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Cowles Ventures
Venture capitalSpokane · Seed–Series A · 9 people tracked
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Investment thesis
Cowles Ventures invests in early-stage companies applying disruptive technologies and business practices to accelerate growth. It looks for clear defensibility, proven market demand, and the ability to scale, and prioritizes partners who value trust, community, and hard work. The firm focuses on healthcare, media, environmental advancement, and B2B SaaS sectors, writing first checks of $250,000 to $1 million in Series Seed to Series A rounds. Rooted in Spokane, Washington, its reach has grown to include high-growth companies throughout the Western United States and beyond.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.
Team · 9 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 30 of 42 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×9Healthtech ×8SaaS ×6Biotech ×5Deep Tech ×5Enterprise Software ×5Hardware ×5Medical Devices ×5
HQs:United States×23Italy×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 14 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×72 founders×53 founders×14+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 10 founders with education data
Harvard University ×3Stanford University ×2University of Idaho ×2
Investments · 42 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 22023 · 12022 · 12015 · 15 dated
Goldman Sachs is a global investment bank and financial services firm providing services such as mergers and acquisitions advisory, investment banking, and markets research to corporate and institutional clients.
FintechNew York City, US
Marcus GoldmanSamuel SachsDavid Solomon(Chief Executive Officer)inJohn Waldron(Chief Operating Officer)in
Co-investorsHomebrewSilver Lake PartnersTeamworthy VenturesVermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET)DST Global
The Alliance of Angels is an angel investor group of 180+ accredited members that finances and supports early-stage, high-growth startups in technology, hardware, consumer, and life sciences.
Sector Agnostic
Seattle, US
JACOB O. WOBBROCK(Executive Officer)inWILLIAM T. COLLERAN(Executive Officer, Director)ANDREW KO(Executive Officer)
BoardWILLIAM MCALEER(Director)inMARK UPSON(Director)MICHAEL FRIDGEN(Director)
Co-investorsThe W FundVoyager CapitalWRF Capital
Cardiac Insight develops handheld and wearable ECG devices for cardiac diagnostics, including the Cardea 20/20 for athlete heart screening and the Cardea SOLO for 7-day ambulatory monitoring.
BiotechHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesBellevue, US
David Linker(Executive Officer, Director)Dr. Dave Hadley(Founder)Dr. Vic Froelicher(Founder)Bill Willis(Executive Officer)inBrad Harlow(Executive Officer, Director)inRobert deGavre(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsKeiretsu ForumSeaChangeThe W Fund
Cato Digital builds a bare metal cloud platform focused on maximizing data center capacity utilization through low-cost, low-carbon computing solutions.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureDeep Tech
Co-investorsDolby Family Ventures
Clear Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that provides seed capital, connections, and company-building support to fast-growing startups.
Cowles Semi develops miniLED transfer and placement technology, combining proprietary software and custom hardware to build machines for high-yield, precise miniLED placement.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareSemiconductorsLiberty Lake, US
BuildDirect is an online marketplace for home improvement and flooring products such as hardwood, tile, and other building materials, selling directly to homeowners and contractors.
Construction TechE-commerceMarketplaces
Co-investorsPender Growth Fund
Enel is an energy utility group that produces and supplies power, with a focus on renewable energy generation, energy trading, and related services across multiple markets in the Americas and Europe.
CleantechClimate TechEnergyRome, IT
Co-investorsVenturEast
FUSE is an early-stage venture capital firm that backs founders across enterprise software, vertical software, AI, robotics, and space, drawing on a network of 300+ operators, executives, and founders to support portfolio companies.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Kellan(General Partner)Brendan(General Partner)Cameron(General Partner)John(Operating Partner)Satbir(Operating Partner)Bobby(Operating Partner)
Fierce Network is a B2B media outlet covering the communications and infrastructure industry, including wireless, cloud, AI, broadband, optical transport, data centers, and edge computing.
