500 Startups Closes $140 Million Flagship Fund and Rebrands to Become 500 Global

By Thomas Price | Wednesday, 15 September 2021 | Finance, Startup, Business

500 Startups is a venture capital (VC) firm that looks to build global economic growth through investment in startup companies around the world. The company recently announced the close of its 500 Global Flagship Fund to fuel its business investments alongside news of rebranding as 500 Global.

500 Global Investing Philosophy and Strength of Portfolio

VC company 500 Global focuses its investing in tech startup companies with high potential ceilings. The company has made a point to support the growth of business around the globe with its portfolio boasting names from the United States (US), Europe, Asia, Canada, Africa, Australia, and South America. The VC company’s diversified locations come from a consistent search for high-value tech startup companies that have yet to reach unicorn or centaur status. The company has more recently begun to take into consideration the environmental impact or positive changes a startup company could make to its local economy and community when investing.

This basic philosophy has yielded significant results for the company. Since starting the business, 500 Global has invested in thousands of companies. These investments have resulted in a portfolio boasting 33 startup companies worth over $1 billion and 120 startup companies worth over $100 million. The collective value of 500 Global’s business portfolio is more than $296 billion. 

Notable startup companies that the VC firm has previously invested in include Canva, Credit Karma, Bukalapak, Talkdesk, and Gitlab. 

The VC company also provides significant business support and expertise to the startup companies it invests in. The global network of business veterans and mentors that 500 Global is connected with offers strategy meetings and entrepreneurial advice to help the startups in the portfolio. 500 Global has team members on the ground in 15 different countries to help manage current assets and to look out for new up-and-coming startup companies. 

500 Global Flagship Fund and Plans for the New Capital

After the latest closing of the 500 Global Flagship Fund, the VC company has raised the total assets of the fund up to $140 million. The new capital in the fund will go toward finding early-stage tech startup companies around the world and invest in their growth. The VC company will also begin making larger investments into some assets, leading early funding rounds or even participating in later stage funding rounds for select startups. 

A portion of the 500 Global Flagship Fund will also be set aside to directly support the seed accelerator program. The company uses the program to fund and identify much smaller startup companies with high potential for success. 

In a statement released with the investment company’s announcements, CEO and Founding Partner of 500 Global, Christine Tsai, said, “Today, global startup ecosystems are developing at a pace that has never been seen before. As venture capital continues to globalize and the percentage of unicorns from outside the U.S. increases further, 500 Global is uniquely positioned with deep expertise and a strong track record of investing in markets around the world. We’re excited to expand our scope to back even more founders globally, from first check to last. Our new brand reflects this vision.”

About the Author

Thomas Price

Tom Price is a writer focusing on entertainment and sports features. He has a degree from NYU in English with a minor in Creative Writing. He has been previously published for Washington Square News, Dignitas, CBR, and Numbers on the Boards.