Break Trail Ventures
Venture capitalColumbus · Pre-Seed–Series A · 1 people tracked
Find your way into Break Trail Ventures
203 people in our graph share verified history with the Break Trail Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
Break Trail Ventures is an early-stage venture fund that partners with entrepreneurs who are pioneering, or 'breaking trail,' in their industries. The firm looks for founders who put the customer first and are focused on solving meaningful problems. Operating from dual bases in Columbus, Ohio and Boulder, Colorado, the fund emphasizes a distributed, flexible approach.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 7, 2026.
Team · 1 people
from public directories
What they invest in
from 43 of 55 portfolio companiesConsumer ×24Direct to Consumer ×18Wellness & Fitness ×10E-commerce ×9Healthtech ×8AI & Machine Learning ×7Hardware ×6SaaS ×6
HQs:United States×31
Who they back
founder profiles across 23 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×152 founders×73 founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 21 founders with education data
Rutgers University ×2Stanford University Graduate School of Business ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
Investments · 55 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2023 · 22022 · 12021 · 25 dated
Aunt Flow provides free, organic cotton period product dispensers for public bathrooms in schools and businesses across North America.
ConsumerFemTechHealthtechImpact & Social GoodWellness & FitnessColumbus, US
Claire Coder(Founder + CEO)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investors37 AngelsAmboy Street VenturesChloe CapitalCoalition OperatorsFarvatn VentureIngeborg Investments+9 more
Scranton, US
Michael Averto(Executive Officer, Director)inJason DePietropaolo(Executive Officer, Director)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAfore CapitalBarrel VenturesFour Acres CapitalSupernode VenturesBen Franklin Technology Partners
Cognovi Labs is a technology company developing "Psychological AI" grounded in behavioral science to model the human element for decision-making.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechDigital HealthDayton, US
Ben-Ami Gradwohl(Chief Executive Officer)James Mainord(Chief Operating Officer)Amit Sheth(Director)
BoardIan Sosso(Director)inFlavio Lobato(Director)David Moritz(Director)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsMonte Carlo Capital
Cotopaxi (Global Uprising, PBC) is an outdoor gear and apparel brand that sells products directly to consumers and donates a portion of its revenue to the Cotopaxi Foundation, a nonprofit supporting community causes.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceImpact & Social GoodUtah, US
Davis Smith(Founder)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsBain Capital Double Impact Fund LPBAM VenturesBeliadeForerunner VenturesGreycroftKickstart+5 more
Cusa Tea makes instant loose leaf tea and coffee using a botanical extraction dehydration process that produces brewed-quality beverages in seconds.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechBoulder, US
Jim Lamancusa(Founder)James Cali(Director)Jay Hirsh(Director)Alan Murray(Director)
Co-investorsConnetic VenturesService Provider Capital
Death Clock is a preventive health platform that uses AI to identify early markers of chronic disease and provide actionable health protocols.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerDigital HealthLongevity
Brent Franson(Founder)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsCake Venturesf7 Ventures
A coffee and tea beverage company that sells instant drink packets made from single-origin arabica coffee, black tea, and real spices using a proprietary gentle dehydration process that preserves flavor without extreme temperatures.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechWellness & Fitness
Jim Lamancusa
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Entrepreneurial by Nature is a media platform covering founders and companies operating in the outdoor, travel, sports, and nature sectors.
Creator EconomyMedia & Entertainment
Expectful is a health and wellness content platform and meditation app for people trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and postpartum.
Digital HealthFemTechMental HealthWellness & Fitness
Nathalie Walton(Co-founder)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsJoyance PartnersThe Perkins FundIndicator VenturesPowerhouse Capital
FitLab builds and operates a portfolio of sport and fitness brands spanning equipment, boutique fitness studios, apparel, competitive events, and AI-based performance training.
ConsumerSports TechWellness & FitnessNewport Beach, US
Brian Kirkbride(Executive Officer, Director)inGeoff Schneider(Director)Rod Trujillo(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Melby(Director)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsCorazon CapitalPoint King Capital
Frontsight Media is a content production company that creates documentary-style journalism and video content focused on conflict zones, war reporting, and international affairs.
Creator EconomyMedia & EntertainmentAustin, US
Dylan Roberts(Founder & CEO)inWilliam Allen(Co-Founder)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Rancho Mission Viejo, US
Robert Gregg(Founder)
Co-investorsKokopelli CapitalLongley CapitalSpringdale VenturesTechstarsWomen's Equity Lab
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Glidance makes Glide, an intelligent primary mobility aid for people who are blind or have low vision, using patent-pending Agentic Wayfinding technology to physically guide users around obstacles and describe their surroundings in complex pedestrian environments.
AI & Machine LearningHardwareHealthtechSeattle, US
Amos Miller(Founder & CEO)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAggie Angel NetworkQuorum Capital PartnersUCeed Funds
GODMODE is a beauty brand offering collectible, high-performance cosmetics, with its Genesis Collection including highlighters, lip glosses, eyeliners, and eyeshadow palettes.