Media & Entertainment
Elizabeth Coyne(Editor in Chief)
Co-investorsAviv Venture Capital
Treasury4 is a cloud-native, API-connected treasury management platform that unifies cash, payments, and entity data from banks, ERPs, and investment portals into a single environment with real-time cash visibility, AI-driven transaction categorization, and forecasting.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaSSpokane, US
Ed Barrie(Founder)
Co-investorsVoyager Capital
Co-investorsNautilus Ventures Management Company (Us), LlcSeabed VC
Domino Data Lab provides a platform for enterprise machine learning operations that enables data scientists to experiment, build models, and deploy AI applications at scale with governance and reproducibility.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareHollywood, US
Nick Elprin(Founder)inChristopher Yang(Founder)inMatthew Granade(Founder)inThomas Robinson(Chief Executive Officer)inChris Yang(Founder)
Co-investorsBloomberg BetaCoatue ManagementDell Technologies CapitalHighland EuropeIn-Q-TelSequoia Capital+7 more
Gestalt provides a vendor-neutral digital pathology platform and professional services that enable pathology laboratories and health systems to modernize workflows, integrate AI tools, and manage diagnostic imaging without vendor lock-in.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesSpokane, US
Steve Rector(Executive Officer)inKen McCabe(Executive Officer, Director)Dan Roark(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
BoardBill Driscoll(Director)Chris Patrick(Director)Octavio Morales(Director)
Co-investorsSun Mountain CapitalKickstartTacoma Venture Fund
HCVC is a venture capital firm that invests in founders building scientific and technological progress through hardware, robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing innovations.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechRobotics
Co-investorsIsomer CapitalGood Growth CapitalMaC Venture Capital
HyperSciences develops a hypersonic accelerator engine aimed at mining and tunneling applications.
Construction TechDeep TechHardwareSpokane, US
Mark Russell(Executive Officer, Director)inMichelle Carbon(Executive Officer)in
BoardMichael McSherry(Director)Charles Russell(Director)
Co-investorsMilkbox PartnersThe W Fund
Impel Pharmaceuticals develops therapies for patients using its drug delivery technology and expertise with small and large molecules.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Co-investorsNorwest Venture PartnersvenBio Partners
Medcurity is an AI-powered compliance platform for healthcare organizations to manage HIPAA requirements, including security risk analysis, vulnerability assessments, vendor management, and employee training.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechSpokane, US
Joe Gellatly(Executive Officer, Director)inAmanda Hepper(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)in
BoardTom Simpson(Director)
Co-investorsSeaChange
Qualterra provides molecular plant testing services for horticultural and agricultural operations, including virus screening, variety verification, and genomic analysis.
AgTechBiotechPullman, US
Mike Werner(Executive Officer, Director)inAmit Dhingra(Director)
BoardSteve Rector(Director)inBob McCambridge(Director)Kirk Washington(Director)
Quintar builds an infrastructure layer for spatial AI, providing a shared spatial foundation that anchors AI agents, devices, and people to the same real-world reference points.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSanta Clara, US
Jeff Jonas(Founder)
Co-investorsSeventySix Capital
Revival Tea Company sells loose-leaf and packaged teas online, including black teas, green teas, herbal teas, and chai.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceSpokane, US
Andrew Henry(Executive Officer, Director)in
Co-investorsCapital Q® Ventures Inc.
Clarivate is a global provider of transformative intelligence offering enriched data, insights, analytics, workflow solutions and expert services for academia, government, intellectual property and life sciences.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareLegalTechSaaS
Co-investorsVoyager Capital
Safeguard Equipment makes the Compass, a wearable safety device that detects energized electrical hazards such as downed conductors to protect utility and line workers in the field.
Advanced ManufacturingEnergyHardwareIoTSpokane, US
Tim Ledford(Founder)inBrandon Bledsoe(Founder)inJohn W. Thompson(Executive Officer, Director)
Scientia Vascular develops guidewires, including the Aristotle and Zoom Wire product lines, for general vascular use within the neuro and peripheral vasculatures to introduce and position catheters and other interventional devices.
HealthtechMedical DevicesWest Valley City, US
John Lippert(Executive Officer, Director)Stacy Lippert(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardJeffrey Gladden(Dr. Gladden is a manager of the issuer.)David Bearss(Mr. Bearss is a manager of the issuer.)Rick Randall(Mr. Randall is a manager of the issuer.)Jerry Henley(Mr. Henley is a manager of the issuer.)
