ACQ2 by Acquired Reinventing Upfront and building LA (with Upfront partner Kevin Zhang)
Mar 28, 2019
Kevin Zhang, Partner at Upfront Ventures, shares insights on the evolution of the LA tech ecosystem and Upfront's emergence from its roots in retail. He discusses the importance of rebranding for transparency and alignment with values. The conversation dives into the growth of the LA venture community, highlighting the dynamic Upfront Summit. Kevin emphasizes gaming as a lucrative investment area and the crucial need for talent acquisition in that sector, along with the continuous evolution in game design to keep players engaged.
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Upfront Ventures Origins
- Upfront Ventures, founded in 1996 as Global Retail Partners, initially focused on retail innovation.
- The firm transitioned to tech investments with the rise of the internet and e-commerce.
Mark Schuster's Impact
- Mark Schuster joined Upfront Ventures and significantly raised the firm's national profile through his blog.
- This unusual strategy at the time helped Upfront build a strong network.
Chamillionaire as EIR
- Upfront Ventures brought on Chamillionaire as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR).
- He leveraged Upfront's resources to launch his company, Combos.