# Marc Tarpenning, Venture Partner

> Marc Tarpenning, Venture Partner. 2 investments on record. The rounds they were named in and the filings that name them, each with its source.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/person/marc-tarpenning (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

San Francisco, US · Partner

# Marc Tarpenning

Venture Partner at [Spero Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/spero-ventures)

Email

Stages *Series A*

Backs *Logistics* *Automotive & EVs* *Industry 4.0*

Latest rounds

- **Telo** Series A · $20M Sept 2025 · led
- **Alta Motors** Series A · $4.5M Oct 2014

Follow Marc Tarpenning and see their new rounds in your feed. [Start following](https://millionrounds.com/login?join=1&why=follow&next=%2Fperson%2Fmarc-tarpenning)

Profile summary

- **Rounds named:** 2 last Sept 2025
- **Filings:** 3 with regulators
- **Podcasts:** 1 episodes

What this record rests on

- ✓ **Named in rounds** 2 rounds name them
- ✓ **On filings** 3 filings with a regulator
- ✓ **Linked to a firm** At Spero Ventures
- **Claimed** Not claimed yet

Titles come from filings their firm signed.

[Correct or remove](https://millionrounds.com/corrections?person=marc-tarpenning)[Is this you? Claim it](https://millionrounds.com/claim?person=marc-tarpenning)

## The firm

[**Spero Ventures** VC firm · US **0** cheques in 12 months **8** all time **3** led quiet](https://millionrounds.com/fund/spero-ventures)

## Rounds they were named in

- **Rounds:** 2
- **Led:** 1
- **Disclosed:** $24.5M
- **Active:** 2014–25

2025

- [Telo](https://millionrounds.com/company/telo) *Series A* **$20M** *US* Sept 2025 Led · +5 investors

2014

- [Alta Motors](https://millionrounds.com/company/alta-motors) *Series A* **$4.5M** *US* Oct 2014 Joined · +4 investors · historical

By stage

- Series A **2**

What they backed

Logistics **1** Automotive & EVs **1** Industry 4.0 **1**

Alongside

- Cedarville Investments *1*
- [E12 Ventures *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/e12-ventures)
- [Marc Benioff *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/marc-benioff)
- Martin Eberhard *1*
- [Modara Technologies *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/modara-technologies)
- [Neo *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/neo)
- Pedro Zapata Gil *1*
- [TO VC *1*](https://millionrounds.com/fund/to-vc)

Rounds where a report named this person rather than a firm, matched on name: read it as a strong hint, not proof, since people share names.

## Companies they are listed as backing

Portfolio

- [Alta Motors](https://millionrounds.com/company/alta-motors)
- DroneSeed
- Tesla

## Where they are named on record

Filings

- SEC Form D · Company raising **Singularity Energy, Inc.** Director since 2022
- SEC Form D · Company raising **Tortuga Agricultural Technologies, Inc.** Director on 2 filings · since 2021
- SEC Form D · Company raising **Clarity Movement Co.** Director since 2020

Each row is a document a firm filed with a regulator: somebody signed it, and it carries a date.

## Also at Spero Ventures

- [**Shripriya Mahesh** General Partner *2 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/shripriya-mahesh)
- [**Brandon Walker** Travel *0 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/brandon-walker)
- [**Nolan Shah** Associate *0 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/nolan-shah)
- [**Rob Veres** Director of Product Management *0 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/rob-veres)
- [**Sara Eshelman** General Partner *0 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/sara-eshelman)
- [**Stephen Wemple** Principal *0 rounds*](https://millionrounds.com/person/stephen-wemple)

## Hear them before you pitch them

- [Inevitable](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/inevitable) · 9 Sept 2025 · 56 min Tesla Co-founder, Marc Tarpenning With [Marc Tarpenning](https://millionrounds.com/person/marc-tarpenning) Mentions [Elon Musk](https://millionrounds.com/fund/elon-musk)[Spero Ventures](https://millionrounds.com/fund/spero-ventures)[Martin Eberhard](https://millionrounds.com/person/martin-eberhard)[Saudi Arabia](https://millionrounds.com/person/saudi-arabia) About this episode Marc Tarpenning is Co-founder of Tesla and a venture partner at Spero Ventures. In 2003, Marc and Martin Eberhard saw two signals: GM killed its beloved EV1, and Californians snapped up Toyota’s Prius despite its compromises. They realized the market was ready for an electric car that was better… More on the show's page Listen on Apple PodcastsThe show's page

Episodes of [the shows we follow](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts), matched by name. Not them? [Tell us](https://millionrounds.com/corrections?person=marc-tarpenning).

## Find people like Marc

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