Revolution

Launched by Steve Case in 2005, Revolution seeks to transform whole market sectors by shifting power to consumers. Revolution looks for companies that are attacking large, traditional industries with innovative new products and services. Revolution LLC has three core business groups: Revolution Ventures, Revolution Growth and Revolution Places. Many industries are on the brink of disruptive change: At Revolution they build insurgent companies to capitalize on nascent opportunities. Revolution searches for businesses that recognize emerging market trends and pursues them, taking risks and ultimately defining their industry. Revolution scouts for innovative new products and breakthrough ways of doing things that are currently undiscovered, under-financed, or undone–leaving consumers under-served. Revolution Ventures makes initial early-stage venture capital investments in companies, often in partnership with other top-tier investors, in amounts of less than $10 million. Revolution typically leads early rounds of financing but will also follow other top-tier investors in companies they love with investment partners they trust and respect. The firm is often involved as a Board member with a focus on strategy and developing a competitive position in the marketplace. The Revolution Ventures team looks at business concepts that match its experience and interests. These tend to be big disruptive ideas that attack areas of the consumer space ripe for reinvention, which have the potential to rapidly scale. Businesses they engage with typically come from the consumer tech sector, media, entertainment, or other mass-market opportunities that offer a unique approach to tackling a staid category and grow into a significant consumer business. The Revolution Growth team sees itself as business builders, not just investors. Its sweet spot is on technology-enabled businesses that empower consumers and disrupt existing, multi-billion dollar industries. Revolution Growth invests upwards of $20M in “speed-ups” – helping companies take ideas from niche to mass and scale to capitalize on huge market opportunities. The team is highly selective – typically investing significant amounts in only two or three new companies per year. They operate on a very hands-on basis and as a true partner, working relentlessly with management teams, over a long period of time, to help build their businesses. Revolution Places invests in unique real estate and hospitality opportunities, creating a new model for travel and tourism that promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle and establishes a consumer brand that reflects those values. The team invests in differentiated properties that have significant long-term development potential and in lifestyle hospitality companies with the opportunity to scale. Revolution Places’ typical investment is in the $25-50 million range, and it is usually the majority shareholder. Across all funds and business areas, Revolution’s philosophy is that “Consumers drive the changes in the marketplace; Revolution serves as the engine”.