Stout Street Capital

Stout Street Capital is a Denver, Colorado-based venture capital firm established in 2017, specializing in pre-seed and seed-stage investments. The firm primarily targets post-product, post-revenue technology startups, with a preference for B2B SaaS business models. They typically seek companies with at least $10,000 to $30,000 or greater in monthly recurring revenue and are looking to raise $1 million or more in institutional venture capital. Stout Street Capital's most common check size is $250,000, with current funds making investments between $200,000 and $500,000, reserving capital for follow-on investments. The firm is active in the US and Canada, specifically excluding major coastal hubs like San Francisco, New York, and Boston.

Stout Street Capital was co-founded in 2017 by partners John Francis and Clay Gordon. Both founders brought significant experience to the firm, with John Francis contributing his background as an operator and institutional venture investor, and Clay Gordon leveraging his expertise in building and cultivating communities. Their shared vision was to support and scale promising startups, particularly those outside traditional venture capital hubs, believing that great startups can be built anywhere.

The firm has built a diverse portfolio of over 65 companies, demonstrating its broad investment scope. Notable investments include companies such as SingleKey, WorkHound, Schola, Optera (Point380), GoodUnited, Botco.ai, Fluent Forever, Ad Fontes, Cake Equity, Bitsbox, Powderkeg, and CisLunar Industries. Stout Street Capital has also seen successful exits, with portfolio companies like Popwallet being acquired by Snapchat and Left Hand Robotics acquired by TORO.

The Stout Street Capital team comprises experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship, finance, and technology. Partners John Francis and Clay Gordon lead the investment strategy, with John focusing on IT software across various sectors including construction, government, energy, cleantech, media, advertising, HR, healthcare, and cloud services. Clay specializes in HR, cleantech, edtech, insurtech, and fintech. Junior Partner Cindy Ho contributes her expertise in financial and data analysis, playing a crucial role in investment evaluation and due diligence. The team is further supported by Advisor Drew Tulchin, who has a strong background in startups and venture funding, notably as the first CFO of Meow Wolf. The firm is also known for creating the UNMET conferences, which connect early-stage companies in "Middle America" with Series A and B capital.