6 Top Advertising Angel Investors in the Advertising Sector
Looking for funding for your advertising startup? We've identified six active angel investors who frequently back companies in the advertising sector.
Rho Editorial Team
- Angel funding in advertising offers more than just capital; it can provide your startup with crucial industry connections and guidance from seasoned professionals.
- Some notable backers with experience in the advertising sector are Alexander Rosen, Jon Steinberg, Seth Levine, and Eric Hippeau, who have invested in a range of startups.
- If you’re raising or have just closed a round, our platform at Rho helps you manage your new capital with FDIC-insured accounts, corporate cards offering up to 2% cashback, automated bill pay, spend controls, and real-time accounting integrations.
For founders in the advertising and AdTech space, finding the right capital is crucial. Knowing which investors are active in your sector can make your fundraising process more effective.
Unlike many venture capital firms, angel investors often bring personal industry experience and can make quicker decisions. This can be a significant advantage for early-stage companies.
To help you get started, we've put together this overview of top angel investors in advertising. Use this guide as a starting point for your research before or during your fundraise.
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Top Advertising Angel Investors By Stage
Angel investors in advertising often back pre-seed and seed-stage companies, providing essential early capital and mentorship. Knowing which investors are active at your stage helps you build a more targeted list for your fundraise.
Pre-seed Angel Investors in Advertising
Pre-seed funding is the earliest capital a startup raises, often used to turn an idea into a tangible product. For founders in the advertising space, investors like Jon Steinberg and Ian Schafer are known to back companies at this initial stage.
Seed Stage Angel Investors in Advertising
Seed funding is used to find product-market fit and grow the team, and it's one of the most common startup funding types for angel investment. Angel investors active in the advertising seed stage include Marvin Liao, Seth Levine, and Eric Hippeau.
Series A Angel Investors in Advertising
A Series A round is for scaling a business that has already demonstrated a strong product and market traction. You might find investors like Alexander Rosen and Jon Steinberg participating in this stage for advertising startups.
Series B Angel Investors in Advertising
Series B funding is growth capital for companies that have met their Series A milestones and are ready to scale aggressively. While many angels focus on earlier stages, some, like Seth Levine and Alexander Rosen, have participated in later rounds for promising tech companies.
It's also common to find that some angel investors are flexible, participating across multiple funding stages depending on the opportunity.
To help with your research, here is more information on top angel investors in the advertising sector. You'll find details on their investment stages, areas of focus, and location, as well as what makes each investor a compelling choice for founders.
1. Alexander Rosen
Alexander Rosen is a Managing Director and Co-Founder at Ridge Ventures, bringing extensive experience from his time at firms like General Atlantic and Sprout Group. He is a seasoned investor in the enterprise technology space, with a background in both finance and engineering.
Rosen primarily invests in Seed and Series A rounds, with a focus on sectors like SaaS, AI, and MarketingTech. He often participates in later funding stages for his portfolio companies, as seen with his investments in SafeGraph and Uplift, signaling long-term support for founders.
He may be a good match for founders building enterprise-focused companies who are looking for an experienced partner for their early-stage funding rounds. His firm, Ridge Ventures, is known for backing founders with deep market expertise.
- Investment stages: Seed, Series A
- Industries of focus: Advertising, MarketingTech, SaaS, AI, Enterprise, Data Services
- Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
- Ideal investment range: $1M - $7.0M
- Notable portfolio companies: SafeGraph, OfferFit, Outlier
- Investor profile: Managing Director and Co-Founder at Ridge Ventures
You can find more information on Alexander Rosen through his LinkedIn profile or the Ridge Ventures website.
2. Jon Steinberg
Jon Steinberg is an angel investor with deep operational roots in media and advertising. He is the founder and CEO of Cheddar Inc. and previously served as President and COO of BuzzFeed, giving him firsthand experience building companies in this space.
His investment approach is shaped by his background as an operator, with a focus on pre-seed and seed-stage advertising companies. He often backs founders building new media or ad-tech platforms, as seen in his investment in the CRM platform boostr.
Steinberg is a great potential match for founders who value an investor with direct experience scaling media businesses. His background suggests he can provide practical guidance beyond just capital.
- Investment stages: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
- Industries of focus: Advertising, Media
- Geographical presence: New York City
- Ideal investment range: $5K - $50K
- Notable portfolio companies: boostr, Ethyca
- Investor profile: Founder & CEO at Cheddar Inc., former President & COO at BuzzFeed
You can find more information on Jon Steinberg through his LinkedIn or AngelList profile.
3. Seth Levine
Seth Levine is a partner at Foundry VC, a venture capital firm based in Boulder, Colorado. He is known for investing across a broad spectrum of technology sectors, from advertising and e-commerce to FinTech and Web3.
Levine typically invests in Seed and Series A rounds, and his portfolio shows a pattern of participating in later-stage rounds for companies like Sovrn and Blocknative. This suggests a commitment to supporting founders through multiple stages of growth.
He could be a good partner for founders building technology companies in his areas of interest who are looking for an investor with a long-term perspective. His firm's broad network can be valuable for early-stage teams.
- Investment stages: Seed, Series A
- Industries of focus: Advertising, SaaS, FinTech, E-commerce, Web3/Crypto
- Geographical presence: Boulder, Colorado
- Ideal investment range: $100K - $5.0M
- Notable portfolio companies: Sovrn, Blocknative, FloatMe
- Investor profile: Partner at Foundry VC
You can find more information on Seth Levine through his LinkedIn profile or the Foundry VC website.
