Sign In

Kent Goldman

Founder at Upside Partnership

Kent Goldman is the founder of Upside Partnership, a seed-stage investment firm based in San Francisco.12 He established Upside Partnership in February 20144, driven by a deep belief in early investing's role in cultivating great leaders.5

Prior to founding Upside, Kent was a Partner at First Round Capital from July 2008 to February 2014, where he led investments in companies such as Airware, Hotel Tonight, and MemSQL.34 His career also includes roles at Yahoo!, where he served as Director of Corporate Development and Director of Business Strategy.4

Kent's investment philosophy focuses on backing "inevitable Founders" – those who can't help but create their companies.6 Upside Partnership typically invests $500,000 as an initial check and reserves 70% of its fund to support founders in later rounds.6

Goldman's approach to venture capital is characterized by:

  1. Early commitment: Upside is often the first institutional investor in over 50% of its investments.56
  2. Founder-centric model: Every founder backed by Upside becomes a partner in the fund.5
  3. Community building: The fund structure aims to create a collective of like-minded founders who share in success and insights.5

This innovative approach to venture capital earned Kent a mention in the 2015 Midas Brink List.5 Kent holds a degree from Cornell University, which he attended from 1992 to 1996.4

Highlights

Using Valuation As A Litmus Test, Why Valuation Does Not ... - 20VC
Using Valuation As A Litmus Test, Why Valuation Does Not ... - 20VC
Dec 9 · vcsheet.com
Upside Partnership - VC Fund Breakdown - VC Sheet
Nov 1 · signal.nfx.com
Kent Goldman's Investing Profile - Upside Partnership Partner | Signal
Upside Partnership | Institution Profile - Private Equity International
Jan 1 · rocketreach.co
Upside Partnership Information - RocketReach
Jul 10 · techcrunch.com
Kent Goldman Opens Up About His Upside Partnership - TechCrunch
Kent Goldman Opens Up About His Upside Partnership - TechCrunch

Related Questions

What are some of the most successful companies in Upside Partnership's portfolio?
How does Upside Partnership differentiate itself from other seed-stage investment firms?
What are Kent Goldman's key investment criteria for startups?
How has Kent Goldman's experience at First Round Capital influenced his approach at Upside Partnership?
What are some notable exits from Upside Partnership's portfolio?
Kent Goldman
Kent Goldman, photo 1
Kent Goldman, photo 2
Add to my network

Location

San Francisco, California, United States