Revolution LLC
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Investment management, Venture capital |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Steve Case, Donn Davis, Tige Savage |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Steve Case (Chairman and CEO) |
| Products | Investment funds (Revolution Ventures, Revolution Growth, Revolution Places) |
Revolution LLC is a United States-based investment company situated in Washington, D.C.. It was created in 2005 by entrepreneur and AOL co-founder Steve Case following his departure from the AOL Time Warner board. The firm dedicates its efforts to backing entrepreneurs who are revolutionizing traditional sectors through cutting-edge products and services, with a particular focus on businesses located outside conventional technology centers such as New York City, San Francisco, and Boston. Utilizing its Rise of the Rest initiative, Revolution draws upon a broad network of commercial and civic connections to identify investment opportunities and assist portfolio companies in scaling across the country. Among its prominent investments are LivingSocial, Zipcar, DraftKings, and sweetgreen.
Foundation
In 2005, Steve Case, notable entrepreneur and AOL co-founder, together with Donn Davis and Tige Savage, founded Revolution LLC. After playing a key role in orchestrating the landmark AOL-Time Warner merger—the largest merger ever recorded—Case stepped down from the AOL Time Warner board in 2003 following the merger's unsuccessful outcome, which is often cited as one of the most disastrous in corporate history. Upon leaving the board in 2005, Case established Revolution LLC, where he currently holds the positions of chairman and CEO. He leverages his strategic expertise to develop a venture capital firm aimed at fostering business expansion beyond major coastal regions.
Investment funds
Revolution manages three main investment vehicles, each with a specialized focus.
Revolution Ventures concentrates on early-stage technology ventures with investments below $10 million. Its "Rise of the Rest" seed fund has secured significant backing from investors such as Jeff Bezos and the Walton family.
Revolution Growth targets consumer technology companies in their growth phase with investments starting at $10 million. Initiated in 2011 with $450 million in capital, this fund generally invests in two to three firms annually, primarily located along the East Coast of the United States. Key portfolio companies include Sweetgreen, Bigcommerce, Optoro, Handybook, and PolicyGenius.
Revolution Places specializes in real estate and hospitality sector investments ranging from $25 million to $50 million, often acquiring controlling interests in its portfolio businesses.
Among Revolution’s diverse portfolio across its funds are companies such as Zipcar, LivingSocial, Waterfront Media, FedBid, Exclusive Resorts, Inspirato, Miraval, SparkPeople, Extend Health, BrainScope, AddThis, BenchPrep, Framebridge, SpareFoot, OrderUp, and Custom Ink.