【AI前沿】Kevin Hartz’s A* just closed its third fund with $450M

In BriefPosted:11:45 AM PDT · May 12, 2026Image Credits:A* Star CapitalDominic-Madori DavisKevin Hartz’s A* just closed its third fund with $450MEarly-stage venture firm A* on Tuesday announced a$450 million Fund III. The firm takes a generalist approach, backing companies across categories such as AI applications, fintech, healthcare, and security.The average check size for this fund will be between $3 million and $5 million, with the aim to back at least 30 startups. The capital will be deployed over the next two to three years, as with the firm’s previous funds. Limited partners include nonprofits, foundations, and endowments; Carnegie Mellon University is among the publicly named backers.A*, founded in 2020 and run by Kevin Hartz and Bennett Siegel, previously raised a$315 million Fund IIin 2024 and a $300 million Fund I in 2021. Hartz is a serial entrepreneur best known for co-founding Xoom, the international money-transfer service PayPal later acquired for $1.1 billion in 2015, and Eventbrite, the event-ticketing platform that went public in 2018. Siegel came up through Boston Consulting Group and Altamont Capital Partners before spending four years as a partner at Coatue Management.The firm has also drawn attention for backing unusually young founders, even as the practice has become more common since. Hartztold TechCrunch last fallthat close to 20% of the firm’s current portfolio involve teenage entrepreneurs. Among others of its investments, it has backed the fintech company Ramp and the AI firm Mercor.This story was updated to clarify the name of the firm.TopicsA* Capital,In Brief,Kevin Hartz,Startups,VentureMay 27Athens, GreeceStrictlyVC Athens is up next. Hear unfiltered insights straight from Europe’s tech leaders and connect with the people shaping what’s ahead. Lock in your spot before it’s gone.REGISTER NOWNewslettersSee MoreSubscribe for the industry’s biggest tech newsTechCrunch Daily NewsEvery weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.TechCrunch MobilityTechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.Startups WeeklyStartups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.StrictlyVCProvides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day.No newsletters selected.SubscribeBy submitting your email, you agree to ourTermsandPrivacy Notice.Latest in VentureIn BriefKevin Hartz’s A* just closed its third fund with $450MDominic-Madori Davis8 hours agoVentureAnthropic warns investors against secondary platforms offering access to its sharesRam Iyer9 hours agoVentureRiding an AI rally, Robinhood preps second retail venture IPOMarina Temkin1 day ago