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MARCH 12, 2013

GRP Partners , the Los Angeles venture capital investment firm, said Tuesday morning that it has added former HauteLook CMO Greg Bettinelli as a Partner at the firm. partners hautelook bettinelli executive partner venture capitalBettinelli was Chief Marketing Officer at HauteLook, having taken it form startup to its acquisition by Nordstrom for $270M. Bettinelli also has been involved with startup accelerator MuckerLab. READ MORE>>.

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JULY 11, 2011

Los Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners said today that it has made another investment in the Twitter ecosystem, and has led a $6M, Series A investment in Datasift. GRP was joined by IA Ventures in the investment. Mark Suster, who led the investment for GRP Partners, explained that he is "doubling down" on the Twitter ecosystem via the investment. Suster also led GRP's investment in Ad.ly.

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SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 11, 2012

Speaker: Mark Suster, GRP Partners. Wednesday, October 17, 2012 -- Paley Center For Media. See [link].

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JANUARY 31, 2013

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor GRP Partners has scored an exit at one of its firms this morning, mobile banking and payment provider mFoundry. mFoundry has been founded in 2004, and was venture backed by Apax Partners, Bank of America, GRP Partners, Ignition Partners, Intel Capital, MasterCard, Motorola, NCR, and Paypal, in addition to FIS. Brian McLoughlin of GRP was on mFoundry's board of directors.

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Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

That’s why I’m proud to announce today that HealthDataInsights (founded by Victor Chaltiel), where GRP Partners was a 30% owner, has been acquired for $400 million. My partner & mentor Yves Sisteron ( You can get to know Yves in this YouTube video ) has been active at HDI for years (as has our CFO, Dana Kibler ). At GRP Partners our focus has always been on having a small number of investments in the industries we know well.

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MAY 18, 2011

Los Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners has backed a provider of cloud-based databases, MongoLab , in its Series A funding. MongoLab said it has raised $3M in a Series A funding led by The Foundry Group, and including Baseline Ventures, GRP Partners, Freestyle Capital and Bullet Time Ventures. The lead investor on GRP's investment in MongoLab was not disclosed.

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

Los Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners has just chalked up an IPO for its portfolio, with the IPO this morning of Redwood City-based Qualys. GRP Partners owns 8.3% GRP's investment in Qualys is overseen by Yves Sisteron. qualys cloud security software merger acquisition exit grpvc partnersQualys priced its IPO last night at $12.00 per share, and was slightly up in morning trading.

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DECEMBER 1, 2011

Los Angeles-based GRP Partners is one of the lead investors in a developer of social media analytics software, Awe.sm , Awe.sm has raised $4M in a round which was led by Foundry Group and GRP Partners, and which also included Neu Venture Capital and kps+p Ventures. did not announce who at GRP led the investment. partners software developer sharing analytics media social capital venture awesm

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JUNE 27, 2013

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor GRP Partners announced this morning that it has raised a fourth fund, worth $200M, and also renamed the firm Upfront Ventures. GRP Partners--which has invested in such successes as Overture, CitySearch, BillMeLater, DealerTrack, and others, and is currently an investor in Maker Studios, TrueCar, Burstly, and others--said it decided to change its branding as venture capital has changed.

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DECEMBER 27, 2012

Today, we're featuring Mark Suster , a venture capitalist at GRP Partners , founder of LaunchpadLA , the startup accelerator, not to mention well read blogger and highly watched host of This Week In Venture Capital. The most significant news for GRP Partners in 2012 was the first close of our 4th venture fund. For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community.

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JULY 13, 2009

This morning's interview is with Mark Suster , a venture capitalist at GRP Partners (www.grpvc.com). GRP has just recently closed on a new $200M fund, and Mark has been one of the more active venture capitalists in the Los Angeles area in recent months. It looks like GRP has been making lots of early stage investments lately--can you talk a little bit about your investment preferences and what you are looking at nowadays?

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DECEMBER 22, 2010

Today, we spoke with Mark Suster , a venture capitalist at GRP Partners. year review mark suster partners venture capitalFor the next couple of weeks, we are sharing the opinions of some of the top influencers in Southern California's high tech community. We asked the same five questions of a variety of top technology entrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next two weeks.

