VMG Catalyst closes $400m Fund II to scale commerce venture capital space

Venture capital firm VMG Catalyst announced the closing of Fund II at its target of $400 million, bringing the total capital raised to $650 million across both funds. The Founding Team behind VMG Catalyst includes Partners Carle Stenmark, Brooke Kiley, and Jeff Truong.

The new funding demonstrates continued enthusiasm behind VMG Catalyst's thesis that innovative software and sophisticated supply chains will define the next generation of leading brands and retailers. Through this investment lens, 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.

VMG Catalyst's investment perspective stems from the VMG Partners franchise, which has invested in over 30 consumer brands since its founding in 2005.

Carle Stenmark, General Partner, VMG Partners and Founding Partner, VMG Catalyst: "Our deep understanding of both the voice of the customer and the pain points facing brands and retailers of all sizes allows us to invest with the conviction and speed that we believe is required in today's fast-moving commerce landscape. We're excited to support the visionary entrepreneurs who are working to solve these pain points and disrupt the way we interact with products and services, and how they arrive on shelves."

Michael Mauze, General Partner, VMG Partners: "In just a few years, VMG Catalyst has become a key player in the commerce venture capital space. We believe the access startups gain to the deep network and expertise VMG has built over the span of 17 years investing in consumer businesses provides them with unparalleled industry insights and resources to help them scale. We see tremendous opportunity at the intersection of retail and technology and look forward to supporting the Catalyst team as they back more companies focused on powering the next generation of consumer businesses."

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.

As a result of these efforts, 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.

catalyst.vmgpartners.com