Meet The Team
Randall Kaplan
Chief Executive Officer
Randall is a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Randall is a co-founder of Akamai Technologies, a content delivery and security software company that serves nearly 30% of the world’s web traffic, is a member of the S&P 500, employs nearly 8,000 people with 64 offices in 28 countries, and had $3.45 billion in 2021 revenues.
Randall is also the founder and CEO of JUMP Investors which functions as his family office. Since its formation in 1999, JUMP has invested in more than 80 early-to-late- stage technology companies including Google, Seagate, Lyft, and Chime. JUMP is also an active investor in real estate, private equity, hedge funds, and public equities.
Randall is also the founder and CEO of Sandee, a travel company focused on the promotion of beaches and beach tourism around the world whose mission is to create the world’s first beach brand; the co-founder and Co-CEO of Thrive Properties, a real estate investment firm specializing in the ownership, management, leasing, and redevelopment of properties in primary markets throughout the United States; and the owner and CEO of CollarCard, LLC, a promotional products company that makes patented men’s collar stays that are sold throughout the world.
Over the past 20 years, Randall has been an advisor to more than 50 companies, has served on the board of directors of many companies, has been an active public speaker, and has mentored more than 200 students through JUMP’s annual summer internship program.
Prior to co-founding Akamai, Randall served as Managing Director / Assistant to the Chairman at SunAmerica where he worked closely with its former founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eli Broad and former Chief Executive Officer Jay Wintrob on both mergers and acquisitions and on special projects prior to SunAmerica’s sale to AIG for $18 billion. Prior to SunAmerica, Randall practiced corporate, securities, and tax law for several years.
Randall graduated from the University of Michigan with Highest Distinction and was only one of 10 students selected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year, and Randall also graduated from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law with honors. Randall has served on the board of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law for 20 years, and previously served on the Dean’s Advisory Committee at the University of Michigan for 18 years.
Randall also has a passion for helping others. In 1996, at the age of 27, Randall started The Justice Ball, a charity concert that several years after its formation became one of the country’s largest under-40 fundraisers and also one of the leading philanthropic events in Los
Angeles. During the past 25 years, Berlin, Billy Idol, The B-52’s, Macy Gray, Nelly, Sugar Ray, The Psychedelic Furs, The Go-Go’s and other leading acts have performed at The Justice Ball, helping it attract more than 30,000 attendees and raise more than $7 million. For 10 years Randall served on the board of Bet Tzedek Legal Services – the beneficiary of The Justice Ball – a non-profit public interest law firm that provides free legal services annually to more than 12,000 poor, sick, elderly, and homeless residents of Los Angeles County. Randall is also the co-founder of The Imagine Ball, a charity concert that has raised over $1 million for Imagine LA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness in Los Angeles. Randall also serves on the board of directors of the National Center for Victims of Crime, an organization dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime.
In addition to his philanthropic efforts through The Justice Ball and The Imagine Ball, Randall established the Julia Eder Dean’s Scholarship at the University of Michigan in honor of his grandmother – an all-expenses, all-tuition scholarship for a student who, like Randall’s grandmother, was raised in foster care. More than 15 years after this student graduated from UM and subsequently earned a master’s degree, this student has become a member of Randall’s immediate family and is a social worker, motivational speaker, mother, wife, and homeowner. In addition to this scholarship, Randall also endowed a permanent, full-tuition, need-based scholarship at the University of Michigan for students with an interest in pursuing a future career in business.
Randall has been an active public speaker and has been a guest lecturer at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, USC’s Marshall School of Business, USC’s Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy, and Draper University. In 2001, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented Randall with the Einstein Technology Medal on behalf of The Jerusalem Fund. In 2006, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law presented Randall with the school’s first Distinguished Entrepreneur Award.
Randall is also an accomplished drone photographer, and his coffee table book BLISS featuring his beach photos from around the world was released in June 2021 and became an immediate best-seller.
When he’s not working, Randall loves to wakeboard, toss the football, play the drums, fly his drones, and most importantly spend time with family. Randall lives in Los Angeles with his incredible wife, five amazing children, and mischievous dog Karma.
Matthew Hickerson
Associates
Matt is an Associate at JUMP Investors, where he is responsible for analyzing and evaluating new investment opportunities as well as monitoring and supporting current investments. Matt also helps lead the operations, business development, and marketing efforts for portfolio companies, Sandee, Thrive Properties, CollarCard, and Randall’s podcast – In Search of Excellence.
Matt has always been an entrepreneur – from turning a shockingly mismatched pair of guinea pigs into a lucrative business with local pet stores to creating apparel. He spent his high school and college years fixing and selling used cars, owning a landscaping company, and playing with his dog, Miles.
Matt graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a minor in Biblical Studies. In his free time, Matt enjoys studying commodities, reading historical nonfiction, and running by the beach.
Lucas Martin
Analyst
Lucas is an Analyst at JUMP Investors, analyzing new investment opportunities and supporting ongoing projects. He also contributes to marketing for ventures and Randall Kaplan’s podcast In Search of Excellence. Leading the Summer Venture Capital Internship Program, he vets over 4,000 applicants to select a class of 30 interns.
As an entrepreneur and creative, Lucas has contributed to startups like Lux Farm, and The Wasted Co., focusing on influencer marketing, operational management, web development, design, and customer service. His love for product creation and entrepreneurship began early in high school where he created one-of-one cross country spikes, rock climbing walls, and jewelry from recycled skateboards.
Graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a major in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Studio Arts, Lucas’s interests include diving, skating, sewing, drawing, UI/UX design, chess, racket sports, basketball, and video editing. His diverse hobbies highlight his curiosity and innovative approach at JUMP Investors.