latif_peracha.png

Latif manages the overall investing strategy for the firm and has led numerous deals across money and health verticals with a large focus on web3. He was previously the managing director at Virgin Group where he led investing in the Americas including investments in Ring (acq. by AMZN), Slack (NYSE: WORK), Virgin Galactic (NYSE: SPCE), and Virgin Orbit (NASDAQ: VORB).

Latif Peracha

Partner

As M13’s general partner, Latif manages the investing strategy for the firm and has led numerous deals across money, health, and web3 verticals. He was previously a managing...

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Latif Peracha | M13

Here are the tectonic shifts we’re paying attention to in the tech market—and how our investing philosophy fits in.

Letter to Investor

2023 Mid-Year Letter to Investors

From the macroeconomic landscape to AI and blockchain, here are the tectonic shifts we’re paying attention to in the tech market—and how our VC investing philosophy fits in.

M13's 2023 Mid-Year Letter to Investors

M13 Team

At M13, support for our founders goes much deeper than writing that initial check. Virtually every VC with a platform team helps portfolio companies with basic recruiting and network introductions, but we’ve built something deeper: a proactive, operator-powered system with expert partners that help our early-stage founding teams drive success. We call this system Propulsion. <br><br>
“Propulsion is a fundamentally different model from virtually every other venture platform I’ve seen,” says M13 Partner Rob Smith, a former founder himself. “It’s a new model for holistic startup support.” <br><br>
Our research (as cited in [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/17/want-to-double-your-rate-of-return-seek-counsel-from-experienced-executives/ "Want to double your rate of return? Seek counsel from experienced executives")) has found companies with more executive experience require 33% fewer years and 34% less capital to exit—resulting in an 81% greater IRR for investors. But even the most seasoned founders have expertise gaps, and stretched resources at the early stage means they don’t always have the time or money to fill these gaps on their own. M13 helps provide an expertise advantage, filling in executive experience gaps for early-stage companies as they scale. <br><br>
<ImagePanel src1="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/5iPUsdGCPIq33OfhLO91Hl/fc95d3c1e76e9bcc58bbbd2fde977a51/flexspace_karl.png" alt1="M13 Partner Karl Alomar sits at a table with the Flexspace founding team at the M13 Office" caption1="Flexspace founders with M13 Partner Karl Alomar" src2="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/6nWSzCtQviLcH2oXhraVs7/04acea33ee1265eb4d23caf37d68cf38/Pietra-M13-team_horizontal.png" alt2="Pietra founding team standing in front of the M13 sign at the M13 office with M13 Partner & Co-founder Carter Reum, Partner Brent Murri, and investor Morgan Blumberg" caption2="Pietra founding team with M13 investor Morgan Blumberg, M13 Partner & Co-founder Carter Reum, and M13 Partner Brent Murri" /><br><br>
Propulsion offerings start with productized resources with demonstrated success that we refine and improve with each use. They also include longer deep-dive projects. By applying what we learn from helping one company to how we help others, we can punch above our weight in terms of the impactful support we can offer our founding teams. <br><br>
“Platform doesn't work if it isn’t structured or delivered correctly,” says M13 Partner Karl Alomar. “That’s why we’ve honed in on building repeatable processes and resources—like M13 Labs and M13 Portfolio Portal—to make Propulsion truly effective at scale. By being process-oriented and proactive about helping our portfolio companies, we can offer much more impactful support.” 
<PullQuote author="–M13 portfolio company founding team on the Propulsion impact on sales" text="We are winning deals because of our Propulsion resources." />
<MenuAnchor id="wherepropulsioncanfillinthegaps" text="Filling in the gaps"/>
## Where Propulsion can fill in the gaps 
All of our M13 partners have deep operating backgrounds, and many have been founders themselves. We also have experience helping startups navigate myriad crises (e.g., financial corrections, PR crises, the Covid-19 pandemic) to help them reach successful outcomes and exits in any environment. <br><br>
In a traditional partner-centric venture model, an investing partner works individually with multiple founders in the portfolio. In our founder-centric model, our founders have access to multiple M13 partners, depending on their operational expertise needs at a given time.
<ImagePanel src1="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/7KvV8CWiaYahyWijG06upf/40b2f5074e3c92dd652a70cfac97e39f/m13_website_approach_page_graphics_traditional_partner_centric_model.png" alt1="Traditional partner-centric model" src2="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/1NwbKl4x6ugtbJzZ9rf8k3/d69ff648069be17864d627f586f7c71c/m13_website_approach_page_graphics_m13_founder_centric_model.png" alt2="Founder-centric model" />
We help founders identify where they need this expertise as early as the due diligence process, where we highlight gaps in the business that may keep them from reaching their next milestone. Some areas where Propulsion assists our founders include: <br><br>
__Product__ — Helping founding teams strategically plan, build, and deploy their product offerings to ensure they find product-market fit as quickly as possible and build sustainable best practices as they grow.<br><br>
__Fundraising__ — Helping teams prepare for successful fundraising by identifying what milestones they need to hit prior to their next raise; advising on successful storytelling for an investor audience. <br><br>
__Growth & business development__ — Helping teams craft a strong go-to-market strategy; tactically leveraging the M13 network of BD and sales leaders to make strategic introductions and fill the top of the funnel with qualified leads. <br><br>
__Talent__ — Helping teams with hiring, managing, and org planning; pairing teams with resources for executive recruiting, applicant tracking, and external search firms; offering training modules to strengthen team leadership and communication. <br><br>
__Brand, content, and PR__ — Helping teams develop their brands and strengthen their brand storytelling, visual design, and content strategy; preparing companies to create newsworthy thought leadership and build media relationships.<br><br>
__Data__ — Helping founders identify where their most useful data is located, build out quality data stacks, and conduct data analyses that help them improve their metrics (e.g., raising customer lifetime value, lowering customer acquisition costs, building a more targeted UX geared toward their most valuable users).<br><br>
__Operations__ — Helping founding teams identify and work toward their most impactful milestones (e.g., fundraising, product launches, key hires) and make decisions across legal, finance, and org management. <br><br>
<ImagePanel src1="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/6f52aTZZqOSOcV4STpiVkh/fd17ffa5ad8e861da3fff4f5e3a4d332/m13_propulsion_talent.png" alt1="M13 Propulsion team standing in front of a branded backdrop at the M13 x Mantis closeout event at LA Tech Week" caption1="M13 Partners Lizzie Francis, Rob Smith, and Win Chevapravatdumrong with the Propulsion team at an M13 x Mantis LA Tech Week event"
