Fundraising FoxSTARTUP IGNITION VENTURES
Venture capitalUtah · Pre-Seed–Seed · 5 people tracked
Also known as Startup Ignition
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Investment thesis
Startup Ignition Ventures writes founders' first pre-seed checks, focusing on evidence — real customers, traction, and disciplined execution — rather than pitch decks or hype. It positions itself as an ecosystem rather than a standalone fund, combining capital with education (a 3-day bootcamp), an AI-powered ToolSuite, mentorship, and a founder community built over a decade. The firm emphasizes fast, transparent responses, helping founders build traction using lean methodology, and backing capital-efficient, sustainably profitable companies ('elephants, not unicorns'). It targets software and AI startups primarily in Utah and the Intermountain West, drawing on partners with operating and investing experience.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.
Team · 5 people
from the firm's website & public directoriesWhat they invest in
from 30 of 38 portfolio companiesSaaS ×19Enterprise Software ×11Consumer ×7Sales Tech ×5AI & Machine Learning ×4Healthtech ×4Marketing Tech ×4E-commerce ×3
HQs:United States×17Australia×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 16 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×62 founders×63 founders×4
Where their founders studiedfrom 21 founders with education data
Brigham Young University ×14Brigham Young University - Idaho ×2Startup Ignition ×2University of Utah ×2Utah Valley University ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 21 founders with field-of-study data
Business & Management ×10Computer Science ×5Finance & Accounting ×3Economics ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 22 founders with career history
FamilyLink.com ×2Mingle Health ×2Oliver IQ ×2SecurityMetrics ×2The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ×2VidAngel ×2
3 hold an MBA (of 22 with degree data)
Investments · 38 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 12025 · 12024 · 12023 · 22022 · 16 dated
Angel is a streaming platform that produces and releases original content selected through community voting by Guild members, focused on stories that are excellent, authentic, and joyful.
ConsumerMedia & EntertainmentProvo, US
Jeffrey Harmon(Executive Officer)inJordan Harmon(Executive Officer)inNeal Harmon(Co-Founder and CEO)inLiz Ellis(Executive Officer)inPatrick Reilly(Executive Officer)in
BoardPaul Ahlstrom(Director)
Co-investorsKickstartOne Planet GroupUncorrelated VenturesAlta Ventures MexicoGigafund
Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing platform that connects passengers with drivers for various ride types, including standard rides, premium options, and other transportation services.
ConsumerEnterprise SoftwareMarketplacesMobility & TransportationSaaSSan Francisco, US
Logan Green(Co-founder; CEO until 2023)inJohn Zimmer(Co-founder; President until 2023)inDavid Risher(Chief Executive Officer)inErin Brewer(Chief Financial Officer)Lindsay Llewellyn(Chief Legal and Business Officer and Corporate Secretary)
Co-investorsAglae VenturesAllied Venture PartnersAlpha Wave GlobalAndreessen HorowitzAutotech VenturesBling Capital+49 more
Luminous is an operations platform for omnichannel commerce brands that unifies inventory, purchasing, fulfillment, and wholesale in one system across DTC and retail channels.
E-commerceEnterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaS
Jared(Founder & CEO)inBrendon(CTO & Co-Founder)in
Co-investorsSerena VenturesPelion Ventures
1000Memories lets families upload and organize historical photographs while building family trees and sharing memories with relatives.
ConsumerSan Francisco, US
Rudy Adler(Founder)inJonathan Good(Founder)Brett Huneycutt(Founder)in
Co-investorsCrosslink CapitalDraper AssociatesSpectrum EquityW Capital PartnersY Combinator
4StudentLives provides a platform for K-12 school districts to centralize threat and risk assessments, replacing paper forms and scattered documentation with a compliant, role-based system that tracks student concerns across campuses and school years.
EdTechGovTechSaaS
Adam Bangerter(CEO)Jeremy Stevens(President)
Allegiance provides third-party administration (TPA) services for self-funded health plans, serving employers and their plan members.
Digital HealthEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechInsurTech
Co-investorsALLEGIS CAPITALRembrandt Venture Partners
Baton operates a referral network for home service providers, letting companies exchange exclusive, peer-vetted leads for services they can't take and get paid for referrals they send.
