About The Start Project
The Start Project, an accelerator and incubator program founded in 2005, is based in Mill Valley, United States. With a presence in 3 countries, it has supported around 15 startups in sectors like Enterprise Applications, High Tech. As of Oct 2026, The Start Project has 1 unicorn under its belt and has witnessed 6 portfolio exits. Most notable companies in
its portfolio include Pinterest, Patreon and ClassPass. The program is backed by a team of 3 people who primarily support Seed startups based in United States. Its latest investment was a Undisclosed Seed round in Taggable on Apr 19, 2010.
Key Metrics
Founded Year
2005
Location
Mill Valley, United States
Sectors of Investment
Stages of Investment
Seed
Locations of Investment
Unicorn in Portfolio
The Start Project's List of Top Investments
The Start Project has a portfolio of 15 companies, one of which is a Unicorn. Their most notable investments include Pinterest and Patreon.Their portfolio spans across United States, Sweden and United Kingdom. They have invested in Enterprise Applications, High Tech, Consumer and 14 other sectors, across stages such as Seed stage. Here is the list of top investments by The Start Project:
1. Pinterest
Visual discovery and planning website. It provides a platform for users to discover and save ideas, products, and services across various categories, including fashion, home decor, and lifestyle. The company offers a range of features and tools for both individual and business users, including advertising solutions, analytics, and content sharing capabilities.
Key facts about Pinterest
- Founded Year: 2010
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Annual Revenue: $1B+ as on Dec 31, 2025
- Stage: Public
- Total Funding till date: $1.47B
- Employee Count: 14,193 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: TrueBridge, Section Partners and 89 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Mar 03, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Public
2. Patreon
Provider of a reward-based crowdfunding platform for musicians and content creators. It allows users to invest in projects to avail returns in the form of pre-sold concert tickets, personal gifts, meet & greets, etc. The backers pledge a fixed amount every month to the chosen project. It is based on the ad revenue and per-stream payouts model. The application can be accessed on iOS and Android devices.
Key facts about Patreon
- Founded Year: 2013
- Location: San Francisco (United States)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series F
- Total Funding till date: $412M
- Employee Count: 1,218 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: Allen & Company, Atlas Venture and 60 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series F, Apr 06, 2021, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
3. ClassPass
ClassPass is a membership program for fitness classes across multiple gyms and studios. Members can access multiple varieties of classes and engagement in their fitness regime, all at a fixed price. Participating studios benefit by attracting new students and profitably filling excess capacity in classes. ClassPass has also started corporate membership programs.
Key facts about ClassPass
- Founded Year: 2013
- Location: New York City (United States)
- Last Known Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $550M
- Employee Count: 969 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: eversourcecap.com, Spur Capital and 64 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series E, Jan 08, 2020, $*****
- Highlight: Acquired
4. X
Platform that aggregates and curates a wide range of content, including news, entertainment, and opinions. It is an online platform providing real-time news, entertainment, and commentary to its audience, featuring a wide range of topics including breaking news, sports, politics, and more. The platform also allows for live commentary and engagement with users, as well as hosting conversations with notable figures and thought leaders.
Key facts about X
- Founded Year: 1999
- Location: Bastrop (United States)
- Annual Revenue: $1B+ as on Dec 31, 2021
- Last Known Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $1.14B
- Employee Count: 10,925 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: Silver Lake, TrueBridge and 86 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Mar 20, 2025, $*****
- Highlight: Acquired
Manufacturer of high-end audio equipment for home and automotive use. The company designs and produces loudspeakers, headphones, soundbars, and integrated in-vehicle audio systems. Products utilize advanced acoustic technologies and high-quality materials. A focus on accurate and realistic sound reproduction is central to the design philosophy. The company also collaborates with other luxury brands to develop bespoke audio solutions for their products.
Key facts about Bowers & Wilkins
- Founded Year: 1965
- Location: Worthing (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $57.6M
- Employee Count: 357 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: Summit Partners, Sofina and 3 Others
- Latest Funding Round: PE, Dec 09, 2011, $*****
- Highlight: Acquired
The Start Project's Investments by Stage
The Start Project has made 1 investment in Seed stage.The Start Project's Investments by Geography
The Start Project has made most investments in United States (1).The Start Project's recent investments
The Start Project has not made any investment in 2026 so far.Here are the most recent investments by The Start Project:
Filter this listDate | Company | Location | Round Details | Round Amount | Co-Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apr 19, 2010 | United States | Seed | 6624 | - |
Unicorns in The Start Project's Portfolio
The Start Project has 1 unicorn in its portfolio - Patreon. The most recent unicorn in their portfolio is Patreon which became a unicorn in 2020, 6 years before The Start Project first invested in it.Here is a list of unicorns in The Start Project's portfolio:
Tracxn Score | Company | Short Description | Founded year | Sector | Location | Company Stage | First Investment/ Acquisition Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
81 | Provider of a reward-based crowdfunding platform for musicians and content creators | 2013 | San Francisco | Series F | iszqdzs |
IPOs and Publicly Listed companies in The Start Project's Portfolio
1 of The Start Project's portfolio company became public - Pinterest. It got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), in Apr 2019 at marketcap of $1.42BHere are The Start Project's portfolio companies that went public:
Company | IPO Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apr 18, 2019 | - | - | 2194 |
Acquired companies in The Start Project's Portfolio
5 companies from The Start Project's portfolio have been acquired. The most recent acquisition was Bowers & Wilkins in May 2025 by Harman International for $*****.Here are The Start Project's portfolio companies that got acquired most recently:
Company | Acquisition Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
May 07, 2025 | - | - | 2274 | |
Mar 29, 2025 | - | - | 6255 | |
Sep 22, 2022 | - | - | 6305 | |
Oct 13, 2021 | - | - | 8888 | |
Dec 30, 2020 | - | - | 8889 |
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