src2="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3JRKteleCctK6Emb7Z5ZTk/e73d1f53a6a052ceb88b9a8dad673319/visor_rob.png" alt2="Visor founding team with M13 Partner & Head of Data Rob Olson at the M13 office" caption2="Visor founding team with M13 Partner & Head of Data Rob Olson" />
<MenuAnchor id="repeatablescalablepowerfulportfolioportal&m13labs" text="Portfolio Portal & Labs"/>
## Repeatable, scalable, powerful: Portfolio Portal & M13 Labs 
Having a repeatable high-growth tech playbook is vital for M13 to scale our support of a growing portfolio. Propulsion drives value across the entire portfolio, from lighter touch products (e.g., templates, best practices resources) to more bespoke support (specific deep-dive projects). <br><br>
One resource available to all of our portfolio companies is our new __M13 Portfolio Portal__, launched just last month. In our first month we've fielded over a dozen portfolio company pipeline requests, making targeted and personal introduction requests for our portfolio.<br><br>
The Portfolio Portal allows our portfolio members to:
<DotBullet highlight="" text="Search across the M13 collective network and request introductions" />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="Share their target customer pipeline, which M13’s BD/Sales function can run against our network in order to strategically facilitate introductions" />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="View vetted Preferred Partners across key areas like talent, product, brand, and growth and take advantage of 150+ exclusive vendor deals " />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="Connect with other portfolio companies" />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="Access in-depth founder resource content" />
<PullQuote author="—M13 Portfolio Portal user" text="This is amazing—exactly what we have needed. To be able to scan the M13 network against our key target accounts is so useful." />
This year, we also launched __M13 Labs__, which allow our team to efficiently identify a company’s strengths and opportunity areas across product, brand, data, and more. Through Labs projects, we dive into a company’s products and processes to highlight the most impactful areas for improvement. <br><br>
Labs is a quick, repeatable, and productized process where learnings from one company can be applied to others. It’s also a benchmarking tool that allows founding teams to see how they compare against their top competitors (and over time, against their former selves as they grow). And Labs aren’t only for our current portfolio companies; we also use them in our Phase One due diligence process to help us make better decisions as investors. <br><br>
<ImageSingle src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3j6nY1A8JUxbihetsMSl9e/be0b7a8c06ac7ea85045c55cae767d43/06-10-21_Zoom_Coaching_Series_Jerry_Colonna_1__1_.png" alt="Screenshot of a Zoom coaching session with M13 founders" caption="M13 founders chat with certified professional coach Jerry Colonna during our virtual coaching series (2020)" />
<MenuAnchor id="thephasetwothesis" text="The 'Phase Two' thesis"/>
## The 'Phase Two' thesis 
We believe good investing happens across three phases:<br><br>
<ul>
  <p><b>1. Creating the portfolio</b> — Selecting the right businesses and the right founding teams to support.</p>
  <p><b>2. Managing the portfolio</b> — Driving growth, strategy, performance, and outcomes at portfolio companies.</p>
 <p><b>3. Monetizing the portfolio</b> — Realizing the value of portfolio companies to return money to investors.</p>
</ul>
At M13, we recognize that this second stage is incredibly important. Rather than making an investment and then sitting and waiting, we seek to truly shift outcomes for our portfolio and drive maximal value by meaningfully engaging at the second stage. <br><br>
We see the core drivers that help companies become successful—product, data, talent, finance, brand, go-to-market strategy—as levers that founding teams can pull to create stronger companies. Our goal is to help companies operate more efficiently, grow faster, and exit more successfully. M13’s Propulsion engine and team helps founding teams achieve the critical milestones, gain the actionable insights, and make the invaluable connections necessary to accomplish this.<br><br>
<ImagePanel src1="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/4H0kZMchNjGO05FT67W0kc/d04afd105a8a965b0764fb7ff415d5e0/Form-christine.png" alt1="M13 Partner & Head of Brand Christine Choi with FORM Founder & CEO Evan Richardson at the M13 office" caption1="M13 Partner & Head of Brand Christine Choi with FORM Founder & CEO Evan Richardson" src2="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/6fnUjiZ6SVikdGLl1Acxjl/d63b54580327b1fecf7061a550a524a6/weecare_anna.png" alt2="WeeCare CEO Jessica Chang with M13 Partner Anna Barber sitting on a couch at the M13 LA office" caption2="WeeCare CEO Jessica Chang with M13 Partner Anna Barber" />
<hr style="border-top: 2px dotted #bbb;">
<h6>Read more:</h6>
<ul>
  <li><a href="https://m13.co/guide/the-ultimate-go-to-market-guide-for-startups" target="_blank">The Ultimate Go-to-Market Guide for Startups</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://m13.co/guide/build-optimize-startup-growth-model" target="_blank">How to Build and Optimize Your Startup’s Growth Model</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://m13.co/guide/the-essential-guide-to-brand-communications" target="_blank">The Essential Guide to Brand Communications</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://m13.co/guide/practical-guide-to-finding-product-market-fit" target="_blank">A Founder’s Practical Guide to Finding Product-Market Fit</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://m13.co/guide/creating-a-data-strategy-to-drive-better-decision-making" target="_blank">Creating a Data Strategy to Drive Better Decision-Making
</a></li>
</ul>