4. Eric Hippeau
Eric Hippeau is a managing partner at Lerer Hippeau, a prominent New York-based venture capital firm. With a background that includes serving as CEO of The Huffington Post, he brings significant media and operational experience to his investments.
Hippeau primarily invests in Seed and Series A rounds, with a clear interest in media, advertising, and social commerce. His portfolio, which includes companies like RebelMouse and Herb, shows a pattern of backing founders who are building new platforms in the content and media space.
He is an excellent potential investor for founders building companies in the New York tech ecosystem, especially those in media or advertising. His position at a major firm means founders gain access to a broad network and structured support.
- Investment stages: Seed, Series A
- Industries of focus: Advertising, Media/Content, Social Commerce, Games, Analytics
- Geographical presence: New York, New York
- Ideal investment range: $100K - $3.0M
- Notable portfolio companies: RebelMouse, Herb, WorkJam
- Investor profile: Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau
You can find more information on Eric Hippeau through his LinkedIn profile or the Lerer Hippeau website.
5. Ian Schafer
Ian Schafer is an angel investor and operator with deep roots in the advertising industry. He is the co-founder and CEO of Kindred, a community for ESG and DEI leaders, and previously founded the digital ad agency Deep Focus.
He concentrates on pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with a clear interest in advertising, media, and impact-driven startups. His background as a founder suggests he can provide hands-on guidance, particularly for companies in the ad-tech and media sectors like Paloma and Dash Radio.
Schafer is a great potential investor for early-stage founders who value operational expertise in advertising and community building. Founders building mission-focused companies may also find his experience with Kindred particularly relevant.
- Investment stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- Industries of focus: Advertising, Media/Content, Impact, ClimateTech/CleanTech
- Geographical presence: New York, New York
- Ideal investment range: $5K - $50K
- Notable portfolio companies: Paloma, Dash Radio, Hulah
- Investor profile: Co-founder & CEO at Kindred, former Founder & CEO at Deep Focus
You can find more information on Ian Schafer through his website or LinkedIn profile.
6. Marvin Liao
Marvin Liao is an investor with an exceptionally broad focus, backing companies across sectors from BioTech and IoT to Fashion and Food and Beverage. He primarily invests at the seed stage, providing early capital to a diverse set of founders.
A key aspect of his investment strategy is its sheer breadth, covering both consumer and enterprise technologies. His portfolio includes companies like the metaverse platform Ready Player Me, showing an interest in emerging tech trends.
Liao could be a good match for founders in nearly any sector who are raising a seed round. His wide-ranging experience suggests an open-minded approach to new ideas and business models.
- Investment stages: Seed
- Industries of focus: Advertising, MarketingTech, Consumer Internet, Developer Tools, BioTech
- Geographical presence: San Francisco Bay Area
- Ideal investment range: $10K - $500K
- Notable portfolio companies: Ready Player Me, Obie, Infraspeak
You can find more information on Marvin Liao through his website or LinkedIn profile.
What Startup Founders Should Look for in a Advertising Investor
When evaluating an advertising investor, look beyond the check they can write. The most valuable partners often bring direct operational experience from the media or ad-tech world. This firsthand knowledge can provide practical guidance that is just as important as the capital itself.
As you've seen, many active advertising investors are based in tech hubs like New York and the Bay Area. Many also focus on early-stage rounds but show a willingness to participate in later funding stages, signaling a commitment to long-term growth.
Your research should go deeper than an investor's industry focus. Consider their typical investment range, their network, and the kind of mentorship they offer. Finding the right fit is about aligning on multiple fronts, from funding stage to personal chemistry.
Ultimately, the goal is to find a partner who can help you scale. A well-aligned investor provides strategic support and connections that are critical for the advertising industry. Taking the time to find the right angel investors is a crucial step in your fundraising journey.
Raise Confidently with Rho
Building a focused list of relevant angel investors saves you valuable time and energy during your fundraise. This allows you to concentrate on the conversations that matter most for your advertising startup.
If you’ve just raised, Rho can help you set up your financial stack in minutes. Our platform offers business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay designed for growing companies.
This setup helps direct your new angel capital toward growth and operations. You can spend less time on manual financial admin and more on building your business.
FAQs about Advertising Angel Investors
Are there advertising angel investors outside of New York and San Francisco?
Yes, while major hubs are prominent, you can find angel investors in other growing tech cities. For example, cities like Austin and Boston have active angel communities interested in tech and media startups.
Do advertising angel investors fund AI-focused startups?
Many do. Investors are often interested in how new technology can improve the advertising space. Companies using generative AI or other machine learning tools to create more effective ad-tech platforms are attracting attention.
What's the difference between an angel investor and a VC for an ad-tech company?
Angels typically invest their own money in early-stage rounds and offer personal mentorship. VCs invest from a larger fund, often in later funding rounds, and provide more structured, firm-level support.
Do angel investors fund SaaS platforms for the advertising industry?
Yes, many angel investors are interested in B2B SaaS models. An advertising-focused SaaS platform that solves a clear pain point for agencies or brands can be a very attractive investment, especially for investors focused on SaaS.
How should I prepare for my first meeting with an advertising angel investor?
Have a clear pitch deck that explains your business model and market opportunity. Be ready to discuss your team's experience, your product's unique value, and how you plan to use the investment to grow your company.
How can I manage my finances after raising from an angel investor?
Once you've secured funding, it's important to have a solid financial system. Our platform helps you manage your new capital with business banking, corporate cards, and expense controls. You can get started with Rho in minutes.