Ben Marcus
Managing Partner & Co- Founder
UP.Partners
Ben Marcus is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of UP.Partners, building and investing in technology companies that are Transforming the Moving World. History has shown that as access to mobility increases, the societies that benefit from these advancements experience vastly improved quality of life. An increase in economic prosperity. An increase in spending time doing things that matter. A richer human experience filled with adventure and fellowship. The firm partners with entrepreneurs, corporations, and governments helping move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer, and at lower cost – on the ground, in the air, at sea, and in space. In 2014, Ben co-founded AirMap, the world’s leading airspace management platform. AirMap is delivering technology solutions globally for Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) to enable advanced aerial mobility operations at scale. AirMap was acquired in 2021. Together with his UP.Partners co-founder Cyrus Sigari, the two co-founded jetAVIVA in 2006, which is today the world’s leading broker of business jets. Ben & Cyrus co-created the UP.Summit in 2017, which has grown into the premier annual gathering of the world’s leading innovators in mobility. The UP.Summit is co-hosted in alternating years by the Walton Family and the Perot Family. In 2020, Ben and his partners Cyrus Sigari and Adam Grosser launched UP.Partners with an inaugural $230M USD venture fund. The sector-focused firm accelerates the positive impact of transportation innovation. The unique community of sector-expert entrepreneurs, executives, corporates, and co-investors equals unparalleled access, improves decision-making, and provides the best support and synergies for our portfolio companies and their founders. Together with co-founders John Kuolt and Katelyn Foley, Ben spearheaded the launch of UP.Labs in 2022. UP.Labs partners with large corporations to build startups that solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. UP.Labs’ first corporate partner is Porsche. UP.Labs builds two startups per year with each corporate partner. Ben is an FAA-certified Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor with 5,000 hours of flight experience in more than 100 types of airplanes, seaplanes, gliders, and helicopters. He started his career as a flight instructor and flight test engineer. Ben is a graduate of Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics. He lives in Santa Monica with his wife and daughter. In 2014, Ben co-founded AirMap, the world’s leading airspace management platform. AirMap is delivering technology solutions globally for Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management (UTM) to enable advanced aerial mobility operations at scale. AirMap was acquired in 2021. Together with his UP.Partners co-founder Cyrus Sigari, the two co-founded jetAVIVA in 2006, which is today the world’s leading broker of business jets. Ben & Cyrus co-created the UP.Summit in 2017, which has grown into the premier annual gathering of the world’s leading innovators in mobility. The UP.Summit is co-hosted in alternating years by the Walton Family and the Perot Family. In 2020, Ben and his partners Cyrus Sigari and Adam Grosser launched UP.Partners with an inaugural $230M USD venture fund. The sector-focused firm accelerates the positive impact of transportation innovation. The unique community of sector-expert entrepreneurs, executives, corporates, and co-investors equals unparalleled access, improves decision-making, and provides the best support and synergies for our portfolio companies and their founders. Together with co-founders John Kuolt and Katelyn Foley, Ben spearheaded the launch of UP.Labs in 2022. UP.Labs partners with large corporations to build startups that solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. UP.Labs’ first corporate partner is Porsche. UP.Labs builds two startups per year with each corporate partner. Ben is an FAA-certified Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor with 5,000 hours of flight experience in more than 100 types of airplanes, seaplanes, gliders, and helicopters. He started his career as a flight instructor and flight test engineer. Ben is a graduate of Purdue University’s School of Aeronautics. He lives in Santa Monica with his wife and daughter.