Our Propulsion model helps founders execute faster and with less capital towards better outcomes.

2023 Partner Predictions -Header

Propulsion, Not Just Platform: M13’s System to Help Founders Build Better Businesses

Our version of VC platform, Propulsion, increases startup viability and success rate—so we can have an oversized impact on fund performance. Here’s how it works.

2023 Partner Predictions SEO

How We Built a Repeatable, Process-Driven Model to Support Founders

2023 Partner Predictions-Thumbnail

Today, Built In announced that M13 was honored in its 2023 Best Places To Work Awards, ranking on lists for both Los Angeles and New York City.<br><br>
At M13, we believe that we’re brighter together—and that our people are at the center of our success.<br><br>
“Many VC firms don’t focus on culture in the way we do at M13, and so it’s fairly unique for a VC to be recognized for that,” says Matt Hoffman, M13 Partner and Head of Talent. “We credit much of our success in this area to the operating experience our partners bring to the team, where we’ve learned the value of a strong developmental mindset in driving performance.” <br><br>
M13 Partner and Head of Brand Christine Choi adds: “From the start, Carter and Courtney conceived of M13 as a different kind of venture. We designed a firm that prioritized helping our founders with our expertise and an understanding of what they’re going through. This human-centric approach to business is similarly expressed with our own team.”<br><br>
In turn, our strong culture propels our strategic vision. “Nobody wakes up at M13 not wanting to achieve great things,” says Carter Reum, M13 Co-founder and Partner. “We want to create a new innovative model that is talked about for decades to come.”<br><br>
We asked the team to weigh in on what makes M13 a great place to work, from their favorite parts of M13 culture to how they feel supported in life beyond the office. Read on to see what they had to say.<br><br>
## What makes M13 special?
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/christine-choi" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/45KefwlrENbFna37H3xEz9/1c8929aaea0498af0a3bc51943844cdd/m13_team_profilesChristine.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13’s LA headquarters and NY office are designed for gatherings, connection, and inspiration as much as they are for heads-down work. The play and joy in our staff retreats nourish bonds that make remote collaboration so much better. And every day we learn from our colleagues, whether they graduated from college two or 20 years ago. <b>That learning mindset keeps us evolving and experimenting in times of change and uncertainty.</b> It’s always about the people, and we are very proud to nurture a culture that attracts the best.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Christine, Partner & Head of Brand</p>          </td></div>
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/carter-reum" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/xSYUPy6R3wv0x7KfUqsfu/facf23e2060343a6c4c310d93fe189fc/m13_team_profilesCarter.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13 has a culture of appreciating all the contributions of all our various team members on a daily and weekly basis. <b>Everyone works hard and has high bars of excellence, yet the firm’s culture is one that causes people to pause and express gratitude to others along the way.</b>”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Carter, Co-founder & Partner</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/michael-martin" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/6vVm5IHsXEmxJH9cUPUN4S/9699b3d99e2c26784cd7993e3bb2a15d/m13_team_profilesMichael.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13’s commitment to excellence through inclusive decision-making is an approach that is foundational to our culture. Our partners work hand-in-glove with their teams to ensure that the projects we pursue are valuable to the firm, while also being aligned with what each side sees as core challenges to be solved.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Michael, Community</p>          
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## How is M13 different from other places you’ve worked? 
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/melissa-van-kluyve" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/1pyjXbKDM8DnCsrZbST83F/c442e25858a2c82433beb5d13d50b906/m13_team_profilesMelissa.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“People at M13 are allowed—and in fact encouraged!—to experiment. We are always looking for better ways to work, collaborate, and provide value to our startup founders. It’s a great place to try throwing different things at the wall to see what sticks.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Melissa, Propulsion</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/sarah-tomolonius" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2rwm8gbdCt2gb4kvLQ8vs0/0e3e14a7b91dfd894e8cad31df1dfe57/m13_team_profilesSarah-T.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“<b>Firms often tout their 'smart, collegial culture,' but M13 truly is a place where teamwork is the most important cultural quality</b>. Without any hesitation, M13 facilitates a culture in which a rising tide lifts all boats."
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Sarah, Investor Relations</p>          
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<div class="container-fluid">
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/andrew-grone" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2GH9iKJfpveKbmADYSZXBN/ced8e463faa24b8d9de4a6e0a9a18299/m13_team_profilesAndrew.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“The humans! Not just the quality of our team, but the diverse backgrounds and experiences that each contribute to making M13 what it is.”
