Bearing Ventures

The J, operating under the domain bearingventures.com, is a growth-focused venture studio and venture capital firm. Founded by serial entrepreneur Jim M. Jacobsen, the firm is dedicated to fueling and funding success through expert guidance and strategic partnerships. They provide a comprehensive spectrum of services beyond just capital, including growth marketing, creative services, analytical insights, financial expertise, and HR support, acting as a fractional co-founder to their portfolio companies. The firm emphasizes a belief in determined entrepreneurs who are willing to take significant risks to achieve substantial success.

Jim M. Jacobsen, the visionary founder of The J, has a distinguished entrepreneurial background spanning over 25 years, with a legacy of creating more than $3 billion in enterprise value. He has been instrumental in building market-defining brands such as RTIC Outdoors and co-founded Cart.com. The J's approach is deeply personal, reflecting Jacobsen's vision to partner with passionate and driven entrepreneurs at the seed stage, aiming to build remarkable businesses that shape industries and deliver outsized returns. While The J operates as a venture studio, Jim M. Jacobsen also founded Bearing Ventures LLC in 2017, a boutique family office and venture capital firm with a similar investment thesis.

The J's portfolio includes notable companies like Cart.com, an e-commerce-as-a-service platform, and RTIC Outdoors, a prominent consumer brand. The firm's investment focus spans across various sectors, including e-commerce, technology, entertainment, hospitality, and real estate. They are particularly interested in companies within the information technology, e-commerce, real estate technology, and SaaS sectors, typically engaging in seed-stage transactions. Their strategic involvement aims to mitigate the inherent risks of early-stage investing by providing active operational and strategic guidance, alongside capital.

The team at The J comprises experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and operations. Key team members, such as Joel A. Kennedy (EVP, Chief Financial Officer), Adrian Garcia (Chief Marketing Officer), Vanessa (EVP, Human Resources), Emerald (EVP, Finance & Operations), Alfonso (EVP, Creative & Brand), and Arthur (EVP, Growth Marketing), bring extensive experience from leading roles in investment management, M&A, CPG marketing, HR strategy, and e-commerce. Their collective expertise allows The J to offer robust support, serving as a comprehensive resource and network for their portfolio companies.