Steven Dietz

Steven Dietz previously co-founded Upfront Ventures and spent 30 years as a leading VC investor in Southern California financing and counseling some of the best entrepreneurial talent in the country. Dietz and his team funded over 220 start-ups that now employ more than 530,000 people in the US, including 30,000 in Los Angeles County alone. Of those 220 companies multiple have become household names including Costco, Starbucks, PetSmart, P.F. Chang’s, Ulta Beauty, Dealertrack, Bill Me Later and Office Depot. Many of these companies rank among the most socially conscious and best places to work in the US.

Mr. Dietz has served on 30 corporate boards with a reputation for analytical excellence, candor, and strong leadership. He serves on the Board of Advisors of the USC Marshall School.