John Shumate
InvestorFounder, Chairman & CEO at Venture First · Board director at Forecastr
Boston and Louisville
About
John Shumate is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Venture First, an alternative investment group that also offers venture-focused financial services such as deal structuring, M&A and capital raise advice, fractional CFO services, and equity and derivative valuation. He is a General Partner in Whiskey Capital Finance Co., a debt fund for the craft American whiskey market, and Strike Ventures, a tech- and data-focused venture capital fund, and has held board roles at several venture- and growth-stage companies. He studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BS in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Management.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningFintech
Board director at Forecastr
Intro paths
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In turn, John can intro founders to Forecastr's investors below.
Forecastr's investors · 13
Capital Midwest FundMequonChartline Capital PartnersWilmington · $500K – $5M checksConnetic VenturesCovington · $250K – $500K checksConvergeCambridge · $500K – $5M checksElevate VenturesIndianapolis · $20K – $2M checksFuture Labs CapitalJeffersonville · since 2026Interlock CapitalSan Diego · $25K – $50K checksRender CapitalLouisville · $750K – $1.3M checksResolute VenturesSan Francisco · $1M checksRoot and Shoot VenturesLos AngelesStrike VenturesLouisville · since 2023TechstarsBoulder · $220K checksVenture FirstLouisville
Co-founders at Forecastr
SP
Steven PlappertFounder
LB
Logan BurchettFounder
JF
Jonathan FrazierFounder
SA
Steven AmbsFounder
Experience
- Venture FirstFounder, Chairman & CEOcurrent2009 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- Whiskey Capital Finance Co.General Partnercurrent2019 — presentJeffersonville, Indiana, United States
- DealerTradeNetworkBoard Membercurrent2021 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- Scottsdale Construction SystemsBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentDenver, Colorado, United States
- Strike VenturesChairmancurrent2020 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- GoodMapsInvestorcurrent2021 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- ForecastrInvestorcurrent2019 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- GoWildInvestorcurrent2020 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- BabySparksInvestorcurrent2020 — presentMiami, Florida, United States
- Nymbl SystemsInvestorcurrent2021 — presentColumbus, Ohio, United States
- SymbaInvestorcurrent2023 — presentLexington, Kentucky, United States
- National Stem Cell FoundationAdvisorcurrent2014 — presentLouisville, Kentucky, United States
- Wharton Alumni AngelsInvestorcurrent2020 — presentPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Francis Parker School of LouisvilleBoard Member2018 — 2024Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- Capture Higher EdBoard Member2019 — 2023Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyAdvisor2017 — 2023Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- Untitled FirmBoard Member2021 — 2023Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- EdjSportsBoard Member2020 — 2021Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- KentuckyOne Health | James Graham Brown Cancer CenterBoard Member, RCCC2017 — 2020Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- Speed Art MuseumBoard Member2017 — 2019Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Skills & more
Strategy29Strategic Planning8Valuation40Financial Modeling56Venture Capital28Private Equity16Mergers7Financial Analysis15Business Planning10Mergers & Acquisitions47Start-ups33Corporate Finance3
+7 more
InvestmentsEntrepreneurshipInvestment BankingFinanceManagement ConsultingStrategic PartnershipsDue DiligenceLanguages English
From John's professional profile.
Investments
Board seats
Capture Higher EdDealer Trade NetworkForecastrG&G FitnessUntitled
Per the firm's website.
Colleagues at Venture First
Ben Lawrence
Vice President, Business Development at Venture First
Bethany Dupree
Vice President, CFO Services at Venture First
Brian Oldham
Operating Partner at Venture First
Carolle Siegel
Executive Assistant at Venture First
Christopher Marlin
Vice President, CFO Services at Venture First
Cooper Burk
Junior Analyst at Venture First
Cordt Huneke
Board Member at Venture First
Elliott Thomazin
Financial Analyst at Venture First
Frequently asked questions
- Who is John Shumate?
- John Shumate is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of Venture First, an alternative investment group that also offers venture-focused financial services such as deal structuring, M&A and capital raise advice, fractional CFO services, and equity and derivative valuation. He is a General Partner in Whiskey Capital Finance Co., a debt fund for the craft American whiskey market, and Strike Ventures, a tech- and data-focused venture capital fund, and has held board roles at several venture- and growth-stage companies. He studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a BS in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Management.
- Where does John Shumate work?
- John Shumate is Founder, Chairman & CEO at Venture First and Board director at Forecastr.
- What does John Shumate invest in?
- John Shumate invests in AI & Machine Learning, Fintech.
- What boards does John Shumate sit on?
- John Shumate holds tracked board seats at Capture Higher Ed, Dealer Trade Network, Forecastr, G&G Fitness, Untitled.
- Where did John Shumate go to school?
- John Shumate studied at The Wharton School (B.S. in Economics, Finance); University of Louisville; Francis Parker School of Louisville.
Same school
Also attended The Wharton School1,995
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesSarah GuoFounder & General Partner of ConvictionJosh KopelmanFounder and Partner at First Round CapitalAydin SenkutFounder & Managing Partner at FelicisKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalJack AbrahamFounder, CEO & Managing Partner of Atomic
+ 1,989 more
Also attended University of Louisville19
Tomi AsantiManaging Partner, Real Estate at Innovestor VenturesJanne JuholaPartner, Innovestor Venture Capital at Innovestor VenturesCandice RezvanianChief Operating Officer at DPI CapitalJay BartelsSTRATEGIC ADVISOR at Inspiration VenturesEmily SnyderPrincipal at Borealis VenturesJames DoughertyGeneral Partner at Arcus Ventures
+ 13 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Forecastr4
Also worked at Nymbl Systems1
Also worked at Wharton Alumni Angels7
GregInvestor at Quorum Capital PartnersJacky ChenGeneral Partner at Archangel Network of FundsSerguei NetessineInvestor at Impellent VenturesEduardo KüpperManaging Partner at Airborne VenturesYi Y.Investor at Berkeley Angel NetworkAdarsh BhattCo-Founder and General Partner at Comma Capital
+ 1 more