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Avant Arte
Avant Arte is a digital platform for collectors, artists, and gallerists to connect.
Jeremy Levine is a partner in Bessemer’s New York office. He joined the firm in 2001 and focuses primarily on software and Internet opportunities. He has led investments for Bessemer in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
Five of his early stage investments—LinkedIn, MindBody, Pinterest, Shopify and Yelp—grew into billion-dollar publicly traded companies. In addition, he has also served on the boards of several portfolio companies before they were acquired by larger corporations such as Amazon, Cox, Sony and Naspers.
Jeremy graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in computer science and economics.
Learn more about many of the entrepreneurs Jeremy has backed by listening to This is Series A and hear more about his investing outlook and Bessemer’s approach to the venture capital business on this episode of Invest Like the Best.
The oldest of four siblings born within five and a half years of each other, Jeremy grew up in a lively household filled with constant companionship and friendly competition. This close-knit family dynamic shaped Jeremy’s outlook on life, instilling in him the values of teamwork and responsibility from an early age. On the basketball court, Jeremy and his younger brothers grew up playing against each other, and eventually played together as teammates on the high school varsity team.
Jeremy’s approach to uncovering promising startups comes from an unexpected experience: being a sports journalist in college. At Duke, he honed his ability to spot and share compelling narratives while covering sports games and the athletes. Now, Jeremy applies his reporter’s instinct to the world of startups, always searching for entrepreneurs with serendipitous insights and unconventional ideas.
In 2005, when Yelp was just a fledgling San Francisco startup with 8 employees, Jeremy sent a cold email to Yelp co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman. Jeremy was impressed by the platform’s ability to foster detailed, high-quality user generated content. This was not the norm. Despite Yelp’s co-founders being well-known members of “PayPal Mafia,” local investors had passed on the opportunity. But despite the views of others, Jeremy was convinced that Yelp could be a valuable media business and decided to lead their Series A. Just seven years later, Yelp went public and Jeremy Stoppelman continues to lead Yelp as its CEO today.
In late 2006, when LinkedIn was around an 80-person company, Jeremy saw an opportunity to lead their Series C. He tried to persuade the two existing venture investors to invest in the round alongside Bessemer, but the insiders didn’t participate, which made Jeremy nervous. Did they know something he didn’t know? LinkedIn grew into a public company and was later acquired by Microsoft for $26.2 billion, so in hindsight – this experience reinforced Jeremy’s belief in the power of independent thought and building your own conviction, teaching him that sometimes the best opportunities come from seeing what others overlook.
Early in his investing career at Bessemer, Jeremy focused on identifying promising companies and convincing entrepreneurs to partner with him. Over the last 20 years, he’s had a front-row seat watching founders navigate challenges and build billion-dollar publicly traded companies like LinkedIn, MindBody, Pinterest, Shopify, and Yelp. Now, in the second half of his career, Jeremy not only continues to invest and guide founders but also dedicates his time mentoring fellow investors at Bessemer.
Whether it’s cycling through the mountains of Mallorca, camping in the Moroccan desert, or navigating the dense streets of the Medina in Fez, Jeremy loves going on adventures with his wife and three kids. These annual trips are more than just vacations – they’re a chance to explore different parts of the world, challenge comfort zones, and strengthen family bonds.
Invest Like the Best with Patrick O’Shaughnessy: Bessemer Venture Partners – Building a VC Firm that Lasts Centuries on Apple Podcasts
Fortune: Exclusive: How to get (and keep) a VC job, with Bessemer partner Jeremy Levine