Interplay Family Office

Interplay Family Office, operating as Ascend Interplay, is the multi-family office division of Interplay, a comprehensive startup ecosystem founded in 2012. The firm partners with high-impact families to manage wealth through strategic asset allocation, focusing on personal and financial growth. Ascend Interplay takes a custom, liquidity-driven approach to each member's capital structure, leveraging proprietary sourcing and in-house underwriting to create diversified alternative asset portfolios. They evaluate a vast number of funds and direct opportunities annually, selectively investing in a small percentage of the most attractive prospects across various sectors, stages, and geographies.

Interplay was established in 2012 by Managing Partner Mark Peter Davis in New York City. Initially a venture firm, it evolved into a broader startup ecosystem encompassing Venture Capital, an Accelerator, a Studio, and the Ascend Family Office. This integrated model aims to accelerate entrepreneurial impact by providing not only capital but also operational support, talent, strategy, and execution assistance to founders. The firm's mission is rooted in the belief that entrepreneurs are the primary drivers of social change, and its ecosystem is designed to streamline their journey.

Interplay invests in early-stage technology companies, typically from Seed to Series B rounds, with a sweet spot at Series A. Their portfolio spans a diverse range of sectors including fintech, enterprise software, e-commerce, health, AI, education, consumer products, proptech, business services, robotics, advanced manufacturing, energy, and agriculture technology. Notable portfolio companies include Warby Parker and Coinbase. The firm also co-invests with reputable funds and provides operational muscle by embedding operating partners and specialists directly into portfolio companies.

The Interplay team is composed of experienced professionals across its various divisions, including Venture Capital, Accelerator, Studio, Platform, and the Ascend Family Office. Key team members include Mark Peter Davis (Managing Partner), Kevin Tung (Senior Partner), and Chris Zhang (Partner & CIO, Family Office). The firm emphasizes a 'team first' approach, with partners bringing deep experience in venture, scaling startups, and operational roles. This collective expertise allows Interplay to offer comprehensive support, from capital allocation and generational planning to operational guidance and strategic growth for the companies and families they partner with.