B2B MarketplacesSaaSSales Tech
Phil Kirkeiner(Founder)in
Co-investorsZeno Ventures
Cardagraph offers a studio of products that helps software and engineering leaders understand the impact of delivery changes before committing to them, so teams can plan, size work, and stay aligned when priorities or scope shift.
Developer ToolsEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSLehi, US
Bentley Wilson(Executive Officer)Jeff Burningham(Director)Spencer Jack(Director)
Co-investorsPeak Ventures
CoachIQ is a business management platform for independent sports coaches and training facilities, offering scheduling, payments and billing, CRM, messaging, content delivery, an AI-powered website builder, and white-label mobile apps.
SaaSSales TechSports Tech
Control4 develops a smart home and business automation platform that centralizes control of connected devices including lighting, audio, video, climate, security, and intercom systems.
Enterprise SoftwareHardwareIoTLehi, US
Eric Smith(Founder)inWill West(Founder)inMark Morgan(Founder)in
Co-investorsLobby CapitalMercato PartnersSapphire Ventures
dataphleet is an AI platform that automates NERC regulatory compliance for electric power companies, executing compliance checks by reading equipment docs, relay settings, and schematics, then generating audit-ready evidence and reports.
AI & Machine LearningEnergyGovTech
Ryan Larsen(Co-Founder & CEO)inMike Margetts(Co-Founder & CTO)
Royal Reels is an offshore online casino platform accessible through mobile and desktop browsers, offering pokies, live dealer tables, tournaments, and promotional bonuses.
ConsumerGaming
Software for home services businesses (such as pest control companies) that automates review requests, referral generation, and win-back/upsell outreach, and provides tools for lead and pipeline tracking, customer communication, team messaging, performance scorecards, and incentive programs.
Marketing TechSaaSSales Tech
Co-investorsReformation Partners
foreUP is a cloud-based golf course management platform that enables golf professionals to manage operations including tee times, customer data, inventory, food and beverage, billing, and marketing from a single interface.
Cloud ComputingSaaSSports Tech
Scott Strong(President)
ioMemory NAND clustering architecture for storage.
Co-investorsAccelAccess Venture PartnersAndreessen HorowitzLightspeed Venture PartnersMercato PartnersNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)+5 more
Masset is a content management and alignment platform designed for marketing and sales teams to organize, distribute, and maintain brand consistency across their organization and AI tools.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSaaSSales TechUtah, US
Benjamin Ard(Co-Founder & CEO)Tyler Russell(Co-Founder & CTO)
Oliver provides front-desk software for veterinary clinics, including online booking, automated waitlists, text messaging, appointment reminders, payment and deposit collection, digital intake forms, loyalty programs, and reporting.
Enterprise SoftwareHealthtechSaaS
Web analytics and online marketing optimization provider, acquired by Adobe Systems in 2009 for about $1.8 billion.
Josh James(Founder)inJohn Pestana(Founder)in
Co-investorsBattery VenturesCrosslink CapitalHummer Winblad Venture Partners (HWVP)Scale Venture Partners
Palette is a project management and collaboration platform for creative and video production teams, offering frame-by-frame drawover, real-time boards, timelines, version tracking, and task management tied to assets and reviews.
Future of WorkMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Co-investorsAcadian Ventures Management, LlcEmblemUgly Duckling Ventures
Pura manufactures and sells smart home diffusers paired with a mobile app and marketplace that lets consumers select from over 300 premium fragrances and automate scent delivery.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareIoTOrem, US
Richie Stapler(Executive Officer, Director)Bruno Lima(Founder)inRichie S.(Founder)inNate Walkingshaw(Director)
Co-investorsBreak Trail VenturesCampus Founders FundInterplay Ventures Early Stage Management LlcKickstartService Provider CapitalTamarak Capital+1 more
Quilia is a HIPAA-compliant case management platform for personal injury law firms that automates client communication, tracks medical treatment, and organizes case documentation through a mobile app and web portal integrated with existing systems.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLegalTechSaaS
Kenny Eliason(CEO)
Route provides post-purchase software for online merchants, offering package protection, visual order tracking, and returns/exchanges management to reduce costs and retain customers.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaSLehi, US
Evan Walker(Executive Officer, Director)inEvan W.(Founder)inMike Moreno(Executive Officer)John Mayfield(Director)in
Co-investors137 VenturesCraft VenturesFJ LabsMadrona Venture GroupRachel Zoe VenturesRiot Ventures+5 more
Skavengerz develops an application designed to help people reduce time spent in digital environments and reconnect with the physical world.
