Investor Profile: A* — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

A* — styled A* on its official site and often written A* Capital or A-Star Capital — is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2020 by Eventbrite co-founder Kevin Hartz and Bennett Siegel. Its own site describes it plainly: “A* is an early stage venture capital firm that is leading the shift from transactional capital to meaningful partnerships,” with the tagline “Guiding Outliers From Idea To IPO.” Hartz previously co-founded Xoom, which PayPal acquired, and Eventbrite, which went public in 2018.

Thesis and specialty

A* is a deliberate generalist. TechCrunch reports that its newest vehicle, $450 million Fund III announced in May 2026, backs companies across AI applications, fintech, healthcare and security. The firm is conviction-led and founder-centric, and it has become known for backing unusually young founders — Hartz told TechCrunch that close to 20% of its current portfolio involves teenage entrepreneurs. Earlier vehicles were $300 million Fund I (2021) and $315 million Fund II (2024), backed by nonprofits, foundations and endowments, including Carnegie Mellon University for Fund III.

Where it has funded

The portfolio is US-centred early-stage technology. Named investments reported by TechCrunch include fintech company Ramp and AI hiring firm Mercor. The firm also occasionally incubates companies in-house — Hartz co-founded home-security company Sauron — but that is an internal build, not an open programme for outside founders.

Cheque size and deal pace

The firm does not publish a standard cheque size on its official site. For Fund III, TechCrunch reports an average check size of $3 million to $5 million, with the aim to back at least 30 startups and deploy the capital over the next two to three years. On that stated plan, Fund III alone works out to roughly 10 to 15 new investments a year. Treat the $3–$5 million figure as press reporting on Fund III’s average, not as a firm-published range that applies to every deal.

Exits

A* is a young firm — its first fund closed in 2021 — and it has no widely documented exits yet in the sources reviewed. Its best-known portfolio companies, such as Ramp and Mercor, remain private.

How to apply for funding

A* runs no open application portal and no accelerator or fellowship programme. There is no form on a-star.co for cold pitches. In practice, founders reach the firm through its network — warm introductions via portfolio founders, co-investors and the Hartz/Siegel network are the realistic route. Build the relationship before you need the cheque, and lead with the outlier insight the firm’s branding is built around.