ConsumerCreator EconomyDirect to ConsumerE-commerce
BoardChloë Grace Moretz(Copiloт)Rina Sawayama(Copilot)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsThe Family Fund
Guest House provides home staging and pre-listing styling services for real estate agents and sellers, offering pay-at-close pricing where fees come out of sale proceeds.
B2B MarketplacesPropTechDenver, US
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsCaruso VenturesRange VCService Provider CapitalV1 VCDenver Ventures
Halfdays is an Olympian-founded women's outdoor and snow apparel brand designed in Colorado and sold direct online.
Denver, US
Kiley McKinnon(Founder)inAriana Ferwerda(Founder)inClarke McKinnon(Founder)Karelle Golda(Director)
BoardAdrian Kowalewski(Director)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsEverywhere VenturesForward Venture CapitalGreenline Community Ventures, LlcWayfinder VenturesDenver VenturesThe Fund
Hammerspace offers a data platform that unifies unstructured data across disparate storage silos, on-premises data centers, and public clouds (AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI) into a single global file system to make data available for AI workflows and GPU clusters.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & Infrastructure
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsFounders Circle CapitalOpen Field CapitalProsperity7 VenturesAltimeter Capital
Harper Systems provides a unified runtime that consolidates data, logic, and application functions into a single memory space, eliminating the fragmentation of traditional microservices architectures.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureDeveloper Tools
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Janji is an athletic apparel company that sponsors a field team of accomplished runners and ultrarunners who use running to explore, connect, and inspire change in their communities.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerSports Tech
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAssembled Brands
Kickfurther provides inventory funding for businesses through a consignment model, purchasing a company's inventory and consigning it back so that it is not recorded as debt or a liability on the balance sheet.
B2B MarketplacesConsumerFintechRetail Tech
Sean De Clercq(Chairman of the Board and Co-founder)inErik Straub(Vice President of Product/Co-founder)inGregory J. Gordon(CEO)inGregg Gordon(Chief Executive Officer)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsACTAI VenturesDraper AssociatesIT-Farm CorporationDenver Ventures
KinderFarms makes children's OTC medicine and hydration products, such as electrolyte solutions, formulated with cleaner ingredients like zinc, dextrose, and electrolytes and without artificial dyes.
Advanced ManufacturingConsumerDirect to ConsumerHealthtechWellness & FitnessRedondo Beach, US
Kristin Recchiutti(Executive Officer)Logan Schwartz(Director)Jeremiah Adams(Executive Officer, Director)Gregory Thomas Willsey(Director)Julianne Kur(Director)
BoardMark Rampolla(Director)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsGroundForce CapitalHabitat PartnersThe Family FundPowerplant Ventures
Momentous makes science-backed nutritional supplements for performance and wellness, including sleep support formulas designed for athletes and high performers.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHealthtechWellness & Fitness
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsMuse CapitalNext VenturesThe Family Fund
LiveEasy is a white-labeled home management concierge platform that connects homeowners and renters with service providers and savings for moving and residential needs.
B2B MarketplacesMarketing TechPropTechSaaSColumbus, US
Venkatesh Ganapathy(CEO)Niraj Patel(COO)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Noonday Collection sells handmade jewelry and accessories created by artisans globally, offering guidance on caring for various material types including metals, leather, and textiles.
B2B MarketplacesConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceImpact & Social Good
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Orion Sleep develops smart sleep technology, including sensors and covers, to make world-class sleep science accessible and affordable for consumers.
HardwareHealthtechIoTWellness & FitnessSan Francisco, US
Dr. Michael Breus(Chief Sleep Officer)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsBoot64 VenturesMucker CapitalNZVCThe Family FundWellness VenturesWestern Technology Investment
Co-investorsBatshit Crazy Ventures
Pair Eyewear designs and sells prescription and non-prescription eyeglasses with swappable frame tops that allow customers to change styles.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareCalifornia, US
Sophia Edelstein(Executive Officer, Director)inNathan Kondamuri(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardRick Yang(Director)inAlex Gurevich(Director)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAdvancit CapitalBaukunstblue 9 capitalEvolution VC PartnersHelium-3 VenturesJavelin Venture Partners+12 more
Premiums for the Planet pools commercial insurance spending from businesses to negotiate better rates and coverage while directing premiums toward climate-resilient insurers and practices.
Climate TechImpact & Social GoodInsurTech
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Pura manufactures smart home fragrance diffusers that deliver scents throughout a home using cartridge-based technology.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerIoT
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsTamarak Capital
Quantify Funds is an SEC-registered investment advisor that develops Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) by combining traditional investment principles with modern portfolio strategies.
Crypto & Web3Fintech
David Dziekanski(CEO and CIO)inDan Lee(COO)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Repeat is a lifecycle marketing platform that identifies key customer moments (replenishment, cross-sell, lapse risk) and automates personalized retention campaigns via email and SMS integrations.
AI & Machine LearningDirect to ConsumerMarketing TechSaaSLos Angeles, US
Kimberly Stiefel(Executive Officer, Director)Sarah Wissel(Director)
BoardNeeraj Agrawal(Director)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAct One VenturesBattery VenturesTechstarsMucker Capital
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Seamless is a revenue operations platform that uses AI to automate sales outreach and contact verification for sales, marketing, and customer success teams.
