FirstMark Capital
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FirstMark is legitimately one of the most founder-friendly shops in NYC with an impressive track record of backing household names early (Pinterest seed, Shopify Series A). What sets them apart is their genuine community-building — Data Driven NYC isn't just marketing theater, it's a 20,000-person AI/ML network that actually delivers value. Rick and Amish are old-school venture guys who stick around through the long haul rather than chasing quick flips. The downside? They're hyper-selective and deeply relationship-driven, so good luck getting in without a warm intro. Their 'network-driven' approach means they prioritize founders who can play well with their extensive Guilds ecosystem — if you're a lone wolf type, this might not be your vibe.
- —Best for: NYC-based B2B/consumer founders who value long-term partnership and community access
- —Watch out for: Extremely competitive to get in without warm intros from their network
- —Known for: Backing category-defining companies early and providing genuine operational support
FirstMark Capital's investment thesis is centered on identifying and backing early-stage technology companies that have the potential for significant disruption. Their approach focuses on leveraging technological inflections such as cloud computing, open-source platforms, and artificial intelligence to redefine business models or create new market categories. FirstMark Capital invests in disruptive early-stage companies across technology sectors, with a founder-first approach rooted in four core values: GRIT, EXCELLENCE, CURIOSITY, and COMMUNITY. FirstMark operates with a long-term partnership mentality. Rather than taking quick exits, they provide deep support across the entire company-building journey from earliest days through IPO and beyond.
FirstMark primarily invests in Series A and Seed stages. FirstMark has a diverse portfolio, with companies operating in the Enterprise Applications, Consumer, FinTech, Vertical SaaS and High Tech. Notably, it has invested in 187 Tech companies, 144 Enterprise (B2B) companies, 117 Software companies and at least 84 companies focusing on Saas. FirstMark has a heavy presence in New York City, and invests primarily in Seed and Series A companies based on the East Coast and in Europe. The firm invests in areas where they have strong domain expertise, including: enterprise software, consumer marketplaces, infrastructure, AI/ML, healthcare, gaming, fintech, and e-commerce.
Rick Heitzmann is a Co-Founder and Partner at FirstMark Capital, where he focuses on investments in disruptive consumer applications, including marketplaces, healthcare, software, and gaming. Before founding FirstMark, Heitzmann was an entrepreneur who founded First Advantage (NASDAQ: FADV), which he helped grow and sell to First American (NYSE: FAF). Rick Heitzmann has been named to the Forbes Midas List for five consecutive years and Rick Heitzmann wrote Pinterest's seed check and has been on the Forbes Midas List five years running.
Founded in 2008 by Rick Heitzmann and Amish Jani as a spinoff from Pequot Capital Management. FirstMark Capital's founding partners are Rick Heitzmann and Amish Jani, who established the firm in 2008 and continue to serve as Co-Founders and Partners with no separate CEO or President role. Amish Jani has been twice recognized as one of the top 100 seed investors by Business Insider, with similar honors from the New York Times and CB Insights and Amish Jani led Shopify's Series A through IPO.
Matt Turck serves as a Partner at FirstMark Capital, with a focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, data, infrastructure, and enterprise applications. He invests broadly in enterprise software across the US and Europe, leveraging his deep interest in data and AI technologies, which is reflected in his organization of Data Driven NYC—the largest data and AI meetup in the US—his hosting of the MAD Podcast, and his publication of the annual MAD Landscape market map. Turck previously co-founded TripleHop Technologies, an enterprise AI search startup acquired by Oracle, and served as a Managing Director at Bloomberg Ventures.
Adam Nelson is a Partner at FirstMark Capital, concentrating on fintech, proptech, and vertical software. With prior experience as an early employee at Twitter and Dropbox, where he scaled teams in partnerships and revenue, Nelson also held roles as a Partner at Social Capital and a Venture Partner at South Park Commons. He founded Fintech Driven, a community for fintech leaders in New York City, and supports FirstMark's Founder Guild.
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