Carl Sparks is a Managing Partner at Interlock. His prior operating roles include CEO of Academic Partnerships, CEO of Travelocity Global, President of Gilt Groupe, and CMO at Expedia, as well as Senior Adviser to Bain Capital's TMT group. He holds a degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Where does Carl Sparks work?
Carl Sparks is Managing Partner at Interlock Partners and Board director at ActionIQ.
What check size does Carl Sparks write?
Carl Sparks typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
What boards does Carl Sparks sit on?
Carl Sparks holds tracked board seats at ActionIQ, Cint AB, Copart, COPART INC, Hootsuite, Music Audience Exchange, Plex, Plex, TreeHouse, Inc., Waste Connections.
Where did Carl Sparks go to school?
Carl Sparks studied at Harvard Business School (MBA); Princeton University (BSE, Mech & Aerospace Engineering); Morristown High.

Founder mafias

Harvard Business School mafia323

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Mike Maples JrMBAFounded Pattern BreakersHristo BorisovOPM Class 64Founded PayhawkNoubar AfeyanVisiting LecturerFounded ProFound Therapeutics +12Wade MyersMBAFounded RealManage +5Harry GrunerFounded Hilos +2Ellen RubinMBAFounded ClearSky Data +2

+ 316 more

Princeton University mafia160

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ryan SheaBSEFounded StacksDario AmodeiPhDFounded AnthropicFei-Fei LiBachelor of Arts - BAFounded World LabsChristian SchadeBachelor of Arts - BAFounded Halda Therapeutics +2Emin Gun SirerB.S.E.Founded Avalanche +2Luke EvninBachelor’s DegreeFounded Mpmcapital +1

+ 153 more

Capital One mafia21

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Phil FasanoSr. VP & Chief Business Information OfficerFounded Recuro Health +1Naveen QureshiIntent Owner and Senior Process ManagerFounded Rapidfolio +1Dhruv GuptaSoftware Engineering InternFounded Drumkit +1Austin HayMarketing Product AdvisorFounded ClarifyArjun BasuSr. Portfolio ManagerFounded mydalaStan JacotGroup Manager, Brand MarketingFounded Arcadia Biosciences

+ 14 more

Nature mafia5

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Steve SinghDirectorFounded SpotnanaSoraya DarabiMember Board of TrusteesFounded FoodspottingBenjamin BoyerCalifornia Leadership CouncilFounded Honor PetWeeks MensahEntrepreneur in Residence (EIR)Founded Nophin

ActionIQ mafia4

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Sunil DhaliwalInvestorFounded SuplariCharles BaiEngineering & ProductFounded PacesCharlie HoltzForward Deployed EngineerFounded Conductor

Same school

Also attended Harvard Business School2,000

Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner PerkinsNeeraj AgrawalGeneral Partner at Battery VenturesHristo BorisovCo-founder & CEO of Payhawk

+ 1,994 more

Also attended Princeton University582

Fabrice GrindaCo-founder & Managing Partner at FJ LabsRyan SheaCo-founder of Blockstack (Stacks)Dario AmodeiCo-founder & CEO of AnthropicFei-Fei LiCo-founder & CEO of World Labs; Sequoia Professor of Computer Science at StanfordAndrewAdvisor at Clear VenturesChristal NgAssociate at Golden Gate Ventures

+ 576 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Lucid, LLC1

Walton ComerCo-Founder, Board Director at XBTO

Also worked at Academic Partnerships1

Nikitas KoutoupesManaging Director at Insight Partners

Also worked at Capital One164

Joey ShinInvestment Analyst at Pantera CapitalNigel MorrisCo-Founder and Managing Partner of QED InvestorsFrank RotmanCo-Founder and Partner Emeritus at QED InvestorsBill CilluffoPartner at QED InvestorsAustin HayInvestor at Khosla VenturesMatt RisleyPartner Emeritus at QED Investors

+ 158 more

Also worked at PepsiCo61

Mark TowfiqVenture Partner at Copper Sky CapitalDaniel MurrayVenture Partner at Calibrate VenturesHarry HuiCo-founder of ClearVue Partners at CVP NoLimitAnna FarberovVenture Partner at TAU VenturesMarie-Christine LevetFounding Partner at EducapitalRuth Foxe BladerInvestor at Citrine Venture

+ 55 more