Deckmetric
    Distribution

    500 Global

    500.co

    "Invest early, help with growth"

    500 Global focuses on startups with clear, scalable distribution strategies. They believe that great products fail without great distribution, and they invest in founders who understand their go-to-market motion deeply. With a global portfolio, they particularly value startups that can expand internationally.

    Founded
    2010
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    AUM
    $2.7B+
    Stage
    Pre-seed to Series A

    "Distribution is the true competitive advantage. Great products fail without it."

    DM
    Dave McClure
    Founding Partner, 500 Global

    Key Investment Principles

    Distribution First

    Great products need great distribution. GTM strategy is as important as product.

    Global Mindset

    The best opportunities often come from emerging markets or cross-border plays.

    Unit Economics

    Scalable businesses require healthy customer economics from early stages.

    Growth Loops

    Sustainable growth comes from systems that compound over time.

    What They Look For

    • Clear, repeatable distribution channels
    • Strong unit economics (LTV/CAC > 3)
    • Scalable go-to-market strategy
    • Global expansion potential
    • Growth loops and viral mechanics
    • Capital-efficient customer acquisition
    • Founders with growth mindset

    Red Flags

    • No clear distribution strategy
    • Unsustainable customer acquisition costs
    • Overreliance on single channel
    • No path to international markets
    • Burn rate without growth efficiency
    • Founders focused only on product, not distribution

    Scoring Dimensions

    Distribution Strategy
    30%

    Clarity and scalability of customer acquisition channels

    Unit Economics
    25%

    Customer lifetime value vs. acquisition cost ratios

    Global Potential
    20%

    Ability to expand internationally

    Growth Loops
    15%

    Viral and compound growth mechanics

    Capital Efficiency
    10%

    Burn multiple and runway management

    Look up these terms in the glossary

    Plain-English definitions for the jargon 500 Global investors lean on most.

    CAC
    LTV
    LTV:CAC Ratio
    Viral Coefficient
    Magic Number
    Sales-Led Growth

    Glossary terms that point to this page

    Other glossary entries link back to 500 Global through their related terms, jump straight to the definitions that reference this framework.

    Acquisition Channel
    CAC
    CAC Payback Period
    LTV:CAC Ratio
    LTV
    AARRR (Pirate Metrics)

    Pitch deck pillar pages

    How 500 Global weighs each of the slides investors weigh hardest, long-form deep dives.

    Pitch Deck Traction Slide
    Build a traction slide that proves the business is working: stage-appropriate metrics, the chart shape investors expect, and three failure patterns to avoid.
    Pitch Deck Market Slide
    Build a pitch deck market slide investors trust: TAM, SAM, SOM defined, the bottom-up calculation that beats top-down quotes, and the wedge narrative now.

    Investment Profile

    Ideal Founder

    Growth-minded founder with proven distribution expertise and global ambitions

    Typical Check Size

    $150K-$500K (accelerator), $1M-$5M (follow-on)

    Notable Portfolio Companies
    Canva
    Credit Karma
    Grab
    Talkdesk
    Udemy
    GitLab
    Pitch Deck Audit Kit · One-time
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