Venture Capital Firms in Salt Lake City

Matchstick Ventures is an early-stage technology investment firm that focuses on supporting ambitious and diverse entrepreneurs in rapidly growing, yet underserved startup ecosystems, particularly those located "between the coasts" of the United States. The firm's mission is to act as a catalyst for its founders, partners, and startup communities by providing capital, camaraderie, connections, and community. They emphasize a "founder-first" approach, believing they work for the entrepreneurs they back, offering hands-on support and building trustworthy relationships. Matchstick Ventures typically invests between $500,000 and $1.5 million in pre-seed and seed-stage startups, with a willingness to invest from the idea stage through scaling.The firm was founded in 2015 by Ryan Broshar and Natty Zola, both of whom are serial entrepreneurs with experience in founding and scaling companies, as well as leading Techstars accelerator programs. Ryan Broshar, based in Minneapolis, has a background as a 3x founder and former Managing Director for Techstars in the Twin Cities. Natty Zola, based in Boulder, also started as a founder before running the Techstars Boulder program as Managing Director. Their combined experience as founders and accelerator leaders underpins Matchstick Ventures' deep understanding of early-stage challenges and its commitment to providing comprehensive support beyond just capital.Matchstick Ventures boasts a diverse portfolio of over 100 companies, reflecting its broad investment focus across various technology sectors. Notable investments include companies like Automate.Clinic (AI healthcare), Paperstack (fintech working capital), Locate.ai (AI real estate brokerage), Juno (guest travel and expense), Cast Finance (AI accounting), Pageport (AI-native CRM), and Reema Health (social-care navigation services). The firm's portfolio also spans areas such as enterprise & B2B software, e-commerce solutions, marketplaces, cybersecurity, and climate technology. Matchstick Ventures actively seeks out innovative solutions that address unique challenges in their target markets.The team at Matchstick Ventures extends beyond its founding partners to include Nicole Glaros, a Venture Partner known for her foundational role at Techstars, and Shannon Shroyer, Head of Network, who brings a unique background to venture capital. The firm leverages a robust network of over 400 entrepreneurs, operators, and corporate partners, as well as a community of fellow founders and subject matter experts, to provide mentorship, connections, and resources to its portfolio companies. This collaborative ecosystem is designed to help startups navigate their journey, access follow-on funding, and achieve significant growth.

Peterson Ventures is the venture capital arm of Peterson Partners, an independent investment management firm with over $1.8 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2008, Peterson Ventures focuses on backing exceptional entrepreneurs primarily in the SaaS and digital commerce sectors, including fintech, healthtech, and e-commerce. The firm has a strong track record, having invested in over 125 companies and backing six unicorns. The firm operates with a founder-first philosophy, emphasizing long-term partnerships built on trust and respect. Peterson Ventures invests mainly at the pre-seed and seed stages, providing capital typically ranging from $500,000 to $2.5 million. Beyond funding, they offer strategic support, network introductions, and community engagement through CEO and CXO events to help startups scale from seed to Series A. Led by experienced partners including Managing Director Ben Capell and Partner Ilana Stern, Peterson Ventures leverages deep industry expertise and a collaborative approach. Their portfolio spans innovative companies in AI-driven hiring solutions, consumer-friendly life insurance, e-commerce tools, and graphical collaboration applications.

Run Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, founded by veteran investors Brandon Tidwell and Ben Dahl. The firm focuses on leading Series A investments in technology companies, particularly those innovating in artificial intelligence and other transformative sectors. Run Ventures aims to empower ambitious entrepreneurs building companies in emerging tech ecosystems across the United States, especially outside traditional coastal hubs like Silicon Valley, New York, and Boston.The firm’s investment philosophy emphasizes deep, hands-on partnerships with founders, providing not only capital but also strategic support, coaching, and operational expertise. This approach has been validated through successful collaborations with portfolio companies where Run Ventures helped accelerate growth by assisting with capital raises and key team recruitment. Run Ventures positions itself as a "running partner" to entrepreneurs, committed to helping them go faster and further in their journeys.Run Ventures manages a $290 million early-stage fund dedicated to identifying and backing the next generation of technology trailblazers in high-growth ecosystems including Austin, Denver, and Atlanta. The firm leverages its strong national connectivity and local presence in Salt Lake City to challenge traditional venture capital concentration and foster innovation in rising tech centers across the country.