Tusk Venture Partners
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Here's the twist nobody talks about: Bradley Tusk announced in February 2025 that Fund III will be their last traditional venture fund, with plans to transition away from traditional VC after the fund's lifecycle ends in 2031. This makes them a sunset fund - they're literally winding down the VC business model that made them famous. The equity-for-services model where startups pay them in equity rather than cash for political consulting has apparently been more lucrative than traditional VC. Translation: they've figured out that being the only political fixer in tech pays better than being another VC. Their culture is "honest, intense, energized, curious, scrappy" - which in VC-speak means Bradley will tell you exactly why your regulatory strategy is terrible and then charge you equity to fix it. The track record is undeniable (Coinbase, FanDuel, Lemonade), but you're essentially betting on a firm that's already planning its exit strategy.
- —Best for: Startups that need to fight city hall, literally - they're the only VC with actual political firepower
- —Watch out for: They're winding down traditional VC by 2031, so you're getting on a sinking ship
- —Known for: Turning regulatory nightmares into competitive moats through actual political campaigns
Tusk Venture Partners is the world's first venture capital fund exclusively focused on investing in early-stage technology companies operating in highly regulated markets. The thesis is that founders and investors who understand how to solve regulatory "gating" issues can unlock substantial growth and valuation multipliers. Rather than avoiding regulatory complexity, Tusk turns it into a strategic advantage through its team's political and regulatory expertise.
Early-stage focus on fintech, digital health, transportation, consumer internet, and gaming - basically anywhere regulation creates barriers to entry. Writes initial checks of up to $7 million and leads 20% of their deals. Fund III ($140M, 2022) is actively deploying.
Former Deputy Governor of Illinois, campaign manager for Michael Bloomberg's 2009 NYC mayoral race, and communications director for Chuck Schumer. His work with startups began in 2011 when he helped Uber fight NYC's Taxi and Limousine Commission, running a public affairs campaign that included TV, radio, digital ads and grassroots organizing. Known as the "Uber lobbyist" and "Silicon Valley's favorite political fixer."
Previously spent six years as a Director at Blackstone, where he focused on the development of the firm's corporate venture capital portfolio and investing in early-stage technology companies. He has led many of the firm's investments including Lemonade, FanDuel, and Coinbase, and was named to "Seed 100: the Best Early-Stage Investors of 2025" by Business Insider.
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