
FJ Labs
Description
FJ Labs is a prominent New York-based venture capital firm co-founded by seasoned entrepreneurs Fabrice Grinda and Jose Marin. The firm distinguishes itself through its stage-agnostic investment approach, primarily targeting marketplace and consumer-facing startups. Leveraging their extensive operational experience, Grinda and Marin, who have built and exited multiple companies themselves (e.g., Grinda co-founded Aucland and OLX), bring a unique founder-centric perspective to their investment decisions. This deep understanding of entrepreneurial challenges and growth strategies underpins their value proposition to portfolio companies.
The firm's investment strategy is highly flexible, accommodating companies from the earliest seed stages through to growth rounds. FJ Labs typically deploys initial checks ranging from $50,000 for nascent ventures to over $5,000,000 for more mature, scaling businesses. Beyond capital, FJ Labs is known for its hands-on involvement, providing strategic guidance, operational support, and access to a vast network of industry contacts. Their portfolio spans a diverse array of sectors within the marketplace and consumer tech landscape, reflecting their broad expertise and global reach.
With a robust track record, FJ Labs has built an impressive portfolio that includes investments in over 700 companies worldwide, many of which have achieved significant scale and successful exits. Notable investments include stakes in companies like Alibaba, Coupang, Delivery Hero, and The RealReal, underscoring their ability to identify and back future market leaders. The firm continues to actively invest, having recently raised FJ Labs IV, a $200 million fund in 2021, further solidifying its capacity to support ambitious entrepreneurs globally. Their consistent focus on disruptive marketplace models and consumer innovation positions them as a key player in the venture capital ecosystem.
Investor Profile
FJ Labs has backed more than 1,564 startups, with 156 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 54 rounds, about 3% of its total and boasts 95 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Brazil.
- Strong thematic focus on E-Commerce, Software, Financial Services.
- Led 2 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $50K – $5M.
Stage Focus
- Seed (34%)
- Series A (24%)
- Series B (11%)
- Pre Seed (11%)
- Series Unknown (6%)
- Convertible Note (5%)
- Series C (4%)
- Series D (1%)
- Secondary Market (1%)
- Series E (1%)
Country Focus
- United States (50%)
- United Kingdom (7%)
- Brazil (6%)
- France (5%)
- Canada (4%)
- Germany (4%)
- Spain (4%)
- Mexico (3%)
- Colombia (2%)
- India (2%)
Industry Focus
- E-commerce
- Software
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Marketplace
- Information Technology
- Internet
- Saas
- Health Care
- Mobile Apps
Frequently Asked Questions
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