Marcy Venture Partners (MVP) is an American venture capital firm founded in 2018. The firm is headquartered in the United States and focuses on consumer brands, technology, media, and entertainment. Its name references the Marcy Houses public housing project in Brooklyn, New York – the neighbourhood where co-founder Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter grew up.
MVP targets early-to-growth-stage companies at the intersection of culture and commerce. The thesis is that consumer behaviour is shaped as much by cultural relevance as by product quality, and the firm aims to back founders who understand both. Investments tend to cluster around fintech, food and beverage, health, sports, and entertainment verticals. Public information on total assets under management has not been disclosed.
The firm raised its debut fund in 2018. According to Crunchbase, the fund had participation from a range of limited partners, though exact fund size remains undisclosed. A second fund was reported in industry press but formal SEC filings confirming the close and size were not publicly confirmed at the time of writing.
Notable investments
- Impossible Foods – MVP participated in growth rounds for the plant-based meat company, one of the firm's most publicly discussed bets on consumer food trends.
- Robinhood – the firm joined a funding round for the commission-free trading platform ahead of its 2021 IPO on Nasdaq. The investment gave MVP exposure to retail fintech at a pivotal moment for the industry.
- Current – a US-based neobank targeting underserved communities. MVP's backing aligns with the firm's stated interest in financial access.
- Monogram Health – a value-based kidney care company. This deal reflects the firm's broader interest in healthcare delivery reform.
- Overtime – a sports media and league platform built around young athletes. MVP's involvement connects its entertainment expertise to a digital-first sports audience.
Public information on the full portfolio beyond these five investments is limited. The firm's Crunchbase profile lists additional deals that have not been publicly confirmed by the firm itself.
Team
Marcy Venture Partners was co-founded by three partners:
- Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter – entrepreneur, recording artist, and long-time investor. Carter has backed companies across spirits (Armand de Brignac), cannabis (Monogram), and streaming (TIDAL) independently of MVP. His brand relationships and cultural reach are central to the firm's deal sourcing.
- Jay Brown – music industry executive and Carter's longtime business partner. Brown co-founded Roc Nation and brings deep relationships in entertainment and media.
- Larry Marcus – technology investor with a background in consumer tech venture capital. Marcus had prior experience at Javelin Venture Partners before joining MVP as the firm's operational and technology-focused voice.
Recent activity
Public information on new deals closed by Marcy Venture Partners in 2025 and early 2026 is limited. The firm has not issued press releases or announced portfolio additions through its own channels during this window. Carter's personal investment activity – particularly around cannabis brand Monogram and music rights – has attracted more press coverage than fund-level activity in this period.
In prior years, MVP was linked to conversations around SPAC structures and creator-economy platforms, though no confirmed transactions in those areas have been publicly documented.
Marcy Venture Partners occupies an unusual position in US venture: it draws on genuine cultural authority rather than manufactured brand partnerships. That gives it real access to consumer-facing founders who care about community and identity. Whether the firm can build a track record that competes with dedicated consumer VC funds over a full market cycle remains to be seen, since most of its marquee bets – including Robinhood's post-IPO performance – have faced public market headwinds. The long-term trajectory will depend on exits and fund returns that have not yet been disclosed.