16 ecommerce investors active in Los Angeles DTC brands in 2026

LA's ecommerce sector raised $1.8B across 220+ deals in 2025. Most capital went to DTC consumer brands and marketplace platforms. The ecosystem favors fashion, beauty, and home goods over B2B commerce tools. You won't raise from Powerhouse Capital or M13 without proof of product-market fit and solid unit economics.

Quick list

Why LA works for ecommerce fundraising

Los Angeles is the third-largest ecommerce hub in the US after San Francisco and New York. The city pulled $1.8B in ecommerce investments during 2025, with DTC brands taking 55% of total deal volume. Average seed rounds hit $3.5M for consumer brands, lower than SF but higher than Austin.

LA's advantage is creative talent and influencer networks. You've got access to content creators, designers, and brand strategists who understand consumer psychology. Most LA ecommerce investors expect strong brand identity and Instagram-ready product design before writing checks. The downside is they want to see $50K+ monthly revenue at seed stage, higher than other markets.

Santa Monica and Culver City host most ecommerce VCs. Venice has emerged for sustainability-focused brands. LA investors move at similar speeds to SF - 6-8 weeks from first meeting to term sheet. Fashion and beauty brands get funded easily here, B2B commerce tools need more traction.

Picking the right LA ecommerce investor

Local presence matters less for ecommerce than other sectors. Many LA deals happen remotely since brands can ship product samples for evaluation. However, investors like Powerhouse and M13 prefer in-person meetings to understand founder chemistry and brand vision. Remote pitches work if you've got $100K+ monthly revenue.

Portfolio companies should include DTC brands in your category. Check if they backed Alo Yoga, Daily Harvest, or Ruggable. Those relationships mean they understand LA's creative ecosystem and can intro you to influencer marketing agencies. Powerhouse Capital knows every major content creator in LA - that network drives customer acquisition for their portfolio brands.

Check sizes in LA ecommerce range from $500K for pre-launch brands to $20M for growth rounds. Seed rounds average $3.5M, Series A hits $8-15M. Fashion and beauty brands raise 40% more than home goods at seed stage. Most LA investors write $2-4M initial checks and reserve 2x for follow-ons. Upload your deck to Ellty and create trackable links for each investor. You'll see who actually reviews your unit economics versus just skimming your brand story.

Local network access includes influencer connections, creative agencies, and logistics partners. M13 can intro you to top Instagram creators, Greycroft connects you to Whole Foods buyers, TCG opens conversations with retail chains. These intros matter more than the capital for early-stage brands.

Follow-on capacity exists in LA for Series B but you'll need SF or NYC investors for $30M+ rounds. Powerhouse and M13 have deep pockets for growth rounds, smaller funds like CrossCut and Bonfire typically don't lead past Series A. Plan your cap table with this in mind.

How to find and approach LA ecommerce investors

Research local deals through TechCrunch's DTC coverage and LA Business Journal. Check which funds led rounds for Alo Yoga, Daily Harvest, and Ruggable. Those investors are actively deploying in LA ecommerce. Crunchbase shows Powerhouse backed 12 LA brands in 2025 alone.

Leverage local ecosystem through Built In LA and LA Tech Week events. Most LA ecommerce deals originate from warm intros at brand showcases, not cold emails. Join DTC LA meetups in Venice - founders share which VCs actually respond. The best intros come from other portfolio founders who can vouch for your brand quality.

Build relationships first by attending Powerhouse Capital's portfolio events and M13's brand summits. LA ecommerce investors want to see your product and understand your brand story before discussing valuation. Share an Ellty link with your deck and product lookbook after initial meetings. Track which investors spend time on your customer acquisition costs versus skipping to revenue projections.

Attend local events like LA Tech Week, DTC Summit West, and Brand Minds LA. These aren't networking mixers - deals actually close here. Skip the small Shopify meetups unless you need technical help. Powerhouse hosts quarterly brand showcases where you'll meet their investment team and portfolio founders.

Connect with portfolio founders at Alo Yoga, Daily Harvest, and Reformation. They'll tell you Powerhouse expects $2M annual revenue before Series A, M13 wants clear path to $10M within 18 months, Greycroft only funds food brands with retail distribution partnerships. This saves you months of pitching the wrong investors.

Organize due diligence materials before first meetings. Set up an Ellty data room with your financial model, customer cohort analysis, and product roadmap. LA ecommerce investors want to see LTV/CAC ratios under 3:1 and contribution margin above 30% in the first conversation. Email threads with scattered Google Drive links kill momentum. If you want to control who actually sees your materials, you need a strategy to prevent PDF forwarding.

