LightShed Ventures pledges $75M in startup investments

NEW YORK – LightShed Ventures ("LightShed"), a new technology, media and telecommunications ("TMT") venture investment firm, today announced the launch and initial close of capital of LightShed Ventures Fund I.

LightShed Ventures Fund I will invest $75 million principally in the Seed and Series A rounds of category-defining private companies across the entire TMT ecosystem. LightShed will be opportunistic in evaluating later private company rounds that fit tightly within its investment theses.

LightShed Ventures was co-founded by General Partners Richard Greenfield, Walter Piecyk, Brandon Ross and Jamie Roberts Seltzer. Greenfield, Piecyk and Ross have worked together for 15+ years as research analysts and thought leaders. They launched LightShed Partners in 2019, which has quickly become the preeminent TMT research firm for institutional investors. Seltzer brings a decade of private investment and entrepreneurial experience to the firm.

"LightShed Partners will serve as the foundation for what we do at LightShed Ventures. Our unique, thematic research remains our life blood. The principles behind our research will underpin our investments. But the research itself is just the start of our flywheel. Everyone knows we have one of the biggest megaphones in TMT to amplify our ideas and strengthen our brand and mindshare," said Richard Greenfield, LightShed Ventures General Partner.

LightShed Partners has differentiated itself with a deep focus on disruptive private companies, a high level of engagement with the industry on Twitter, its weekly podcast - The LightShed Podcast and its interview series - LightShed Live. "We have been planning this obvious evolution since before we started LightShed Partners," said Walter Piecyk, LightShed Ventures General Partner. "We have spent much of our time understanding upstart industry disruptors and have been active angel investors."

LightShed Ventures will be uniquely helpful to the entrepreneurs in which it invests. "We will continue to shine a light on emerging private companies to industry executives and potential investors through our broad media presence. Additionally, we will leverage our expansive network to help founders accelerate their business objectives and facilitate exits," said Brandon Ross, LightShed Ventures General Partner.

The LightShed Ventures Limited Partners include one significant institutional investor and an incredible group of prominent media, telecom, tech, sports, entertainment, music and financial executives.

LightShed Ventures has already completed four investments, prior to its first close. These include Podchaser, Slipstream, Antenna Analytics, and an unannounced investment in the creator space.

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