John Richards
InvestorManaging Partner at STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES · Angel Panel Member at FundersClub
Utah
Writes $25K – $750K checks · typically $500K
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About
A longtime entrepreneur and prolific angel investor originally from Seattle who took a company public on the NASDAQ, invested in 200+ startups (including Omniture, Fusion-io, Ancestry, Skullcandy, and Lyft), led BYU's entrepreneurship program for 12 years, and headed Google Fiber in Utah.
Experience
- Startup Ignition AcademyFounder/CEOcurrent2024 — present
- Startup Ignition VenturesManaging Partnercurrent2022 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Startup IgnitionCEO / Foundercurrent2015 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Baton - Pest Control & Wildlife ReferralsAdvisorcurrent2022 — presentSeattle, Washington, United States
- LuminousAdvisorcurrent2021 — presentUtah, United States
- CardagraphAdvisorcurrent2019 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Opiniion Inc.Senior Advisorcurrent2017 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Brigham Young UniversityFounder with Center for Entrepreneurship & Technologycurrent2000 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Brigham Young UniversityAssociate Professor2001 — 2013Provo, Utah, United States
- FirstStep Advisers, Inc.Presidentcurrent2004 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- FirstStep Capital, LLCManagercurrent2004 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- FirstStep Venture Debt, LLCManagercurrent2004 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- FirstStep Property, LLCManagercurrent2004 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- Mercato PartnersInvestorcurrent2008 — present
- FundersClubAngel Panel Membercurrent2013 — present
- Y Combinator W13 (Accelerate FundersClub I)Investorcurrent2013 — present
- Kickstart Seed FundInvestorcurrent2012 — present
- AlbumInvestorcurrent2014 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- TranscripticInvestorcurrent2012 — present
- The World TableAdvisorcurrent2014 — presentOrem, Utah
- The World TableInvestor & Advisor2015 — 2023Orem, Utah
- RRS & CompanyInvestorcurrent2012 — present
- Solutionz Innovations, LLCSenior Advisory Board Membercurrent2015 — present
- Alianza, Inc.Investorcurrent2005 — present
- GrasswireInvestorcurrent2014 — present
- XOLightsAdvisorcurrent2011 — presentProvo, Utah, United States
- CitySparkInvestorcurrent2012 — presentSalt Lake City Metropolitan Area
- Alkemy MarketingAdvisorcurrent2014 — present
- FindProzInvestorcurrent2012 — presentGreater Seattle Area
- BrandWatch TechnologiesInvestorcurrent2000 — presentPortland, Oregon Metropolitan Area
- BrandWatch TechnologiesCo-Chairman of the Board2001 — 2002Bellevue, Washington
- TalespringInvestorcurrent2010 — present
- ForeUP GolfInvestor & Advisor2011 — 2021Orem, Utah
- SXSWAdvisory Board Member2016 — 2020Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area
- Culinary CraftsAdvisory Board Member2015 — 2020Pleasant Grove, Utah
- Property Management Inc.Advisory Board Member2015 — 2020Lehi, UT
- Pura ScentsAdvisory Board Member2015 — 2020Orem, UT
- The Stevie AwardsJudge2014 — 2020
- RouteAdvisor2018 — 2020Lehi, Utah, United States
- Domo, Inc.Investor2010 — 2020American Fork, Utah
Skills & more
+12 more
Social MediaSocial NetworkingBusiness StrategyBudgetsVenture CapitalStart-upsFundraisingMarketingTeam ManagementMicrosoft OfficeProfessional NetworkingBusiness NetworkingLanguages English · Spanish
From John's professional profile.
Investments
Investor
4StudentLivesCardagraphCitySparkCoachIQDataphleetDimension XDrivenFlowellGrasswireIcount.comIdentity MatrixLuminousOcavu (formerly Seek)OliverRoute
Per curated public sources.
Colleagues at STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES
Frequently asked questions
- Who is John Richards?
- A longtime entrepreneur and prolific angel investor originally from Seattle who took a company public on the NASDAQ, invested in 200+ startups (including Omniture, Fusion-io, Ancestry, Skullcandy, and Lyft), led BYU's entrepreneurship program for 12 years, and headed Google Fiber in Utah.
- Where does John Richards work?
- John Richards is Managing Partner at STARTUP IGNITION VENTURES.
- What check size does John Richards write?
- John Richards typically writes checks of $25K – $750K.
- What companies has John Richards invested in?
- Investments tracked here include 4StudentLives, Cardagraph, CitySpark, CoachIQ, Dataphleet, Dimension X, Driven, Flowell, Grasswire, Icount.com, Identity Matrix, Luminous, and 3 more.
- Where did John Richards go to school?
- John Richards studied at Brigham Young University (B.A., Chemistry).
Same school
Also attended Brigham Young University506
+ 500 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Opiniion Inc.7
+ 1 more











































