A-Grade Investments

Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and Ron Burkle had invested in private equity deals individually, then, in 2010, formed A-Grade Investments to invest in technology startups as a group.{{cite web|last1=Hampp|first1=Andrew|title=Guy Oseary and Ashton Kutcher's A-GRade Receives $100 Million Valuation|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/1560144/guy-oseary-and-ashton-kutchers-a-grade-receives-100|website=Billboard.com|access-date=16 August 2014}}

In 2012, Kutcher, Oseary and Burkle raised additional capital A-Grade from several billionaires, including David Geffen and Mark Cuban.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

On May 1, 2013, onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC, Kutcher and Oseary confirmed rumors that the fund was valued at over $100 million.{{cite news|last1=Dillet|first1=Romain|title=Ashton Kutcher's A-Grade Fund Raising At $100 Million Valuation|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/01/ashton-kuchers-a-grade-fund-raising-at-100-million-valuation/|publisher=Techcrunch|date=2013-05-01}}

In March 2016, Forbes published a comprehensive article on A-Grade Investments, entitled "How Ashton Kutcher And Guy Oseary Built A $250 Million Portfolio With Startups Like Uber And Airbnb,"{{cite web|last1=Greenburg|first1=Zack O'Malley|title=How Ashton Kutcher And Guy Oseary Built A $250 Million Portfolio With Startups Like Uber And Airbnb|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2016/03/23/how-ashton-kutcher-and-guy-oseary-built-a-250-million-portfolio-with-startups-like-uber-and-airbnb/#3cefa2d44ae1|work=Forbes|access-date=April 19, 2016}} with Kutcher appearing on the cover of the magazine, which became the most-widely read issue in Forbes’ 99-year history.{{cite web|last1=Lane|first1=Randall|title=Under 30 Summit: Ashton Kutcher Just Kicked Off Greatest-Ever Competition For Young Entrepreneurs|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/randalllane/2016/08/15/under-30-summit-ashton-kutcher-just-kicked-off-greatest-ever-competition-for-young-entrepreneurs/#125878933c84|work=Forbes|access-date=August 15, 2016}} The Forbes article states that the team turned $30m into $250m.

Among its portfolio companies, A-Grade has invested in Spotify, Uber, Shazam, Couple, SoundCloud, Muse, and Airbnb.

The firm’s primary targets are consumer-focused businesses that change the way consumers share information, or that disrupt traditional marketplaces.{{cite news|last1=Rushton|first1=Katherine|title=Ashton Kutcher reveals the art of technology investment|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/10540732/Ashton-Kutcher-reveals-the-art-of-technology-investment.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2013-12-28}}

In a 2011 interview with The New York Times, Kutcher said, “I look for companies that solve problems in intelligent and friction-free ways and break boundaries.”{{cite news|last1=Wortham|first1=Jenna|title=An Actor Who Knows Start-Ups|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/technology/26ashton.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2011-05-25}}

In a 2013 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Kutcher said, “If we can create efficiencies in that which is mundane, then we accelerate our paths to happiness. The companies that will ultimately do well are the companies that chase happiness. If you find a way to help people find love, or health or friendship, the dollar will chase that.”

• Katango, acquired, 2011{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/10/google-acquires-katango-the-automatic-friend-sorter/|title=Google Acquires Katango, The Automatic Friend Sorter|first=Jason|last=Kincaid|website=Techcrunch.com|date=10 November 2011 |access-date=14 November 2017}}
• GroupMe, acquired, 2011{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/08/23/what-skype-really-paid-for-groupme/|title=What Skype Really Paid For GroupMe|first=Michael|last=Arrington|website=Techcrunch.com|date=23 August 2011 |access-date=14 November 2017}}
• Socialcam, acquired, 2012{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/07/17/socialcam-autodesk-60-million/|title=Mobile Video Sharing App Socialcam Acquired By Autodesk For $60 Million|first=Ryan|last=Lawler|website=Techcrunch.com|date=17 July 2012 |access-date=14 November 2017}}
• Bufferbox, acquired, 2012{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/30/google-acquires-waterloo-based-e-commerce-startup-amazon-locker-competitor-and-yc-graduate-bufferbox/|title=Google Acquires Waterloo-Based E-Commerce Startup, Amazon Locker Competitor And YC Graduate BufferBox|first=Darrell|last=Etherington|website=Techcrunch.com|date=30 November 2012 |access-date=14 November 2017}}
• Summly, acquired, 2013{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/business/media/nick-daloisio-17-sells-summly-app-to-yahoo.html|title=Nick D'Aloisio, 17, Sells Summly App to Yahoo|first=Brian|last=Stelter|date=25 March 2013|access-date=14 November 2017|website=The New York Times}}
• Interaxon (Muse)
• Nest, acquired, 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-to-buy-nest-labs-for-32-billion-1389648107|title=Google to Buy Nest Labs for $3.2 Billion|first1=Rolfe|last1=Winkler|first2=Daisuke|last2=Wakabayashi|date=13 January 2014|access-date=14 November 2017|website=Wsj.com}}
• Gyft, acquired, 2014{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/30/first-data-acquires-mobile-gift-card-platform-gyft/|title=First Data Acquires Mobile Gift Card Platform Gyft|first=Sarah|last=Perez|website=Techcrunch.com|date=30 July 2014 |access-date=14 November 2017}}
• SmartThings, acquired, 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2014/08/14/samsung-smartthings-acquisition-2/|title=Samsung Acquires SmartThings, A Fast-Growing Home Automation Startup|first=Aaron|last=Tilley|website=Forbes.com|access-date=14 November 2017}}

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• {{official website}}

{{Private equity and venture capital}}

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Category:Venture capital firms of the United States

Category:Companies based in Los Angeles

Category:Financial services companies established in 2010

Category:Private equity firms of the United States

Category:2010 establishments in California