Understand local pace - LA ecommerce investors take 6-10 weeks from first meeting to term sheet. That's similar to SF consumer investors but faster than traditional retail VCs. They'll want to test your product, review customer reviews, and understand your supply chain. When they ask for updated metrics, share refreshed data through your Ellty link so you can see which investors are seriously evaluating your brand versus just being polite.

LA ecommerce investors vs other markets

LA ecommerce investors strongly prefer visually-driven consumer brands over utilitarian products. If you're selling commodity goods without strong brand identity, you'll struggle here. That's different from SF where marketplace efficiency can carry you to seed rounds.

Most LA funds close deals in 6-10 weeks versus 4-6 in SF for proven brands. They want deeper diligence on brand positioning and creative strategy. Competition is moderate - fewer ecommerce brands than SF but investors are pickier about aesthetics and influencer appeal.

Fashion and beauty get 60% of LA ecommerce funding. Food and beverage brands raise easily if they have Whole Foods or Erewhon distribution. Home goods brands need stronger unit economics than other categories. B2B commerce tools get overlooked - better to pitch those in SF.

16 top ecommerce investors in Los Angeles

1. Powerhouse Capital

Powerhouse is LA's dominant DTC investor with $500M+ deployed in lifestyle brands and they only back founders with strong creative vision.

• Recent Deals: Alo Yoga $100M Series B (2024), Vuori expansion rounds, Aura Bora $20M Series A (2023)
• LinkedIn: Marta Bulaich
• Sector Focus: Fashion, Fitness, Beauty, Wellness brands
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Culver City, California
• Website: powerhouse.capital

2. M13

M13 backs consumer brands with massive category potential and they're one of the few LA funds writing $10M+ growth checks.

• Recent Deals: The Farmer's Dog $223M Series D (2021), Ring acquisition support, Bonobos early rounds
• LinkedIn: Courtney Reum
• Sector Focus: Consumer goods, Pet products, Home brands, Health products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: m13.co

3. Greycroft

Greycroft invests in consumer brands across food, fashion, and lifestyle with a focus on category creation.

• Recent Deals: Daily Harvest $43M Series C (2019), Thrive Market investments, Hungryroot Series B
• LinkedIn: Dana Settle
• Sector Focus: Food & beverage, Fashion, Marketplace platforms, Subscription commerce
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: greycroft.com

4. Upfront Ventures

Upfront backs marketplace platforms and consumer brands with strong network effects.

• Recent Deals: Wish growth rounds, Maker Studios acquisition, LA marketplace companies
• LinkedIn: Mark Suster
• Sector Focus: Marketplaces, Consumer brands, Retail tech
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: upfront.com

5. CrossCut Ventures

CrossCut focuses on LA consumer brands and marketplace platforms with seed and Series A checks.

• Recent Deals: Italic $13M Series A (2020), Sidecar Health investments, LA DTC brands
• LinkedIn: Brian Garrett
• Sector Focus: DTC brands, Marketplaces, Consumer products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: crosscut.vc

6. Bonfire Ventures

Bonfire invests in LA consumer brands and mobility companies with practical approaches to growth.

• Recent Deals: Super73 $20M Series B (2021), Tapcart Series A, LA consumer startups
• LinkedIn: Jim Andelman
• Sector Focus: Consumer brands, Mobility, DTC products
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: bonfire.vc

7. Mantis VC

Mantis backs unconventional consumer brands with strong cultural positioning and founder-led growth.

• Recent Deals: Liquid Death $67M Series C (2022), Athletic Brewing investments, alternative beverage brands
• LinkedIn: Michael Medici
• Sector Focus: Beverage brands, Alternative products, Lifestyle brands
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: mantisvc.com

8. The Chernin Group

TCG invests in consumer brands and media companies with focus on category-defining products.

• Recent Deals: Ruggable growth rounds, Headspace Series B (2017), Barstool Sports acquisition
• LinkedIn: Jesse Jacobs
• Sector Focus: Home goods, Media brands, Consumer products
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: tcg.com

9. GP Bullhound

GP Bullhound backs consumer marketplaces and commerce platforms with European and US presence.

• Recent Deals: Depop pre-Etsy acquisition, StockX investments, resale commerce platforms
• LinkedIn: Martin Saidler
• Sector Focus: Marketplaces, Resale commerce, Fashion platforms
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: gpbullhound.com

10. Plus Capital

Plus invests in sustainable consumer brands and fashion companies with strong unit economics.

• Recent Deals: Reformation Series C (2019), sustainable fashion brands, LA apparel startups
• LinkedIn: Tom Serres
• Sector Focus: Sustainable fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle brands
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Santa Monica, California
• Website: plus.vc

11. Wavemaker Partners

Wavemaker backs consumer brands and retail tech across LA and Southeast Asia markets.

