Revolution Fund Invests $40 Million in E-Commerce Start-Up

Steve Case, the co-founder of AOL, sees a future in helping companies sell goods online.

The Revolution growth fund, started by Mr. Case and two former AOL colleagues, has invested $40 million in Bigcommerce, a start-up whose software helps companies create and manage online stores, Revolution announced Thursday.

The investment is the biggest to date for Revolution’s growth fund and a significant bet on the staying power of e-commerce. Mr. Case is joining the board of Bigcommerce, which was started in 2009.

“Bigcommerce is a big idea that aligns perfectly with Revolution Growth’s philosophy: that technology can enable any entrepreneur, in any industry, located anywhere, to build a successful, high-growth business,” Mr. Case said in a statement. “Now, every entrepreneur can have Amazon-like e-commerce capabilities, in hours â€" not months or years,” he added.

E-commerce start-ups have fallen out of favor among some investors over the past year, given the logistical hurdles and the large amounts of money required. But Bigcommerce is taking a different approach, catering to businesses.

The Revolution growth fund has shown an appetite for start-ups focused on e-commerce, recently leading an investment round in Optoro, a start-up based in Maryland that helps traditional retailers sell unsold or returned goods in online marketplaces.

The growth fund, started in 2011 by Mr. Case along with Ted Leonsis and Donn Davis, operates under the umbrella of Revolution, Mr. Case’s investment firm based in Washington.

Bigcommerce, which has offices in Austin, Tex., and Sydney has previously raised $35 million, so the latest investment brings its total financing raised to $75 million.

With the new money, Bigcommerce plans to build its platform and add new features and capabilities, according to the announcement on Thursday. The company, founded and led by Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper, is also aiming to expand into overseas markets.

“At our core,” Mr. Harper said in statement, “we are simply entrepreneurs helping other entrepreneurs build the business of their dreams.”