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AFSquare

North America, California, United States, Culver City

Description

AFSquare is an investment and management company founded in 2010 by prominent entrepreneur and music industry veteran Troy Carter. Based in Culver City, California, the firm's mission is to identify and invest in companies whose business models are poised to disrupt the status quo, particularly across the technology, media, and entertainment sectors. Leveraging Carter's extensive network and strategic insights from his background managing artists like Lady Gaga and John Legend, AFSquare has positioned itself as an early-stage investor with a keen eye for transformative ventures.

The firm has built a notable portfolio by participating in the early funding rounds of several now-household names. According to Crunchbase, AFSquare has made approximately 20 investments, with a focus on high-growth startups. Key investments include early stakes in ride-sharing giant Uber, music streaming leader Spotify, cloud storage pioneer Dropbox, eyewear disruptor Warby Parker, and fitness platform ClassPass. These investments highlight AFSquare's strategy of backing innovative companies that redefine their respective industries.

While AFSquare operates as an investment vehicle, its approach often combines strategic guidance with capital, reflecting Troy Carter's hands-on philosophy. The firm's activity appears to have been most prominent in the early to mid-2010s, with its last publicly reported investment on Crunchbase dating back to 2017. AFSquare's impact stems from its ability to identify and support groundbreaking companies at their nascent stages, contributing to their growth through both financial backing and strategic mentorship.

Investor Profile

AFSquare has backed more than 44 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 1 rounds, about 2% of its total and boasts 27 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Australia, United Kingdom.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Social Media, Music.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (41%)
  • Series A (25%)
  • Series Unknown (11%)
  • Series B (9%)
  • Angel (7%)
  • Debt Financing (5%)
  • Series E (2%)

Country Focus

  • United States (84%)
  • Australia (5%)
  • United Kingdom (2%)
  • Sweden (2%)
  • Israel (2%)
  • Brazil (2%)
  • Canada (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Social Media
  • Music
  • Mobile
  • E-commerce
  • Enterprise Software
  • Mobile Apps
  • Apps
  • Advertising
  • Saas
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does AFSquare frequently co-invest with?

First Round Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 5
Lowercase Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 5
Start Fund
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
Transmedia Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
AF
North America, California, United States, Culver City
Co-Investments: 11
A-Grade Investments
North America, California, United States, West Hollywood
Co-Investments: 5
SV Angel
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 10
Menlo Ventures
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 6
Accel
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Co-Investments: 3
Tuesday Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 5

Which angels does AFSquare often collaborate with?

MM
North America, Texas, United States, Houston
Shared Deals: 2
PB
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Shared Deals: 3
TC
North America, California, United States, Culver City
Shared Deals: 8
AO
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 4
HP
North America, Washington, United States, Bellevue
Shared Deals: 2
NR
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
GT
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
GO
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Shared Deals: 2
SP
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 3
HV
North America, Michigan, United States, Hancock
Shared Deals: 2

What are some of recent deals done by AFSquare?

Complex Polygon

San Francisco, California, United States

Complex Polygon is a product studio based in San Francisco, California.

AppsMobile AppsSoftware
SeedOct 10, 2014
Amount Raised: $1,700,000
theSkimm

New York, New York, United States

theSkimm is a digital media company, dedicated to succinctly giving women the information they need to make confident decisions.

FashionInformation ServicesMobile AppsNewsPoliticsPublishing
SeedApr 14, 2014
Amount Raised: $1,579,577
Gusto

San Francisco, California, United States

Gusto provides a cloud-based payroll, benefits, and human resource management solution for businesses.

Bookkeeping and PayrollEmployee BenefitsEnterprise SoftwareFinancial ServicesFinTechHuman ResourcesSaaSSoftware
Series AFeb 19, 2014
Amount Raised: $20,000,000
StyleSeat

San Francisco, California, United States

StyleSeat is an online destination that connects beauty and wellness professionals with clients.

BeautyPersonal HealthSocial Media
Series AJan 22, 2014
Amount Raised: $10,200,000
Mindie

San Francisco, California, United States

Mindie is a new way to share life through music video, in seconds.

File SharingMusicVideo
SeedJan 16, 2014
Amount Raised: $1,200,000
Washio

Los Angeles, California, United States

Wash.io is a wash and fold laundry service that picks up dirty laundry, cleans it, and delivers it back to its owners.

Customer ServiceDeliveryLaundry and Dry-cleaningService Industry
SeedJan 14, 2014
Amount Raised: $2,250,000
Misfit Wearables

Redwood City, California, United States

Misfit Wearables develops wearable products with sensor technology for the health and fitness industry.

FitnessHardwareHealth CareSensorWearables
Series BDec 4, 2013
Amount Raised: $15,200,000
Kidaptive

Mountain View, California, United States

Kidaptive is a media and technology company creating entertaining and adaptive content that helps children learn.

Big DataEdTechEducationPersonalization
Series BNov 14, 2013
Amount Raised: $10,100,000
Buddy Technologies

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Buddy helps make every space smarter. We're best known for our smart lighting products (LIFX) and energy monitoring platform (Buddy Ohm).

Energy EfficiencyInternet of ThingsSmart BuildingSmart HomeSoftware
Series AOct 18, 2013
Amount Raised: $2,000,000
Songza

Long Island City, New York, United States

Songza is a music streaming and recommendation service offering curated playlists based on the time of day or a user's mood or activity.

Media and EntertainmentMusicMusic VenuesMusical Instruments
Series UnknownSep 10, 2013
Amount Raised: $4,700,000