Mark Suster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Suster
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | April 30, 1968 |
| Education | University of Chicago (M.B.A.) University of California at San Diego (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Businessman, investor |
| Spouse(s) | Tania Suster |
| Children | 2 |
Mark Suster is an American businessman and investor. He is a top leader at Upfront Ventures, which is the biggest venture capital firm in Los Angeles. A venture capital firm invests money in new, growing businesses, often called "startups." Besides his work, Suster also writes popular articles online about new technology companies and investing.
Contents
Mark Suster's Business Journey
Mark Suster has started and invested in many companies. Here's a look at his career:
Starting His Own Companies
In 1999, Mark Suster started his first company called BuildOnline. This company made special software to help people working on building projects share information. He was the main boss, or CEO, of BuildOnline. In 2006, BuildOnline joined with another company called Citadon.
By September 2006, Suster had already left Citadon. He then started a second company named Koral. Koral made software to help people work together on different projects. In 2007, a big company called Salesforce.com bought Koral. After the sale, Suster became a Vice President at Salesforce.com, helping to manage their products.
Investing in New Businesses
In 2007, Suster joined Upfront Ventures, which was known as GRP Partners back then. This firm invests money in new businesses.
In 2009, Suster also started something called Launchpad LA. This is like a special program that helps new businesses grow quickly. He did this while still working at Upfront Ventures.
At Upfront, Suster helped decide which companies to invest in. Some of these companies include Ring (which makes smart doorbells), Bird (known for electric scooters), and Osmo (which makes educational games).
He also led the very first money invested in Maker Studios. This company helped online video creators. Disney later bought Maker Studios in 2014. Suster was also an early investor in TrueCar, a website for buying cars, which became a public company in 2014.
Mark Suster has been open about times he decided not to invest in a new business that later became very successful. One example is Uber, the ride-sharing company.
Thoughts on the Startup World
In February 2023, Suster shared his thoughts on the startup market. He said that there was a lot of money available for startups. He also mentioned that about half of the 5,000 early-stage companies Upfront Ventures had invested in since 2019 were at risk of closing down.
Less than a month later, in March 2023, Suster asked people to stay calm. This was when investors were worried about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. He suggested that a few investors were causing unnecessary panic.
Upfront Summit
Suster and Upfront Ventures host a special event called the Upfront Summit. It's an invitation-only conference for investors in Los Angeles. More than 1,000 people attend this event each year. It has been held in famous places like Paramount Studios and the Dolby Theatre.
Mark Suster's Personal Life
Mark Suster grew up in Northern California. He is a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the United States. His family has Romanian Jewish roots.
He studied Economics at the University of California, San Diego. Later, he earned his MBA (a special business degree) from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.
In 2014, Suster found out he had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). This is a condition that can make it hard to focus or control impulses. Since then, he has often talked and written about how he uses his business skills and coping strategies to manage his ADHD.
Mark Suster is married and has two children.