ConsumerGamingWellness & Fitness
Brandon Osmond(Founder)in
Skullcandy makes consumer audio hardware including earbuds, headphones, and speakers, some featuring bass enhancement, active noise canceling, and gaming headsets.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareSports Tech
Co-investorsBattery VenturesMercato PartnersMill RoadTactile Ventures
Slingshot provides a multi-channel customer support platform for home services providers and other on-demand businesses, handling inquiries through text, voice, email, chat, and web with dynamic assignment to support specialists.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaS
Co-investorsRET Ventures
SoloFire is a sales enablement platform that centralizes approved content, SCORM training, certifications, and AI coaching, with branded, trackable content sharing ("Spaces"), offline access, and a built-in light CRM that syncs engagement data to existing CRM systems.
Marketing TechSaaSSales Tech
Co-investorsRoute 66 Ventures
Thunder Biotech is a cancer immunotherapy company developing MOTO-CAR treatments, which genetically engineer a patient's own macrophages into chimeric antigen receptor cells that target biomarkers on tumor cells to attack solid tumors.
BiotechHealthtechLongevityMedical DevicesAlpine, US
D. Tod Schulthess(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inKim O'Neill(Founder & Chief Scientific Officer)Kim L. O'Neill(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardD. Brent Israelsen(Director)
TroopTrack is a membership management and event planning platform designed for scout troops and similar youth organizations.
EdTechFuture of WorkSaaSSector Agnostic
VideoPeel is a video collection and analysis platform that enables businesses to gather video interviews, testimonials, surveys, investigations, and inspections through multiple channels.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareHR TechMarketing TechSaaSLehi, US
Patrick Tedjamulia(Founder)in
Co-investorsService Provider CapitalTechstarsActive CapitalNext Coast Ventures
XOLogic provides data-driven commerce and inventory management solutions for lighting, electrical, industrial, and plumbing retailers, helping showroom owners and distributors increase revenue and operational efficiency through web-based tools, e-commerce platforms, and digital catalogs.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaSSalt Lake City
Jason Peterson(Founder)
Zinch provides direct lending and financing solutions for small businesses, including merchant cash advances and business loans.
FintechAnaheim, US
Co-investorsFelicis VenturesKhosla Ventures
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Enhanced AIIdentity MatrixMassetOcavu
Exits · 9
2 IPOs · 7 acquisitions · showing 8Angel StudiosNYSE: ANGXLyftNASDAQ: LYFT1000Memoriesacq. by Exit BlackstoneAllegianceacq. by MaritzForeUPacq. by ClubessentialSlingshotacq. by WorkWaveXologicacq. by Fullsteam Holdings, LLCZinchacq. by Chegg
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesData Phleet · thesaasnews.com · Jul 23, 2025
CoachIQ · coachiq.io · Jun 11, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES made?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES has 38 tracked investments, 9 of which have exited, including 3 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES invest at?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES's typical check size?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES typically writes checks of $100K – $1M.
- What sectors does STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES focus on?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES located?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES is headquartered in Utah, US.
- Does STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES lead rounds?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES co-invest with?
- STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES most often shares deals with Mercato Partners, Service Provider Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, among 81 tracked co-investors.
Images
Co-investors · 4
Route 66 Ventures is an investment firm that backs technology founders driving positive change, with a team of investors, owners, and operators who have founded and built companies.
Reformation Partners is an early growth equity firm that invests in and helps accelerate businesses.
Peterson Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that backs entrepreneurs starting at the seed stage across consumer and software businesses.
Firms observed investing alongside STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES's recorded portfolio.
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