Simon Venture Group

Simon Venture Group — now typically branded Simon Ventures — is the retail-tech-focused corporate venture arm of Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG), the largest publicly traded retail real estate investment trust in the United States and an S&P 100 constituent. Launched in 2014 and headquartered in New York City, the fund combines institutional venture capital process with the differentiated commercial access that Simon Property Group provides: a portfolio of 254 properties including 114 traditional malls, 108 premium outlets, 14 Mills centers, and additional lifestyle and other retail assets — a footprint that can serve as a direct launch channel for portfolio companies. Simon Ventures focuses on companies innovating at the intersection of retail and technology, investing from early stage through growth with checks of $250,000 to $5 million. The portfolio spans 26 investments across software, home furnishings, accessories, logistics, apparel, electrical equipment, experiential retail, and healthcare. Notable portfolio companies include Forward (primary-care clinics), the Jose Andres Group (celebrity-chef restaurant platform), and ChargeFuze — the pay-per-use mobile charging solution that raised an $11.5 million Series A led by Beverly Pacific in June 2024, with Simon Ventures investing alongside Palm Tree Crew, Bain Capital Ventures Scout Fund, and Dream Ventures. Capital is deployed from Simon Property Group's corporate balance sheet rather than a formal LP-backed fund. The fund's core value proposition is straightforward: founders whose products serve physical retail environments gain direct access to Simon's national footprint of premium consumer venues as a built-in go-to-market channel alongside the capital investment.