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Andrew, Launchpad</p>          
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## How does M13 support your life beyond the office? 
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/generra-rodriguez" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3HOv9KdBe4CcA1EzlOybGw/b7cc9c663d0b80d1289cbd9a40c14567/m13_team_profilesGenerra.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13 has supported me beyond the office during the most difficult time in my life. <b>M13 has given me the space to spend time with my family when I needed to and return to work at a pace that was conducive to my healing journey.</b> The firm remains very human in their approach to ensuring all team members feel respected, supported, and truly cared for in and out of the office.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Generra, Brand</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/lizzie-francis" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3UIFEH0qAq5NqVgd6Eczzf/3bc7da87bdaa1a61f8ae01f3dbcdc976/m13_team_profilesLizzie.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“<b>During the pandemic, M13 came together to ensure each of us, and our families, were supported in every way.</b> With great intention and planning, the firm’s Mission Control team created a cadence of virtual events, check-ins, and programming, centered around our core value of Community, to ensure we were connected, collaborative, and #brightertogether. Partners, children, pets—all were welcome. This human approach to life during an unprecedented moment in time embodies the generosity of spirit and caring that is a hallmark of our firm, and it continues to this day.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Lizzie, Partner & Head of Operations</p>          
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## What makes you feel engaged at M13? 
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/mark-grace" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/4NxiUvqP6u4qU0vNGutaA6/f3776497d077e63aa6514022e08ebda6/m13_team_profilesMark.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“<b>It's easy to feel engaged when you're working in an environment where intellectual curiosity is valued.</b> The group collectively puts a lot of time and effort into understanding future trends.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Mark, Investing</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/michael-perez"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/5AcnH8zy5ZszSPSViExzS9/6c5de7c54a7fec441e2753eeaddb471b/m13_team_profilesMike.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13’s culture of gratitude motivates me to do my best work. Whether one-on-one, in Slack, or in all-hands team meetings, gratitudes are common, and they energize everyone to give their best while enjoying the ride.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Michael, Data</p>          
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<div class="container-fluid">
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/loren-boyce"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3HwGoshPddvQ8oNWgXFZ15/2c3d87d05e0f21c4c2819a07547d4a5d/m13_team_profilesLoren.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“Everyone here brings energy and enthusiasm to their work, and it’s exciting to see everyone leverage their experience and knowledge to support each other and our founders and their teams. <b>Our common love for founders and the journeys they are on keeps me engaged and inspired.</b>”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Loren, Talent</p>          
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  </div><br><br>
<div class="container-fluid">
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/adam-domian"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3Zx5LVMMbcV45F3eyGn7j1/b4619020805ceabe04d6395d9e3ebec6/m13_team_profilesAdam.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“Venture as an industry is fast moving, and M13 as a firm is very responsive to the changes occuring to the markets, to the consumer, and to technology. I find our work at M13 to be very engaging because we get to help drive these changes through our investment decisions, as well as our hands-on work with our portfolio companies.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Adam, Entrepreneur-in-Residence</p>          
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<div class="container-fluid">
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/samantha-hughes"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2zK7Tib7MS8CkfjRuzELWd/a41fdc4fa86c4d2fbdd8a87b747e7fef/m13_team_profilesSamantha.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“I’m given the room and the support to tackle really challenging problems. <b>I’ve grown twice as much in my five months at M13 than I did in 2 years at my previous position</b>, because I am trusted and encouraged to learn by doing.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Samantha, Community</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/carly-lucas"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/01lmVakdWnqXJBqiteqmvE/3b903ae402587efa9d7660ef9d8d8232/m13_team_profilesCarly.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“M13’s first annual Brighter Together Week in 2022 was a true embodiment of our commitment to fostering community both internally and externally. This week of events brought together our community members from all different backgrounds and provided the unique opportunity for direct connections between the M13 team, founders, and investors. The success of this week would not have been possible without the support of the entire M13 team’s collaborative efforts in the months leading up to the event.”
