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500 Global runs startup accelerator programs and invests money in early-stage technology companies around the world.
500 Global is a venture capital firm and startup accelerator. It finds young technology companies, gives them money, and often puts them through a short training program to help them grow. The startups it backs are early-stage — meaning they are usually just a few founders with an idea or an early product, not established businesses.
Here is how the money side works. 500 Global raises funds from outside investors, then uses that money to buy small ownership stakes in dozens or hundreds of startups at a time. The bet is a numbers game: most startups fail, but a few grow enormous, and those winners can pay back the losses many times over. The firm makes money mainly through management fees on its funds and by keeping a share of the profits when startups are sold or go public. Its accelerator programs add another layer — startups get mentorship, office support, and access to a network of past founders and investors, often in exchange for a small slice of equity. 500 Global began life as 500 Startups, founded in 2010 by Dave McClure and Christine Tsai. It built a reputation for making lots of small, fast bets on founders all over the world, including in places many Silicon Valley firms ignored, like Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. It was an early backer of companies such as Twilio and Credit Karma, though its most famous wins are modest compared with the giant funds. A turning point came in 2017, when McClure stepped back after allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women, and Tsai took over as CEO. The firm later rebranded as 500 Global to reflect its wider reach.
Its business is risky by nature. Startup returns are lumpy and slow, and the firm depends on raising new funds to keep operating. Competition for the best early-stage deals is fierce, from giant venture firms and corporate investors to thousands of small angel investors. Still, 500 Global's edge is its scale and global network: it has backed thousands of companies across dozens of countries, which gives it a wide view of emerging startup scenes and a deep bench of founders to draw on for future deals.
Saved answer · last researched 15 Nov 2026