VMG Catalyst, a San Francisco, CA and NYC-based venture capital firm, closed Fund II, at $400m, bringing the total capital raised to $650m across both funds.
Led by Partners Carle Stenmark, Brooke Kiley, and Jeff Truong, VMG Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in technology that supports consumer businesses. The firm leverages its access to the consumer ecosystem through the VMG Partners franchise, which was founded in 2005, to identify acute pain points and help software founders prioritize their product roadmaps.
In an ongoing effort to bolster the VMG network of over 32,000 professionals, VMG Catalyst has been actively growing its own talent function under the leadership of Talent Partner, Brianna Rizzo. Her team works with portfolio companies to optimize recruiting, foster community and knowledge-sharing among leaders, and facilitate introductions to top brands.
VMG Catalyst launched its inaugural Commerce Council alongside Fund II, which invests side by side with the Fund and seeks to further expand the consumer ecosystem accessible to the Fund II portfolio companies. The Commerce Council is comprised of seasoned founders, operators, and digital leaders from consumer brands.
The firm has invested in 22 companies to date, across all investment stages. The roster includes commerce enablement companies such as mobile messaging leader Attentive, ethnic grocery delivery service Weee! Grocery, headless commerce platforms Shogun and Swell, financing provider Ampla, e-commerce analytics platform Daasity, and more.