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Carly, Brand</p>          
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## What is the best part of working at M13?
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      <div class="row">
        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/sarah-levine"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/BpR3JMMUU7erJSvPB64fI/75f8c9a5abde59f379f6ac3676aca6ce/m13_team_profilesSarah-L.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“<b>All voices are heard. I’ve never been afraid to speak my mind</b> or contribute my opinions, and as a result, I’ve been able to have a greater impact through my work here and develop more as a professional than I would be able to anywhere else.”
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Sarah, Talent</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/karim-bhalwani"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3dDIUFnJQwquYPbUul1Yb1/713f1bc466525b7f235e049d1ed3d423/m13_team_profilesKarim.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“The best part of working at M13 is that we place equally high value on our thoughtful process and on achieving outsized outcomes. This is exemplified by the journeys of our co-founders Carter & Courtney, who seeded multiple unicorns—including Lyft, Ring, and Thrive Market—and put us in a position every day to fuel the next generation of companies, like Rho, Shef, Rothy's, Daily Harvest, Lifeforce, Lightning Labs, and Arena Club. It all starts with our obsession with solving problems, commitment to our craft, and, most importantly, having fun throughout the journey. I'm so lucky to get to work at a company where we are equally inspired by the joy of winning and by enjoying the process along our special journey."
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Karim, Investing</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/julie-terreson"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/5f23tMuvfWcAmz6ohFbq6Y/fa5afa72a0e52bff3dc4fc2664e3ec1c/m13_team_profilesJulie.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“The people, the collaborative culture, and the collective effort to continually improve. M13 is a community of incredible people who make coming to work every day a true privilege. <b>I am lucky to work alongside people who trust me, uplift me, challenge me, and inspire me.</b>”
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Julie, Talent</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/arbo-shah"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/7Caa7TsEXVqCmMilzB69TZ/cc35711f15c778627b3643a2c670b9ff/m13_team_profilesArbo.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“The sense of community here is remarkable, and getting to collaborate and work with everyone here is such a rewarding feeling.”
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<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Arbo, Talent</p>          
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        <div class="col-sm-2"><a href="https://m13.co/profile/abigail-snodgrass"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/6PuhQWYIhpEggGXoNpWOfa/902691ca19e7aa50c48ba68e4aaff57a/m13_team_profilesAbigail.png"></a></div>
        <div class="col-sm-10"><td><p style="padding-bottom:10px">“<b>Everyone here is such a great human being with a genuine heart. This is not by accident!</b> The strength and power of 'one team, one dream' is not only felt but actively discussed and pursued. I am consistently thankful for not just my immediate team but the entire team working and supporting each other to do our best work.”
</p>
<p class="italic gray mb-2">— Abigail, Brand </p>          
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<center><h3>Join the team</h3></center>
<center><p style="padding-bottom:10px">Interested in being part of M13 culture?We're hiring, for both our team and our portfolio!</p></center>
<center><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="https://m13.co/careers" target="_blank"><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/7HVQ4m3OlMw4s46hSn5jxi/f4b5c3a4d46b3e58869157df1d03d419/blog_buttons_career_opportunities.png" alt="join our community" style="width:25%" "padding:20px"></a></p></center><br><br>
Founded in 2016 with offices in Los Angeles (HQ) and New York and a staff of 40, M13 is a consumer technology venture capital firm. We invest in the seed to series A stages of enabling technology startups that power the future of work, health, commerce, and money. <br><br>
M13 is staffed with 2.5 operators for every investor so our founders get access to deep operational expertise, tech tools, and an ecosystem that helps them build faster and better. Where we see whitespace in an industry, our Launchpad develops founding teams, products, and practices to incubate and launch an idea from inception. <br><br>
We believe that advancement is a team mission. Messier 13 (or M13) is one of the brightest star clusters in the Northern sky. It’s full of remarkable individual stars, and when those stars come together, they create something that’s truly greater than the sum of its parts. All of us at M13 contribute to our collective success by being brighter together. Our proven Propulsion platform for success will create more winning companies and demonstrate that when investors and founding teams are aligned on a venture together, we can redefine what’s possible.<br><br>
Built In determines the winners of Best Places to Work based on an algorithm, using company data about compensation and benefits. To reflect the benefits candidates are searching for more frequently on Built In, the program also weighs criteria like remote and flexible work opportunities, programs for DEI and other people-first cultural offerings. 