• Recent Deals: Multiple LA fashion brands, beauty DTC startups, cross-border commerce platforms
• LinkedIn: Paul Santos
• Sector Focus: Fashion, Beauty, Cross-border commerce
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: wavemaker.vc

12. Bullish

Bullish invests in female-founded consumer brands with focus on solving real problems for women.

• Recent Deals: ThirdLove $8M Series A (2014), female-led DTC brands, wellness products
• LinkedIn: Elizabeth Galbut
• Sector Focus: Women's products, Beauty, Wellness, Apparel
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: bullish.vc

13. Harlem Capital

Harlem Capital backs diverse founders building consumer brands and focuses on underrepresented entrepreneurs.

• Recent Deals: Partake Foods seed round, diverse LA consumer brands, food and beverage startups
• LinkedIn: Henri Pierre-Jacques
• Sector Focus: Consumer brands, Food & beverage, Diverse founders
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: harlem.capital

14. Fifth Wall

Fifth Wall invests in real estate commerce and home goods brands alongside proptech companies.

• Recent Deals: Living Spaces expansion, home furnishing brands, proptech platforms
• LinkedIn: Brendan Wallace
• Sector Focus: Home goods, Furniture, Real estate commerce
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: fifthwall.com

15. HiBridge Capital

HiBridge focuses on cross-border commerce and fast-fashion platforms with China connections.

• Recent Deals: Shein US operations investments, cross-border commerce platforms, fashion marketplaces
• LinkedIn: Henry Guo
• Sector Focus: Cross-border commerce, Fast fashion, International marketplaces
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Los Angeles, California
• Website: hibridgecap.com

16. Science Inc

Science builds and invests in consumer brands and DTC companies from their Culver City studio.

• Recent Deals: DogVacay (Rover acquisition), Dollar Shave Club early rounds, multiple DTC brands
• LinkedIn: Mike Jones
• Sector Focus: Consumer brands, DTC products, Marketplaces
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Culver City, California
• Website: science-inc.com

Start tracking your LA ecommerce investor outreach

These 16 investors closed 180+ LA ecommerce deals in 2024-2025. Before you start pitching Santa Monica and Culver City funds, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each LA ecommerce investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your unit economics and customer acquisition strategy. LA ecommerce investors typically spend more time on brand positioning and visual identity than pure financial metrics - your analytics will reveal which investors care more about creative execution versus profitability.

When Powerhouse or M13 asks for your customer cohort data, financial model, and product roadmap, share an Ellty data room instead of emailing attachments. Your LTV/CAC analysis, contribution margin breakdown, and supply chain details in one secure place with view analytics. You'll know which investors are seriously evaluating your brand versus just being polite after one product demo.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in LA to raise from LA ecommerce investors?

Not required and many LA ecommerce deals happen with remote brands. Location matters less for DTC brands than software companies since investors evaluate product and brand regardless of founder location. However, being in LA helps for intro meetings and portfolio events. If you're outside LA, focus on Powerhouse or M13 - they back remote brands frequently.

How does LA compare to SF for ecommerce fundraising?

LA investors care more about brand aesthetics and cultural positioning. SF investors focus more on marketplace efficiency and technical moats. LA writes smaller seed checks ($3.5M average vs $5M in SF) but offers better access to influencer networks and creative talent. Raise in LA if you're building a lifestyle brand, SF if you're building a marketplace platform.

What's the average seed round size for LA ecommerce brands?

$3.5M for DTC brands with early traction, $2M for pre-launch brands with strong founder teams, $5M+ for brands with proven product-market fit and retail distribution. Fashion and beauty brands raise 40% more than home goods. First-time founders without prior brand experience rarely raise above $1.5M in LA.

Should I raise from LA investors or go straight to SF?

Raise in LA if you're building a consumer brand with strong visual identity and influencer appeal. LA investors provide better support for brand building and content creation than SF VCs. Go to SF if you need larger seed checks ($5M+) or you're building marketplace infrastructure instead of branded products. Don't split the difference - pick one market and focus there.

Do LA ecommerce investors expect in-person meetings?

Not always for ecommerce brands. Many LA investors will take Zoom calls for initial meetings if you ship product samples ahead of time. However, Powerhouse and M13 prefer in-person meetings for serious evaluation. Plan to visit LA for 2-3 days once you're in late-stage diligence. Some funds like CrossCut and Bonfire are more flexible with remote processes.

What revenue do I need before raising seed rounds in LA?

Most LA ecommerce investors want to see $50K+ monthly revenue before seed discussions. Some like Powerhouse will fund pre-revenue brands if you have strong founder pedigree or previous brand success. Fashion and beauty brands can raise with $30K monthly revenue if unit economics are strong. Food brands typically need $100K+ monthly and retail partnerships before seed rounds.