William Elkus, Clearstone Venture

William Elkus is the Founder and Managing Director of Clearstone Venture Partners. See sector focus and contact routes.

About William Elkus

William Elkus is the Founder and Managing Director of Clearstone Venture Partners, a venture capital firm he established in 1997 (some sources cite 1998) in Santa Monica, California, with a background in finance, technology, law, and entrepreneurship. His investment thesis targets early-stage technology companies, focusing on seed through Series B rounds in sectors including fintech, payments, enterprise technology, digital media, and data-driven marketplaces across the United States and India. Clearstone typically invests $1 million to $15 million per company and consistently leads investment rounds rather than following. Notable portfolio companies include PayPal, eToys, and United Online, which reflect his focus on transformative internet and financial technology businesses. Elkus is recognized as a prominent early-stage lead investor who has helped the firm deploy $650 million across three funds, resulting in nine IPOs and nearly a dozen M&A exits. While he is a respected figure in Southern California venture capital, there is no publicly available record of distinctive point-of-view articles or published writing by Elkus himself in the search re

William Elkus at a glance

Role
Founder and Managing Director
Organization
Clearstone Venture Partners
Location
Santa Monica, CA
Investor type
Venture Capital
Focus areas
Finance, Financial Services, Venture Capital, Software, Enterprise Software, E-Commerce, Internet, Information Technology

Frequently asked about William Elkus

What does William Elkus invest in?
William Elkus at Clearstone Venture Partners (Santa Monica, CA) — sector focus: Finance, Financial Services, Venture Capital, Software, Enterprise Software, E-Commerce, Internet, Information Technology, Publishing, Mobile, Service Industry….
How do I contact William Elkus?
William Elkus's published profile links (website, LinkedIn or X where available) are listed on the StartupFundraising.com investor profile.
Where is William Elkus based?
William Elkus is based in Santa Monica, CA.

Every field above is read from the StartupFundraising investor directory — disclosed location, recorded investments and stated focus — and re-checked as filings arrive. Founders pair it with investors in Santa Monica when building a target list.

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