From a culture of gratitude to expansive opportunities for growth, here’s what our team has to say about what makes M13 a great place to work.

M13 team gathers in outdoor coworking space at LA office.

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Built In Names M13 a ‘Great Place to Work’ — Our Team Tells You Why

From a culture of gratitude to expansive opportunities for growth, here’s what our team has to say about what makes M13 a great place to work. 

What Makes M13 a Great Place to Work | M13

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Adam is an EIR, working with M13's portcos to craft and navigate go-to-market strategies and accelerate growth. Previously, Adam held multiple roles at Unilever, S.C. Johnson and Target with a track record of success accelerating, expanding globally and turning around brands and businesses.

Adam Domian

Operator

Adam is an EIR, working with M13's portcos to craft and navigate go-to-market strategies and accelerate growth. Previously, Adam held multiple roles at Unilever, S.C. Johnson...

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Adam Domian | M13

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As a partner and head of operations, Lizzie leads the Propulsion team that helps propel our founders’ businesses forward. She was previously the COO of sneaker marketplace GOAT Group, CMO of Gilt Groupe, and founding partner of Brilliant Ventures.

Lizzie Francis

As a partner and head of operations, Lizzie leads the Propulsion team that helps propel our founders’ businesses forward. She was previously the COO of sneaker marketplace GOAT...

M13SharePeople-LizzieFrancis

Lizzie Francis | M13

Founders frequently use the terms “go-to-market plan” or “go-to-market strategy,” but it can mean very different things depending on who you talk to. <br><br>
At the highest level, your go-to-market strategy brings together all of the key elements that drive your business: brand development, consumer insights, competitive understanding, sales and marketing, pricing, and distribution. It’s a living, breathing thing that evolves as your learnings deepen and your business evolves. <br><br>
In this six-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to:
<NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="Define your marketplace" />
<NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="Identify your target audience" />
<NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="Clarify your offering" />
<NumberedBullet number="4" highlight="Fine-tune your brand positioning" />
<NumberedBullet number="5" highlight="Focus on your channels, distribution, and marketing" />
<NumberedBullet number="6" highlight="Create an effective marketing strategy" />
There’s value in taking the time to learn and master these six steps. After all, you can apply this iterative thinking to new business and product launches as well as existing products and services that aren’t quite landing the way you’d hoped. You can also turn to these steps whenever you need to pivot based on consumer, category, or competitive changes. <br><br>
Let’s begin!

From launches to pivots, elevate your go-to-market strategy by turning to these six tried-and-true steps.

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The Ultimate Go-to-Market Guide for Startups

Whether you’re ready to launch a new product or needing to pivot, M13’s six-step guide can help you take your startup’s go-to-market strategy to the next level.

The Ultimate Go-to-Market Guide for Startups | M13

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According to Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust influencer marketing over traditional advertising. It’s this level of trust, along with creative innovation, that has driven growth in this marketing channel over the last decade. <br><br>
**What is influencer marketing?**<br><br>
Influencer marketing is a strategy that companies use to increase brand awareness or conversions among a specific target audience by partnering with influencers on social media.<br><br>
Influencers were born as TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Twitter users became content creators themselves, curating and crafting their own stories, photos, and videos to share with their followers. In doing so, they quickly attracted the attention of marketers.<br><br>
Today, influencer marketing is a powerful tool that when executed correctly can reach niche audiences to help you accomplish many goals, from building brand awareness to increasing sales.<br><br>
Whether you’re new to influencer marketing or enhancing your influencer strategy to take it to the next level, you’ll want to maximize your efforts and avoid rookie mistakes. <br><br>
In this guide, we’ll take you through:<br><br>
<NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="Defining your goals" />
<NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="Researching the right influencers for your brand" />
<NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="Considering your budget" />
<NumberedBullet number="4" highlight="Exploring 3 influencer marketing strategies" />
<NumberedBullet number="5" highlight="Creating a content strategy to help guide influencers" />
<NumberedBullet number="6" highlight="Tracking your metrics" />
<NumberedBullet number="7" highlight="Hiring an influencer marketing agency" />
<NumberedBullet number="8" highlight="Keeping up with emerging platforms and trends" /><br><br>
Read on for the dos and don’ts of influencer marketing.

Get the most out of influencer marketing with these tips and tricks, plus avoid these rookie mistakes.

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How to Make Influencer Marketing Work for Your Startup 

Check out this M13 guide to building an impactful influencer marketing strategy, including the dos and don’ts of working with social media influencers.

How to Make Influencer Marketing Work for Your Startup |  M13

Novi, M13 mascot, holding up a smartphone with likes and hearts and message icons flying out of it. 

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As a partner and head of talent, Matt coaches our founders on hiring the best talent and building healthy and high-performing cultures. He leads several of our future of work investments. Matt previously built and led the People functions at DigitalOcean and Return Path (#1 Best Place to Work in NYC and #2 in the US, respectively).

Matt Hoffman

As a partner and head of talent, Matt coaches our founders on hiring the best talent and building healthy and high-performing cultures. He leads several of our future of work...

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Matt Hoffman | M13

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Ashley is a leadership trainer and DEI lead at LifeLabs Learning. Her areas of expertise are in leadership development, communication, and inclusive team dynamics. She has a Master’s degree in Social Systems and Management of Human Services and many years of experience in crisis management.

