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Bradley Tusk is a former political operative who currently\u00a0runs a consultancy<\/a> that helps Fortune 500 companies launch political-style campaigns, as well as a separate outfit, Tusk Ventures<\/a>, that that focuses on helping startups do the same.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the latter has until recently accepted its payment in equity only, thanks to Tusk\u2019s lucrative early work as an advisor to Uber, beginning in 2011. (CEO Uber Kalanick couldn\u2019t afford Tusk\u2019s fee at the time and asked if Tusk\u00a0would take his payment in shares. \u201cThank God I said yes,\u201d Tusk told the crowd at a\u00a0recent event<\/a> in San Francisco hosted by this editor.)<\/p>\n Still,\u00a0Tusk has also been raising an outside fund to support his growing appetite for startups, and according to one of his investors, Tusk Ventures quietly held a first close on\u00a0$25 million in capital commitments several months ago.<\/p>\n This person suggested that the fund isn\u2019t\u00a0likely to close with meaningfully more capital than that, and double the amount\u00a0at most.<\/p>\n Citing SEC rules, a\u00a0spokeswoman for Tusk\u00a0declined to comment on the fund.<\/p>\n Investors include primarily institutional investors, according to the LP, who is an individual investor but recently received his first annual letter to investors last week. In it, the firm highlights the four companies in which outside investors now own a stake.<\/p>\n These include\u00a0the daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel<\/a> (which announced plans to merge with DraftKings last year; apparently, the FTC is still analyzing<\/a> the potential tie-up); the insurance company Lemonade<\/a>;\u00a0Nexar<\/a>, a company whose app aims to keep cars from colliding<\/a>; and a startup that sends out personalized daily vitamin packs on a monthly basis, Care\/of<\/a>.<\/p>\n Altogether, Tusk Ventures has 22 companies in its portfolio, including medical marijuana delivery company\u00a0Eaze<\/a>;\u00a0AltSchool<\/a>, which is a network of for-profit schools;\u00a0and the marketplace for household service providers,\u00a0Handy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tusk Ventures is headed up\u00a0by managing partner Jordan Nof, who joined the firm two years ago, after spending five years with Blackstone Group as a director.<\/p>\n You can read its\u00a0annual\u00a0investor letter here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/08\/bradley-tusk.jpeg?w=680\")
Bradley Tusk is a former political operative who currently\u00a0runs a consultancy that helps Fortune 500 companies launch political-style campaigns, as well as a separate outfit, Tusk Ventures, that that focuses on helping startups do the same. Interestingly, the latter has until recently accepted its payment in equity only, thanks to Tusk’s lucrative early work as an advisor to Uber,… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/img><\/a>
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