Media Vets Launch VC Firm

Media Vets Launch VC Firm to Bring Journalistic Rigor to Investing

As reported in Axios, a group of high-profile former journalists has formed to launch a venture capital firm that will specialize in early investments in tech startups, according to its founder Katherine Tarbox, former senior editor with “REALTOR® Magazine,” editorial director for “Washington Life,” and author of the international bestselling book “A Girl’s Life” (Dutton, 2000).

The new firm, called “Outside The Box Investments,” is finalizing a $50 million raise that will be used to back early tech startups. Harvard Business Review editor-in-chief Adi Ignatius, “The Smartest Guys in the Room” co-author and podcaster Bethany McLean, investor and McKinsey alum Antoine Grant, and tech entrepreneur Roy de Souza will all serve as advisers and will sit on the firm’s board. Matt Murray, the former editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal who is now working as a consultant for News Corp, and a to-be-announced professor from Wharton will also join the firm’s advisory board.

Tarbox started her career as a journalist before moving into investment banking. She most recently served as an investment banker at SVB Securities, which sold in a management buyout following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

Collectively, the board has made over 150 early investments in previous capacities in companies like Reddit, Stripe and Airbnb, Tarbox said.

The group plans to invest in smaller pre-seed and seed investment rounds for companies that specialize in AI-enabled software, as well as, software companies that support specific industries, like agriculture or games. Having access to former journalists as advisers will give companies within their portfolio more tools to build out their brand, networking and media strategies.

Outside The Box Investments plans to close its first few investments this summer.

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