HubSpot launches HubSpot Ventures, a $30 million investment fund to support customer-first startups

HubSpot, a developer of cloud-based, inbound marketing software that allows businesses to transform the way that they market online, announced today the launch of HubSpot Ventures, a $30 million fund that aims to bolster and expand the impact of startups focused not just on growing bigger, but on growing better. Through the venture fund, HubSpot will seek out companies that take the long-view on success by putting their customers first, investing in an inclusive company culture, and delivering highly differentiated products.

Founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, HotSpot is a fast growth platform that provides software products for inbound marketing and sales, social media marketing, content management, web analytics and search engine optimization. Its service portfolio includes social media publishing and monitoring, blogging, SEO, website content management, email marketing, marketing automation, and reporting and analytics. HubSpot’s sales application enables sales and service teams to have effective conversations with leads and prospects.

As part of the investment fund, HubSpot Ventures will invest in high potential businesses that bring value to the expanding HubSpot ecosystem. “We’re not looking for quick wins with this fund,” said Andrew Lindsay, VP of Corporate and Business Development at HubSpot. “Yes, we’re investing in companies that we believe will lead to a positive return on investment, but more than just that, we’re investing in companies that are committed to our philosophy of growing better.”

The investment criteria reflect HubSpot’s belief that the strongest companies today achieve success by staying laser focused on serving their customers. The fund will support companies that are dedicated to building long-term customer relationships instead of optimizing for quarterly numbers or other short-term goals. Portfolio companies must, among other criteria:

• Align with our mission to help millions of organizations grow better
• Have potential to deliver unique value to the HubSpot community
• Be building a leading SaaS-based product
• Embody the values in HubSpot’s Customer Code and Culture Code
• Be raising a Seed, Series A, or Series B round with a notable lead investor

“The best businesses today focus not just on growing bigger, but growing better – by putting customers first. Growth that sacrifices the customer experience isn’t really growth – it’s debt,” said Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot. “With HubSpot Ventures, we’re seeking out startups that are aligned with our mission to help millions of organizations grow better and add value to the ecosystem of companies benefiting from the HubSpot platform.”

In evaluating companies for investment, HubSpot Ventures will prioritize early stage companies raising funding for a seed, Series A, or Series B round. Investments in later stage rounds, such as Series C and later, will be limited. After the organization receives an initial investment, HubSpot Ventures will also act as a mentor. The portfolio company will be provided with personalized assessments and coaching from HubSpot experts to give them the tools they need to continue to grow better.

HubSpot is one of those startup companies you probably never heard of. In 2017, the startup company posted a revenue of $375 million. HubSpot is predicted to surpass revenue of $500 million in 2018. Over 52,000 total customers in more than 100 countries use HubSpot software, services, and support to transform the way they attract, engage, and delight customers.