AI & Machine LearningSaaSSales Tech
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investors9Mile LabsNewark Venture Partners
Sett makes nicotine-alternative pouches built around Ceretine, a proprietary synthetic alkaloid combined with L-theanine, intended to provide nicotine-like focus and mood effects with fewer downsides.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerWellness & Fitness
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsJAZZ Venture PartnersService Provider CapitalBessemer Venture PartnersF2 Venture CapitalGreenfield PartnersTIRTA Ventures
Shinesty sells underwear, swimwear, and related apparel direct to consumers, featuring a proprietary "Ball Hammock" pouch design and MicroModal fabric.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceBoulder, US
Chris White(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inJens Nicolaysen(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsBatshit Crazy VenturesBLH Venture Partners, LLCService Provider CapitalThe Chernin Group (TCG Crypto)Winklevoss Capital
Silverton Mountain is a ski area in Silverton, Colorado offering guided and unguided backcountry skiing and snowboarding, plus heliskiing options, on advanced and expert-only terrain with no groomed runs.
ConsumerSports TechTravel & HospitalitySilverton, US
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Solarcore develops aerogel-based thermal insulation technology, derived from NASA aerogel research, for use in consumer, commercial, and government applications such as footwear and outdoor gear.
Deep TechHardwareNew MaterialsPortland, US
Michael Markesbery(Co-Founder & CEO)inRithvik Venna(Co-Founder & COO)inJeff Nash(Chief Technology Officer)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsBay Bridge Ventures ClimateElizabeth Street VenturesEnlightenment CapitalEvolution VenturesGOLDWIN VENTURE PARTNERSIronGate Capital Advisors+9 more
STAND+ manufactures specialized footwear designed for professionals and athletes who spend extended periods standing, using proprietary energy-dissipation technology and heat-moldable custom-fit materials.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceHardwareHealthtechSports TechWellness & FitnessNew York, US
Rob Gregg
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsCake VenturesCosmic Venture PartnersHannah Grey VenturesMidnightThe Family Fund
TimeDoc Health provides care management services including chronic care management and remote patient monitoring, supported by clinical teams that coordinate patient care.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaSChicago, US
William Boeglin(Executive Officer, Director)inChris Knoff(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardTim Streit(Executive Officer, Director)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsChaifetz GroupGrand VenturesSerra VenturesVocap PartnersAldrichImpact Engine+1 more
Uni makes refillable personal care products, including the Rain Body Serum, a lightweight body moisturizer formulated with marine and plant-derived active ingredients.
Circular EconomyConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceWellness & Fitness
Alexandra Keating(Founder)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsMiroma Ventures
VARIANT3D develops LOOP, a software platform that enables designers and brands to create custom knitted textiles digitally and produce them at scale.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechHardwareSaaSMalibu, US
Garrett Gerson(Co-founder & CEO)inWilliam Samosir(Co-founder & CTO)in
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Pepper designs and sells bras tailored for AA, A, and B cup sizes, manufactured sustainably in Colombia and Sri Lanka with ethical labor practices.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceFemTech
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsDenver Ventures
Wednesday Talent is a company founded and led by CEO Jeremy Hamel.
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAccess Venture PartnersService Provider CapitalAccess Ventures
Company led by CEO Kelly Watters, described as a partner of Howdy Partners.
White, US
Will Watters Jr.(Executive Officer, Promoter)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Co-investorsAlerion VenturesGreater Colorado Venture Fund
Althea is an Oregon-focused Public Benefit Corporation that helps licensed psilocybin facilitators and service centers deliver psychedelic therapy and connects people seeking psychedelic experiences with trained practitioners.
Digital HealthMarketplacesMental Health
Niko(Co-founder)
PartnerJay Hirsh· solo GP
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesAfter · eu-startups.com · Aug 21, 2026
Repeat · techcrunch.com · Jul 31, 2026
Cotopaxi · startbusinessmedia.com · Jul 1, 2026
KinderFarms · healthcarepackaging.com · Jun 4, 2026
Shinesty · trysignalbase.com · May 12, 2026
Sett · trysignalbase.com · Apr 21, 2026
ChannelApe · nasdaqprivatemarket.com · Nov 21, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Break Trail Ventures made?
- Break Trail Ventures has 53 tracked investments.
- What stage does Break Trail Ventures invest at?
- Break Trail Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is Break Trail Ventures's typical check size?
- Break Trail Ventures typically writes checks of $100K – $500K.
- What sectors does Break Trail Ventures focus on?
- Break Trail Ventures focuses on Consumer, Deep Tech, Direct to Consumer, Hardware, Healthtech, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Break Trail Ventures located?
- Break Trail Ventures is headquartered in Columbus, US.
- Does Break Trail Ventures lead rounds?
- Yes, Break Trail Ventures leads investment rounds.
- Who does Break Trail Ventures co-invest with?
- Break Trail Ventures most often shares deals with Service Provider Capital, The Family Fund, Cake Ventures, among 106 tracked co-investors.
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