Torch Capital, a NYC-based early-stage venture capital firm, closed over $200M in a new fundraise for its Fund II.
Torch is backed by some of the world’s leading founders, operators and institutional investors including:
- Silas Chou (renowned consumer investor behind Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, and Aston Martin F1),
- James Murdoch (Former Chairman & CEO, 21st Century Fox), Bob Pittman (Chairman & CEO, iHeartMedia),
- Bob Hurst (Former Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs and Vice Chairman, Clearview),
- Brynn Putnam (Founder, Mirror),
- Diplo (Grammy award-winning and renowned DJ, producer and artist), and Jenny Fleiss (Co-Founder, Rent the Runway).
Led by veteran entrepreneur and investor Jonathan Keidan, Torch Capital is an early-stage venture firm investing in tech-enabled consumer brands, platforms, and the infrastructure layers that power them. The firm operates at the intersection of consumer and technology, investing in mission-driven companies that are improving accessibility, transparency, and convenience for the end consumer.
Torch’s investment focus is on a company’s ability to create and sustain deep relationships with their consumer, helping founders to identify, nurture, and scale their audience. The team combines their experience in investing, operating, and building brands to partner with entrepreneurs and help grow these companies to their next stage of growth while maintaining trust and loyalty with their customer base.
Torch has already seen this thesis translate into early success across Fund II with notable seed investments including Embed, the next-gen clearing and custody platform, which was recently acquired, and Little Otter, a mental health platform for kids and their families, which recently closed a significant Series A led by Charles River Ventures.
The firm has a track-record of investing early in some of the fastest growing companies across the consumer ecosystem including Ro (Roman), Acorns, Highsnobiety (acquired by Zalando), Tia, Naadam, Rho Banking, Sollis Health, and Lili Bank.
Torch surpassed $400M in AUM to support founders from seed through early-growth.
FinSMEs
30/03/2023