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Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

million led by GRP Partners, with participation from Baroda Ventures, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), Daher Capital, Double M Capital, Karlin Ventures, Clark Landry, Andy Rankin, and Launchpad LA. Launchpad LA was founded by prominent VC Mark Suster of GRP Partners in 2009, and invests in each company that is accepted into the program. Over 500 startups applied last quarter to Launchpad LA’s accelerator, but only eight were chosen.

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Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 11, 2013

Mark Suster of GRP Partners and Launchpad was confirmed to keynote along with Nely Galan of Galan Entertainment, the first Latina president of Telemundo. ABC Family, Fox, Universal Music, Google, Facebook, Demand Media, MyLife, Riot Games, DFJ Frontier, Rustic Canyon, GRP Partners, Siemer and Associates, Marketshare, Saatchi Online, OMD, Ignited, Rubicon Project, Smashbox Cosmetics, NFL, UCLA, USC, and dozens of start-ups. Media Partners.

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Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 21, 2013

Funds were contributed by returning investor GRP Partners along with Double M Capitol, Karlin Ventures, LaunchPad LA and Daher Capitol, all local investors. Steven Dietz, Partner at GRP said, “GRP works with entrepreneurs solving important challenges for many people. Business Dev & Design Entrepreneurship Startups Accelerator App ChowNow GRP Partners Karlin Ventures Launchpad LA Online Ordering

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Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

According to sources there are several funds and firms participating in the investment of the startups including, Rincon Ventures , Idealab , Baroda Ventures , GRP Partners , David Cohen , David Tisch , DLA Piper and Stubbs Alderton. Business Development Entrepreneurship Featured Investment News Startup Baroda Ventures Daivd Tisch David Cohen DLA Piper GRP Partners idealab Launchpad LA Rincon Venture Partners Stubbs Alderton VC funding

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Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

According to sources there are several funds and firms participating in the investment of the startups including, Rincon Ventures , Idealab , Baroda Ventures , GRP Partners , David Cohen , David Tisch , DLA Piper and Stubbs Alderton. Business Development Entrepreneurship Featured Investment News Startup Baroda Ventures Daivd Tisch David Cohen DLA Piper GRP Partners idealab Launchpad LA Rincon Venture Partners Stubbs Alderton VC funding

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InfoChachkie

MARCH 28, 2011

I had lunch earlier yesterday with Mark Suster, General Partner at GRP Partners, blogger extraordinaire and overall cool dude. I am writing this entry at 4:00 AM. Mark’s kindness and insights moved me to roll out of bed, fire up. Entrepreneur Launching Venture The Fringe

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socalTECH

MAY 19, 2020

The startup--led by longtime Southern California startup and venture capital veteran Steven Dietz--said the funding was led by Alpha Edison, and also included Lightspeed Venture Partners. Dietz is the former managing partner of GRP Partners (now Upfront Ventures), which he left in 2016. Dietz had been at GRP Partners since 1996.

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NOVEMBER 8, 2012

NuORDER , a developer of e-commerce software for fashion brands and retailers, has scored a round of funding led by GRP Partners, the company said this morning. The Los Angeles software provider said the $3M, Series A financing round was led by GRP Partners, and also included Greycroft Partners, Aileen Lee, David Tisch, Creative Artists Agency, Brian Spaly, Mortimer Singer and Rachel Zoe Inc.

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JUNE 27, 2013

Zappin--who was replaced as CEO of the company in May--has filed suit against Maker Studios, plus co-founders Ben Donovan, Lisa Donovan, and Ynon Kreiz, plus investors Mark Suster (of GRP Partners), Dana Settle (of Greycroft Ventures), Rachel Lam (Time Warner Investments), Michael DiSanto, GRP Partners, Mida Holdings California, and Angula Investors. Danny Zappin, one of the founders of Maker Studios , is not happy with his ouster.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 19, 2011

Mark Suster , the highly visible venture capitalist blogger at GRP Partners, has invested in UK-based TreeHouse , an online, video-focused site for helping users learn web design and development. Suster, in announcing the deal on his blog, did not say if his firm, GRP Partners, participated in the round.

