CircleUp
San Francisco, California · Invests in US · Website
Check size
🔒 $•• – $••Thesis
Quantitative data and machine learning can identify high-potential consumer brands more effectively than traditional VC methods. CircleUp uses proprietary Helio platform to analyze billions of data points and remove human bias from investment decisions.
Likely not a fit for
Avoid gambling/vice products, digital-only products without physical components, unproven teams, companies without retail distribution, capital-intensive manufacturing requiring heavy CapEx
How they invest
- Lead or follow
- Leads or follows
- Typical decision
- ~1 month
- Warm intro
- Not required
- Involvement
- Takes a board seat
- Fund status
- Actively deploying
- Assets under mgmt
- $125M
- Decision process
- Partnership vote
Partners & team
2 contacts on file
LinkedIn profile
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IQBAR offers plant-based protein bars, electrolyte mixes, and mushroom coffee, all optimized for sustained brain and body performance.
Partake Foods is a gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly cookie company that focuses on food inclusivity. They offer a variety of cookies and snacks while promoting social impact through partnerships with nonprofits.
Sanzo specializes in environmental measurement systems, offering a range of high-performance imported measuring instruments and self-developed products, including sensors for energy-saving compressors and pneumatic systems.
Halo Top Creamery offers a range of light ice cream products that are low in calories and high in protein, allowing consumers to indulge without guilt.
Back to the Roots offers a variety of organic gardening products including soil, seeds, and gardening kits aimed at promoting indoor and outdoor gardening.
Liquid I.V.® offers superior powdered hydration solutions that improve water absorption and counteract dehydration, turning ordinary water into extraordinary hydration.
Beyond Meat produces vegan meat and plant-based meat substitutes, focusing on creating products that nourish and protect health while promoting sustainability.
Supergoop! offers a range of skincare products that incorporate SPF and sunscreen, focusing on sun protection and skincare benefits.
Recent activity
- Aug 2022
IQBAR
Series A-II · Investor
- Apr 2022
Partake Foods
Series B · Investor
- Mar 2022
Partake Brewing
Series B · Investor
- Feb 2022
Sanzo
Series A · Investor
CircleUp in the news
PR Newswire
CircleUp Acquired by Brightflow AI
Jun 2023
Selva Ventures to invest $34M Fund II in health, wellness-focused brands
May 2023
Nosh.com
CircleUp Breakup: Lending Fund Sold, VC Fund in Transit, AI Play Fate Unknown
Mar 2023
Why CircleUp thinks machine learning may be the hottest item in consumer goods
May 2022
General Mills Invests in Vegan Burger Startup
Feb 2022
Plant-Based Meats Startup Everything Legendary Inks $6M in Series A Funding
Feb 2022
Partake Foods closes $4.8 million funding round
Aug 2021
A Founder Wrote a Blunt Email to an Investor When Cutting Ties
Oct 2020
Bridgewater’s Karen Karniol-Tambour Joins CircleUp Board
Oct 2020
glossy.co
Art of Sport secures $6 million in VC funding
Sep 2020
CircleUp Hires From AQR for Systematic Private Fund Strategy
Oct 2019
CircleUp Raises $200 Million To Woo Consumer Retail Startups With A VC Alternative: Loans
Sep 2019
CircleUp Credit Advisors secures over $200M to fuel today's fast-growing consumer brands
Sep 2019
Clean Cosmetics Brand Kosås Receives Financial Investment From CircleUp Growth Partners
May 2018
CircleUp's $125 Million Fund Looks To Bring Moneyball To Backing Consumer Brand Winners
Oct 2017
CircleUp's new $125 million fund a victory for CEO who made case for investing in consumer startups
Oct 2017
A new fund uses A.I. to invest in consumer and retail products with the best chance of success
Oct 2017
CircleUp pilots $20M loan program for CPGs
Jul 2017
Investment Platform CircleUp Is Using a Moneyball-Style Algorithm to Identify the Next Hit Consumer Brand
Feb 2017
Why this top tech investor is funding a startup that could chop away at his own business
Sep 2016
CircleUp Rethinks Venture Capital for Consumer Goods
May 2016
CircleUp Launches Second Marketplace Index Fund
May 2016
General Mills’ 301 Inc. leads $1.25M investment in Tio Gazpacho
Mar 2016
General Mills invests in gazpacho brand
Mar 2016
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Research briefRead more
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