Co-investorsVivo Capital
SheerID provides an identity verification platform that instantly confirms whether consumers belong to specific communities—such as students, military, educators, and first responders—using over 200,000 authoritative data sources.
CybersecurityData & InfrastructureMarketing TechSaaSEugene, US
David Shear(Co-founder & President)inJake Weatherly(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsBrighton Park CapitalCentana Growth PartnersCentana PartnersVoyager Capital
Spiceology is a chef-founded company that makes spice blends, seasonings, and BBQ rubs, offering both consumer products and hard-to-find ingredients and labor-saving solutions for professional chefs.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceSpokane, US
Heather Scholten(Director)inEric Anderson(Executive Officer)inDarby McLean(Executive Officer, Director)inBrenda Bening(Executive Officer)inOverstreet Ronald(Executive Officer, Director)Pete Taylor(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsAssembled BrandsJackson Square Ventures
The Journal of Business (Spokane Journal of Business) is a regional business news publication covering companies, real estate, and economic developments in the Spokane and Inland Northwest area.
Media & EntertainmentSpokane, US
AbbVie is a pharmaceutical company that discovers and develops medicines, working with external innovation partners to conduct research.
BiotechHealthtech
Co-investorsArtis VenturesFountain Healthcare PartnersNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)Western Technology InvestmentFidelity InvestmentsFounders Fund
Junction Brain Health provides Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy and esketamine nasal spray (Spravato®) for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesMental Health
Christopher Blackburn(Founder | President)inDr. Robert Sammons(Co-Founder & CMO Emeritus)
Liberty Lake, US
Katie Laas(Founder)
Co-investorsSun Mountain CapitalSwan Venture FundAlbum VCIncisive VenturesVoyager Capital
Voyager Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in technology startups, with a portfolio spanning robotics, cybersecurity, legal AI, cleantech, and enterprise software.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaSSector Agnostic
Zetta Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that provides early-stage capital and hands-on support to founders building AI-native applications, infrastructure, and developer tools.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechDeveloper Tools
Seattle, US
John Larson(Executive Officer)John Stafford, III(Director)Anthony Riemma(Executive Officer)Lucas Price(Executive Officer)John Lauer(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Melinda White(Director)
Co-investorsLakewest Venture PartnersSaints CapitalVoyager CapitalGoldman SachsM12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund)
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Cowles_Investments_ChordCowles_Investments_EtailzCowles_Investments_Midas_BrandsCowles_Investments_ScorebookLiveCowles_Investments_TheToolboxpipeline-capital-partners
Exits · 2
1 IPOs · 1 acquisitionsGoldman SachsNYSE: GSZipwhipacq. by Twilio
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Goldman Sachs · finance.yahoo.com · Aug 18, 2026
Clear Ventures · medium.com · Aug 5, 2025
Gestalt Diagnostics · finsmes.com · Apr 28, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Cowles Ventures made?
- Cowles Ventures has 42 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 2 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Cowles Ventures invest at?
- Cowles Ventures invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What is Cowles Ventures's typical check size?
- Cowles Ventures typically writes checks of $250K – $1M.
- What sectors does Cowles Ventures focus on?
- Cowles Ventures focuses on Climate Tech, Consumer, Enterprise Software, Healthtech, InsurTech, Media & Entertainment, New Materials, PropTech, SaaS.
- Where is Cowles Ventures located?
- Cowles Ventures is headquartered in Spokane, US.
- Who does Cowles Ventures co-invest with?
- Cowles Ventures most often shares deals with Voyager Capital, The W Fund, SeaChange, among 44 tracked co-investors.
Co-investors · 4
Voyager Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage entrepreneurs across the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, focusing on the modern economy.
Jackson Square Ventures (JSV) is an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco that backs founders building software and marketplace companies. Founded in 2011, it has invested more than $700 million across multiple funds.
ARTIS Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in breakthrough companies at the convergence of technology and biology, with a focus on healthcare and life sciences ('TechBio'). It backs founders across biotech, therapeutics, digital health, and frontier technologies.
Thomvest is a group of investment companies investing on behalf of Peter J. Thomson and his family, backing entrepreneurs to build industry-defining companies. Its portfolio spans fintech, proptech, cybersecurity and related sectors.
Firms observed investing alongside Cowles Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Cowles Ventures's recorded portfolio.
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