Chris Hollod

Hollod graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Vanderbilt University with a degree in economics.[9] Hollod grew up in Atlanta. He worked as an investment banking associate at Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, NC, and after being laid-off during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, ultimately moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to work for investor Ronald Burkle.[10]

Hollod worked with Ashton Kutcher, Guy Oseary, and Ronald Burkle as the managing partner of their venture capital fund, A-Grade Investments.[11] In 2012, A-Grade Investments raised money from David Geffen and Mark Cuban, among other investors.

Hollod also worked for The Yucaipa Companies for eight years and oversaw Ron Burkle's venture capital investments and was referred to in the press as "Burkle's right-hand man."[12][13] Hollod was first introduced to the world of venture capital by working on a deal with Puff Daddy and Mark Wahlberg, for their bottled water start-up, AQUAhydrate.[14]

Hollod is a founding partner of Inevitable Ventures with D.A. Wallach where they invested in such companies as 8i, Upside Foods, and Thrive Market.[14] [15]

Hollod was named one of the 32 most influential investors of 2013 (outside Silicon Valley)[16] and received a Visionary Award in 2018.[14]

Fortune included Hollod in its "Meet the Uber Rich" article as an early investor in Uber[11] and the LA Times published a feature on him entitled "How I Made It: A Billionaire's Right-Hand Man."[17] He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal,[15] Forbes,[18] and LA Times as a venture capital expert,[19] and he has judged several start-up competitions including Global Startup Battle and Start-Up Weekend Los Angeles.[20]

Hollod promotes brands and entrepreneurs on his Instagram page[21] and has written about using Instagram to source and diligence new investment opportunities.[22]

Hollod is currently the founder and managing partner of Hollod Holdings, a venture capital and advisory entity that has invested in companies such as Magic Spoon, MUD\WTR, JuneShine, AMASS, Jinx, and De Soi.[23][24][25][26]

Hollod lives in Hollywood's Sunset Square neighborhood in a bungalow purchased from Glee star Lea Michele in 2015.[27] Hollod is writing a book entitled "Big Fish Big Pond," providing advice for millennials.[28] Hollod collects wine and judged the Millennial Wine Competition in 2020.[29] Hollod is engaged to fashion model, Bianca Vierra, and they have been referred to in the press as an “LA power couple."[23]

• Inevitable Venture