Ashley Schwedt 

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Theo is a leadership trainer and DEI advisor at LifeLabs Learning, where he specializes in helping leaders develop systems and skills that enable diversity, belonging, and inclusion. He has also helped companies collect data on the impact of their employee engagement and equity initiatives.

Theo Haber

In a year of transformational changes across the landscape of work, having an intentional focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has emerged as one of the most important things that a company can do to be successful. This is a long overdue development since the research has been overwhelmingly clear that companies that prioritize DEI—on the leadership team, org level, and board level—see better returns.<br><br>
[McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/organization/our%20insights/delivering%20through%20diversity/delivering-through-diversity_full-report.ashx) recently released a report stating that “companies in the top-quartile for ethnic/cultural diversity on executive teams were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability. That this relationship continues to be strong suggests that inclusion of highly diverse [teams]—and the myriad ways in which diversity exists beyond gender (e.g., LGBTQ+, age/generation, international experience)—can be a key differentiator among companies.” <br><br>
That should not be surprising. Companies with more diverse teams are able to take a broader and more empathetic perspective of their customers. They’re more likely to generate unique ideas and innovate faster, manage team conflict better, and—by reducing groupthink—make higher quality decisions. <br><br>
But of course diversity alone is not enough. To leverage your company’s diversity and to keep attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining talented and passionate team members, companies have to prioritize a culture of equity and inclusion.<br><br>
Beyond the clear financial impact of focusing on DEI, it can also ensure you’re creating a workplace where every employee can feel [psychologically safe](https://hbr.org/2017/08/high-performing-teams-need-psychological-safety-heres-how-to-create-it) and do their best work, regardless of their background. Organizations with strong DEI cultures are more likely to have employees with:<br><br>
<DotBullet text="greater job satisfaction" /> 
<DotBullet text="higher degrees of trust" />
<DotBullet text="overall higher engagement" /><br><br>
And yet when working with the earliest stage companies, many founders still believe that a focus on DEI is a “nice-to-have,” something they can work on when the company gets larger and more mature. We’re here today to tell you that isn’t true. <br><br>
Just as with culture and values, you want DEI to be built into the very architecture of your People Systems at the earliest possible stage. It will help ensure a strong foundation of shared beliefs, and it will make it easier to incorporate best practices into your systems later on as well. What’s more, diversity begets diversity—so the sooner you start, the easier all future hires become. (We cover the topic of [hiring and recruiting](https://m13.co/guide/a-5-step-guide-to-startup-recruiting-and-hiring) in a separate guide.) As a thought experiment, imagine hiring your first Black and/or female engineer onto a team of three White males versus a team of 30 White males. The time to prioritize DEI is now.<br><br>
Read on and we’ll guide you through:<br><br>
    <NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="Defining DEI" />
    <NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="Setting DEI metrics" />
    <NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="Designing inclusive systems" />
    <NumberedBullet number="4" highlight="Auditing the FAIRness of existing People Systems" />
    <NumberedBullet number="5" highlight="Takeaways & next steps" />


Discover how to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that can make a difference.

A rocket launches next to M13 and LifeLabs Learning's joint logo; to the right, there is an icon of four hands and next to that it reads "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion."

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Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Into Your Startup

M13 and LifeLabs Learning share helpful tips and strategies for startup founders looking to define and set diversity, equity, and inclusion metrics.

A Startup Founder’s Guide to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | M13

A rocket launches next to M13 and LifeLabs Learning's joint logo; below, there is an icon of four hands and next to that it reads "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion."

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A partner and head of brand/communications, Christine worked with Sir Richard Branson to launch Virgin Group’s North American portfolio and was the first head of communications for Virgin Galactic/Virgin Orbit/The Spaceship Company. She serves on the boards of KIPP NJ and Virgin Unite US.

Christine Choi

A partner and head of brand/communications, Christine worked with Sir Richard Branson to launch Virgin Group’s North American portfolio and was the first head of communications...

M13SharePeople-ChristineChoi

Christine Choi | M13

When you’re building awareness about your company, it’s helpful to first map out the company story and what editorial content you want to share with the world. That requires a regular cadence of news and stories that you produce and promote on your owned channels. From there, pick out a few timely pieces of news that you can use to pitch the press.<br><br>
But how do you know if your startup is prepared for the spotlight?<br><br>
In this guide, we’ll answer top questions, including:
<NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="What's the role of a PR firm?"/>
<NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="When is the right time to seek media attention?"/> 
<NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="What are common PR mistakes by early-stage startup founders?"/> 

​​Is your startup ready for all that media attention? Here are the telltale signs to track.

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When to Hire a Public Relations Agency for Your Startup

Ready to let the world know about your startup? M13’s guide to hiring a public relations agency can help founders like you navigate media relationships and more.

When to Hire a Public Relations Agency for Your Startup | M13

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Tania is the co-CEO of LifeLabs Learning. She is also a psychology researcher, leadership trainer, and co-author of the book, “The Leader Lab: Core Skills to Become a Great Manager Faster.”