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JANUARY 18, 2013

in a funding round from GRP Partners and Crosscut Ventures. Los Angeles-based Pop Up Pantry , the LaunchpadLA incubated gourmet food delivery startup, is shutting down, according to a report. The report, from PandoDaily, said that the company shut down due to the high costs of delivering food anywhere in the country. The shutdown comes a mere seven months after the firm raised $1.7M READ MORE>>. popup pantry shutdown deadpool food delivery gourmet fresh

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socalTECH

JANUARY 10, 2013

in funding, which was led by GRP Partners, and also included Baroda Ventures , Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments , Daher Capital , Double M Capital , Karlin Ventures , Launchpad LA, as well as angels. Online advertising firm YieldMetrics said Thursday morning that it has raised $1.7M

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NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Los Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners has scored an exit at one of its portfolio firms, Las Vegas-based HealthDataInsights. GRP Partners owned 30% of HealthDataInsights. GRP's investment in HealthDataInsights was overseen by Yves Sisteron. capital venture acquisition merger healthdatainsights partnersHealthDataInsights was acquired by HMS Holdings, in a deal worth $400M; the deal is split between $384M in cash plus $16M in assumed options.

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MAY 24, 2013

more in funding, from GRP Partners and Siemer Ventures. adly celebrity advertising partners venture capital social media twitter Los Angeles-based celebrity advertising firm Ad.ly disclosed Thursday that it has raised $2.0M helps match up celebrities with social media advertisers. CEO Walter Deph says that the company is really focused on driving engagement with brands and leveraging the real-time conversations on social media. READ MORE>>.

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JANUARY 9, 2014

Upfront Ventures was previously known as GRP Partners. Los Angeles-based venture capital investor Upfront Ventures has promoted Jordan Hudson to Principal, the firm said Wednesday. Hudson has previously served at such firms as Fox Filmed Entertainment and GCA Savvian. Upfront said that Hudson will work on deal sourcing, deal screening, deal support, portfolio analysis, and other similar activities. Hudson had previously been an Associate at the firm.

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socalTECH

OCTOBER 27, 2014

Apple''s TestFlight service comes courtesy the acquisition earlier this year of Los Angeles-based Burstly , which was venture backed by GRP Partners, Rincon Venture Partners, SoftBank Capital, and Founder Collective. Apple said late last week that it has expanded access to TestFlight , the app beta testing platform, letting developers invite up to 1,000 testers to beta test their iOS apps.

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JULY 15, 2010

Los Angeles-based venture firm GRP Partners is backing a prepaid card firm, Wave Crest Holdings Limited , based in Gibraltar. in a Series B funding round led by GRP Partners, which also included Park Ventures. As part of the funding, Brian McLoughlin of GRP Partners joins the firm's board of directors. According to Wave Crest today, it raised $8.5M The firm develops prepaid cards and electronic wallet products as well as other related payment products.

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socalTECH

MAY 31, 2012

The round was led by GRP Partners, and also included Michel Daher, a Lebanese entrepreneur. The firm said that Mark Suster of GRP Partners will join the company's board along with the funding. Venice-based Grubwithus , which operates a service which helps connect people in real life with others over meals and food, said this week that it has raised $5M in a Series A funding round.

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JANUARY 9, 2014

ChowNow has previously raised funding from Daher Capital, Double M Partners, GRP Partners, Karlin Ventures and Velos Partners, and was part of LaunchpadLA. Los Angeles-based mobile food ordering startup ChowNow has raised $708,414 as part of a new funding round, according to regulatory filing by the firm this week. Details on the funding have not yet been announced by the company.

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MAY 2, 2012

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor GRP Partners has re-upped its investment in social data analytics firm DataSift , in a Series A follow-on announced this morning. DataSift said that existing investors GRP Partners and IA Ventures invested $7.2M GRP's investment in DataSift is managed by Mark Suster. datasift venture capital partners suster analytics data

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JUNE 11, 2013

ChowNow is venture backed by Daher Capital, Double M Partners, GRP Partners, Karlin Ventures and Velos Partners. Los Angeles-based mobile food ordering startup ChowNow has raised $1.19M more in an ongoing funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm last week. The round is targeted at $2M. Chownow lets users order food via their mobile phone or Facebook. The company is led by Christopher Webb, and was part of the LaunchpadLA incubator.

