Starting Line
Emerging managerSEC exempt reporting adviser (venture capital exemption).
- Website
- http://www.startingline.vc
- HQ
- IL
Starting Line invests with strong conviction at the earliest stage, leading seed rounds for founders in categories and industries before they are mainstream or well understood. Its partners are Ezra Galston, Haley Kwait Zollo, and Scott Holloway, with venture partners Ade Olonoh and Matt Maloney. The portfolio spans consumer marketplaces, fintech, and AI tools, including Cameo, Hitch, SpotHero, Hoop, and M1.
01 · Says / Does
| Tag | Says | Does | Historically (to 2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stages | Seed | Not enough dated deals | Seed, Series A |
| Sectors | AI applications, Consumer | Not enough dated deals | Consumer, Ecommerce, Fintech, Media |
| Regions | Not stated | Not enough dated deals | IL |
Says: what the firm's funds state. Does: from 0 dated deals in the last 24 months.
Historical focus (through 2020), derived from historical deal data.
| Year | Deals | Top sectors |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | Consumer, Ecommerce, Medical devices |
| 2018 | 4 | Fintech, Marketplaces, Media |
| 2019 | 4 | Consumer, Climate hardware, Logistics |
| 2020 | 3 | Consumer, Digital health, Ecommerce |
Stage mix over time
- Pre-seed
- Seed
- Series A
- Series B
- Growth
| Year | Pre-seed | Seed | Series A | Series B | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
02 · Fund history
| Fund | Year | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. Starting Line invests at the earliest stage, leading seed rounds for founders in categories and industries before they become mainstream or well understood. Inferred from the firm's website | 2023 | $24.45M to $40M (Form D) | Open, writing first checks |
| Starting Line Fund III, L.P. Starting Line invests at the earliest stage, leading seed rounds for founders in categories and industries before they become mainstream or well understood. Inferred from the firm's website | 2023 | $24.45M to $40M (Form D) | Open, writing first checks |
| Starting Line Fund II, L.P. | approx. 2020 | $30M (Form D) | Follow-ons only |
03 · People across funds
- Ezra Galston, partner
Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. (Named on Form D); Starting Line Fund III, L.P. (Named on Form D); Starting Line Fund II, L.P. (Named on Form D)
- Ade Olonoh, Venture Partner
Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund III, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund II, L.P. (Team)
- Haley Kwait Zollo, PARTNER
Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund III, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund II, L.P. (Team)
- Matt Maloney, VENTURE PARTNER
Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund III, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund II, L.P. (Team)
- Scott Holloway, Partner
Starting Line Fund III-A, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund III, L.P. (Team); Starting Line Fund II, L.P. (Team)
04 · Recent deals
No dated deals found yet.
05 · Latest from the firm
No news from the firm's website yet.
06 · Sources
Fund dates and sizes are from SEC Form D filings.
Last verified: Oct 28, 2026