Feel like more celebrities have become venture capitalists than ever before? You’re not alone.
Not a week goes by that another actor, athlete, musician, or internet celebrity doesn’t pop up on a cap table as an angel investor or via their family office-turned-venture fund. The media treats Ashton Kutcher as patient zero of the celebrity investing bug, but the truth is, celebrities have acted as minority partners in brands, businesses, and startups for decades prior. No disrespect to Kelso but if I’m being honest, it’s all become quite boring.
A decade ago, being a celebrity-turned-tech investor used to mean you were an early adopter, with rare connections into the new, exciting world of technology startups. Likewise, getting a celebrity investor in your company meant you were well-networked or that your product had the potential to catch the eye of the elusive glitterati. But with all the deal flow, advisers, syndicates and co-investment opportunities available to celebrities today, if you’re not at-least passively allocating some of your wealth into startups as an A-Lister, well, consider yourself B+ at best.
