THE BIGGEST CELEBRITY INVESTORS IN THE GAME
These are the heavy hitters. The following celebrities are, in our opinion, the biggest celebrity brand investors in the game, with their money reaching far and wide, into brands you may never have known existed. Many of them have a predictable pattern of investments; others seem to take great risks and invest in many small companies.
Many of these celebrities own or are a part of companies dedicated to making these investments, and each has taken the time to learn how to turn what money they have made into even more. In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at the top four celebrity brand investors and their habits in the investment game.
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#4: Bono From U2
Bono - Bono is one of five esteemed investment team leaders at the private equity firm Elevation Partners. This company has invested heavily in Forbes over the years, as well as Yelp, Facebook, Wikipedia, and various video game companies. In fact, thanks to his firm's investment in Facebook, he is now the world's richest pop star, jumping ahead of Madonna and Paul McCartney for the title.
#3: Jared Leto
Musician, Actor, and Academy Award winner Jared Leto has made more than 40 investments in companies like Blue Bottle Coffee, HR software company Zenefits, and video streaming app Meerkat. His most recent investment, both creatively and financially, was in Internet of Things company Nest Labs, a home automation company that uses sensors and Wi-Fi to create programmable and self-learning home systems for things like security, thermostats, and smoke detectors. When Google acquired it for $3.2 billion in 2014, Leto made a cut, and according to reports, it was his biggest return yet. His investments have certainly paid off for him and will likely continue to do so.
#2: Ashton Kutcher
A-Grade Investments is a venture capital fund formed by Ashton Kutcher along with Guy Oseary and Ron Burkle. The fund has invested in more than 2 dozen mobile technology, apps, and e-commerce companies. As a firm, A-Grade Investments has invested money in Skype, Spotify, Uber, Shazaam, Soundcloud, and Airbnb. Not a bad portfolio, in our opinion. Plus mattress maker Casper, car-sharing service Getaround, and e-commerce company Fab add to his wide range of investments. In fact, his reputation as an investor landed him a spot as a "Guest Shark" judge on Shark Tank, a show in which entrepreneurs compete for investments from a panel of "Shark" investors.
#1: Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson Enterprises, Magic Johnson’s company, has been involved in a vast amount of investments over the years. Johnson has invested in everything from Starbucks (he owned 105 until he sold them back in 2010) to T.G.I.Friday’s, Sodexo, Burger King, and 24-Hour Fitness. He also once owned a share of the Los Angeles Lakers. His investments are numerous, and he shows no signs of slowing down. According to his website, “Magic Johnson Enterprises serves as a catalyst for fostering community and economic empowerment by providing access to high-quality entertainment, products, and services that answer the demands of multicultural communities.”
More From Hollywood Branded
Interested in seeing how other celebrities spend their money on investments? Check out our blog on the sports teams celebrities have chosen to invest in. http://blog.hollywoodbranded.com/take-me-out-to-the-brand-game-celebrity-sports-investors
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