Observed Signal · May 12, 2026 · Funding · Source: techcrunch · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
A* Capital Closes $450M Fund III
A* Capital, the early-stage venture firm run by Kevin Hartz and Bennet Siegel, has closed its third fund at $450 million. The generalist fund will write average checks of $3–5 million and aims to back at least 30 startups, deploying capital over the next two to three years. Publicly named limited partners include Carnegie Mellon University alongside nonprofits, foundations and endowments. A* Capital was founded in 2020 and previously raised a $315 million Fund II in 2024 and a $300 million Fund I in 2021. The firm invests across AI applications, fintech, healthcare and security and has backed companies such as Ramp and Mercor.
A sizable VC fund close ($450M) signals continued venture capital activity and available startup capital across sectors (AI, fintech, healthcare), but it is sector-agnostic and not directly impactful to core AdTech/MarTech infrastructure or major platform policy.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- A* Capital announced the close of Fund III at $450 million on May 12, 2026.
- Fund III will target average check sizes of $3 million to $5 million and aims to back at least 30 startups.
- Capital from Fund III will be deployed over the next two to three years.
- Publicly named limited partners include Carnegie Mellon University; other LPs include nonprofits, foundations and endowments.
- A* Capital was founded in 2020 and previously raised a $315 million Fund II (2024) and a $300 million Fund I (2021).
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