Celebrities Who Excel at Investing

There is no question that some celebrities excel at making money, but not all of them do it solely in Hollywood. 2019 has brought us a 22 year old celebrity as the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, not from music or movies, but from her own makeup empire. And while some celebrities are more public about their wealth building skills, others are quiet about their investing success. Here is just a short list of celebrities who excel at investing:

Ashton Kutcher – While he started his career as a model and has several popular movies and TV successes under his belt, Kutcher is also a co-founder of A-Grade Investments and Sound Ventures. He has made over 70 investments in high-profile startups, including Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Shazam. In 2018, Kutcher’s firm set a target of $150 million for its second flagship fund.

Jay-Z – Jay-Z isn’t just a powerful influencer in the hip hop world, he is also a force in the business world. An experienced investor, he recently launched a new fund called Marcy Venture Partners. Previously he has backed several startups, including luggage maker Away, private plane company JetSmarter, and fintech company Robinhood.

Jessica Alba – Today’s new moms know actress Jessica Alba for her brand The Honest Company, which sells its own safe and consciously designed baby and beauty products. Aside from her company, she invested in Managed by Q, an office management platform currently valued at $223.5 million, and Honor, an elderly home care service. Like many other celebrities, Alba has also invested in Headspace, the popular meditation app.

Will Smith – One of the most popular and highest paid actors on the planet, Smith wisely believes in diversification. In 2018, Will Smith announced plans to launch a $100 million startup fund along with Japanese soccer star Keisuke Honda. Smith’s portfolio includes SPARK Nuero, Stance, Away, Julep, Fancy, and many other noteworthy startups.

Gwyneth Paltrow – Since taking a hiatus from Hollywood, Gwyneth Paltrow is primarily known as a founder of the website and lifestyle brand Goop. But she’s also an investor whose portfolio includes three apparel companies—Outdoor Voices, Rockets of Awesome, and Universal Standard—as well as Daily Harvest, a healthy food delivery service.

Tyra Banks – A former model turned actress / television celebrity, Banks also founded an investment firm called Fierce Capital. Through the firm, she has invested in Flixel, a mobile app that creates cinemographs; theSkimm, an online newsletter geared at female millennials; and The Muse, an online site for career advice and job searching.

Jared Leto – Perhaps one of the more surprising names on our list, the Oscar-winning Leto is an accomplished investor with approximately 19 companies in his active portfolio. He owns shares in everything from Headspace to Houseparty to Postmates and was particularly successful in his involvement with Blue Bottle coffee, which was acquired by Nestle for $700 million last year.

While we haven’t had the privilege of meeting these experienced investors personally, we do know how to help you prepare your company to attract new investment. Our team assists Middle Market companies strategically assess their options and prepare for big transitions. If you’d like to discuss your situation further, please contact us for a confidential discussion about how we can help you.