Tania Luna

With almost every early-stage company we meet with, the first and most common question we get is around recruiting: How do you attract and hire great talent? <br><br>
And it’s an incredibly important question! Startups—no matter how good their ideas, and how innovative their products—are nothing without fantastic people to execute against those ideas and build those products. <br><br>
###### Define the role
Before you start to fill a role, take a step back to look at your entire organization and assess the broader needs. 
<DotBullet text="What are the overall skills you are missing today?" />
<DotBullet text="Will those be the most important problems to solve down the line?" /> 
<DotBullet text="What is the right level for this hire?" /> 
Without asking these questions, startups tend to over-hire for critical roles, meaning they bring in the most experienced person they can find. But sometimes, especially early on, they’re better off bringing in a tactical leader who can build and grow, rather than a more strategic leader who needs a team under them to execute. <br><br>
_Want help defining the roles you need? Review our guide on [organizational design](https://m13.co/how-to-design-an-organizational-structure-for-your-startup/)._<br><br>
Ultimately, great recruiting is about so much more than filling roles with top talent. It’s about filling the _right_ roles with the _right people._ In a high-growth environment like we’re experiencing now, there is far more demand than supply for world-class candidates. <br><br>
That's why in this guide, we’re going to show you how to level up your entire recruiting processes to make them more effective, more efficient, more collaborative, and more impactful with these lessons: 
<NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="Create structure" />
<NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="Identify outcomes" />
<NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="Extract the job criteria" />
<NumberedBullet number="4" highlight="Develop your assessments" />
<NumberedBullet number="5" highlight="Create your scoring system" />
<NumberedBullet number="6" highlight="Calibrate with your interview team" />
<NumberedBullet number="7" highlight="Find the right people" />
<NumberedBullet number="8" highlight="Engineer the candidate experience" />
<NumberedBullet number="9" highlight="Takeaways & next steps" />

Here’s how creating an efficient, fair, and scalable interview process can help you recruit top talent.

A rocket launches next to M13 and LifeLabs Learning's joint logo; to the right, there is an icon of three people with a magnifying glass on the central one; beside it reads "Recruiting & Hiring."

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A 5-Step Guide to Startup Recruiting and Hiring

In this recruiting guide for startups, M13 and LifeLabs Learning explain how early-stage founders can create an effective, fair, and scalable interview process.

A 5-Step Guide to Startup Recruiting and Hiring | M13

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Christine Choi meets with Emerge founders in an M13 office.

Investing in Emerge: Introducing touch to XR

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Set up Manager System →
Set Goals → Assess Performance → Give Feedback → Support Development 

PEOPLE SYSTEMS FOR CATALYZING PERFORMANCE

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Check out recent investment updates, perspectives, and more from the M13 team.

Courtney Reum

Co-founder & Partner / M13

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Upwards is helping every family find and afford care for their loved ones—freeing families from the anxiety of finding and affording top-notch care and empowering caregivers to provide for their communities without compromising their own well-being.

Upwards

Jessica Chang

Founder / Upwards

Partner / M13

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Brian Lee

Founder / Arena Club

Anna Barber

Bharat & Kanishka

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Kanishka and Bharat Rao 

Founder / Carenostics

Co-Founder & Partner

Carter Reum

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Pietra

Ronak Trivedi

Founder / Pietra

Lizzy Francis

M13 is an early-stage consumer tech venture capital firm. Our founding teams execute better by accessing our full-time operating partners, resources, and network.

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M13 | We're brighter together

Partnering with M13 gets you access to an active ecosystem of founders, operators, investors, and experts. We’ve been here, we’re on your side, and now we’re in this together.

With 2.5x full-time operators for every investor, our Propulsion Platform helps you shortcut the founder learning curve and scale quickly and efficiently.

We partner with founders building the future of work, health, commerce, and money. We invest at the seed, Series A, and Series B stages.

We’re brighter together.

Helping early-stage tech startups build better.

Investing in tomorrow’s tech. Today. 

With workouts led by expert coaches, Tonal offers a digital weight machine that adapts to stay most effective for users.

Tonal

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Aly Orady

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Tonal | M13

Capsule is a digital pharmacy of friendly, caring pharmacists and a team who carries prescriptions straight to the door, at the tap of a phone, with same-day delivery. 

Capsule

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Eric Kinariwala

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Capsule | M13

Creating a superior online pharmacy experience.

ClassPass has developed an app for all things fitness, wellness, and beauty. The company gives members worldwide access to thousands of top-rated gyms, fitness studios, salons, and spas.

ClassPass

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Payal Pujji

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ClassPass has developed an app for all things fitness, wellness, and beauty.

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ClassPass | M13

Rho is building the future of frictionless finance. The company enables high-growth businesses to manage their cash and spend through its automated platform.

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Everett Cook

Alex Wheldon

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Rho | M13

Shef is an online marketplace for home cooks to sell meals to consumers in their local communities.

We’re brighter together.

Helping early-stage tech startups build better.

Investing in tomorrow’s tech. Today.

Turning experience into insights.

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