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AUGUST 3, 2016

Hirschhorn spent time in venture capital at Monitor Ventures and GRP Partners (which is now Upfront Ventures), before he switched over to becoming a startup CEO. Los Angeles-based pet sitting marketplace DogVacay has announced its first, DogVacay Scholarship, a $3500 award which was open to any, entrepreneurial student either entering as a freshman to college in the Fall of 2016, or a student currently enrolled at a university.

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JUNE 11, 2012

One of the portfolio companies of Los Angeles-based venture capital firm GRP Partners has filed for an IPO, according to a filing with the SEC late Friday. GRP Partners owns around 10.94 GRP's Yves Sisteron leads the investment in Qualys, and sits on the company's board. Silicon Valley based enterprise security and compliance software firm Qualys said it is looking to raise up to $100M in its IPO, trading as QYLS.

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MAY 29, 2013

Los Angeles-based social, celebrity advertising startup Adly confirmed the company''s recent $2M funding round today, officially announcing the funding from GRP Partners and Siemer Ventures. Adly, which is led by Walter Delph, develops a social advertising platform which helps harness the power of celebrity to help brands engage with consumers via social media.

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NOVEMBER 30, 2011

The round came from GRP Partners, Rincon Venture Partners, and SoftBank. Los Angeles-based Burstly , the mobile advertising startup headed by Evan Rifkin, has raised $5.5M in a Series B round, according to reports. Rifkin is the former founder of Tagworld. Burstly first opened up its service in October of last year; the firm raised $1.8M in March of 2010. READ MORE>>. burstly venture cpaital advertising mobile android iphone

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APRIL 2, 2013

in a funding round, from GRP Partners, RRE Ventures, SV Angel, Novel TMT Ventures, Matt Coffin , Thomas Mclnerney, and Rachel Zoe. Are you a fashion startup? It looks like Los Angeles has become the hotbed of new fashion and e-commerce startups, with the latest being DailyLook , which disclosed Tuesday that it has raised $2.5M

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JUNE 28, 2013

GumGum is venture backed by NEA, GRP Partners (now Upfront Ventures), First Round Capital and Crosscut Ventures. Los Angeles-based GumGum , which provides an in-image advertising platform for publishers, said Friday that it has added Ryan Schinman, CEO of Platinum Rye Entertainment, to its advisory board. Platinum Rye Entertainment books celebrity talent, models, recording artists, sports figures and other celebrities for ad campaigns and PR events.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2012

The round was led by GRP Partners and Rincon Venture Partners. Santa Barbara-based RingRevenue , which develops call marketing automation technology, said Wednesday that it has raised $3.25M in a funding round. RingCon said the new funding will go towards aggressively expanding sales, marketing, and software development. RingRevenue is headed by Jason Spievak. The firm had disclosed the funding earlier this month via a regulatory filing.

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FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Launchpad LA , the startup accelerator based in Santa Monica, is bolstering its team today, saying it has added Jamie Kantrowitz as an additional partner at the accelerator. The accelerator was founded by Mark Suster of GRP Partners, and recently graduated a class; the firm recently closed its applications for the next class, which starts in March.

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JANUARY 16, 2013

Los Angeles-based venture firm GRP Partners announced Wednesday that it has hired a new, entrepreneur-in-residence for the company, Sam Rosen, who was formerly the founder of SpeakerGram in New York City, was involved in 500Startups in San Francisco, and also has been involved with ScoreBig. According to a blog post by GRP's Mark Suster, Rosen will be relocating to Los Angeles to be involved with helping GRP to review deals, network with entrepreneurs, and work on his next company.

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NOVEMBER 5, 2012

Investors in the round have not yet been announced, however, the firm has raised funding in the past from Great Pacific Capital, GRP Partners, and Rincon Venture Partners. Santa Barbara-based RingRevenue has raised $3.25M in a Series B-2 funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm Monday. The company--which provides call tracking technology for the affiliate marketing industry--said in the filing that the funds would be used for working capital.

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