Description
Rockies Venture Fund is a Denver, Colorado-based venture capital platform that operates multiple early-stage venture funds and invests in pre-seed, seed, and early growth companies — often sourcing deal flow from the Rockies Venture Club network and related regional ecosystem. It is structured as a professionally managed VC fund vehicle distinct from the Rockies Venture Club angel group, and includes vehicles such as the Rockies Seed Fund (focused on under-invested founders) among others.
Pre-Seed / Seed: Core focus for funds like the Rockies Seed Fund, investing in early-stage founders with venture-scale opportunity.
Early Institutional: Some funds within the platform may participate in Series A sized rounds as co-investors or follow-on support depending on company trajectory (inferred from multi-fund structure).
Individual funds under the Rockies Venture Fund umbrella deploy typical seed-stage venture capital checks (e.g., mid-six to low-seven figures), consistent with professional VC funds backing early growth companies.
Typical Ownership Taken: There is no specific published target % of equity for Rockies Venture Fund’s investments. Because it functions as an institutional venture capital fund, ownership stakes are negotiated per deal and commonly reflect early-stage institutional ranges — typically ~5%–15% for funds leading or co-leading seed/early rounds depending on valuation and round size (this is inferred based on common early institutional VC practices given the absence of explicit Rockies Venture Fund disclosures).
Ownership Style: Minority, non-controlling positions in early or growth deals with terms aligned to venture capital norms (deal-specific).
Equity Structure: Priced preferred equity or comparable early institutional instruments; terms vary deal-by-deal.
Application / Submission Method
Submission Method: Rockies Venture Fund does not list a public startup submission portal; engagement is typically via warm introductions, ecosystem network connections, and co-investment syndicates often originating from the Rockies Venture Club pipeline.
Lead vs. Follow: Funds under the platform may either lead or co-invest depending on deal quality, stage, and existing syndicate participation (inferred typical VC behavior given platform structure).
Eligibility
Sector Focus: Broad and multi-industry, including technology, healthcare/life sciences, consumer, cleantech, and emerging growth domains (inferred by historical Rockies Venture Club ecosystem and Rockies Seed Fund focus).
Geography: U.S.-based companies, with emphasis on the Rocky Mountain region but not exclusively tied to state borders for all funds.
Stage: Early (pre-seed and seed); selected early institutional participation.
Company Profile: Venture-scale startups with strong teams and potential for outsized returns.
Process
Initial Intake: Opportunity sourced via network or direct founder outreach.
Partner Review: Internal evaluation of team, market, product, and traction.
Due Diligence: Standard venture diligence on business, technology, legal/financials.
Deal Structuring: Terms negotiated with founders and co-investors, balancing runway and cap-table health.
