Fundraising Fox

Thom Ruhe

Investor

President at IDEA NC

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area

About

Thom Ruhe is President and CEO of NC IDEA, a private foundation that provides grants and programs to help historically underserved groups build economic security and develop thriving communities. Previously, he spent seven years at the Kauffman Foundation directing programs in entrepreneurial education, mentoring, access to capital, and ecosystem development, and served as founding chief marketing officer of JumpStart Inc., a nonprofit venture development organization in Cleveland. He has held board and advisory positions with the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council for Entrepreneurship, the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at UNC, and currently chairs the Board of the NSF Textile Innovation Engine.

LinkedIn β†—X / Twitter β†—
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Thom Ruhe @thomruhe

The loss of civility was the first domino that fell - by design. Such a shame it was so easily sacrificed. https://t.co/NCwSnSZfWn

Mar 6, 2026 Β· β™₯ 1 Β· ⇄ 1

Thom Ruhe @thomruhe

Funny ... but true. I didn't even think about this consequence of being a misogynistic dolt. https://t.co/1pvCamE8qZ

Feb 27, 2026

Thom Ruhe @thomruhe

Always relevant. https://t.co/r9J0TWwdsT

Jan 27, 2026

Experience

  1. NC IDEAPresident and CEOcurrent2016 β€” presentRaleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area
  2. The Entrepreneurial Learning InitiativeCEO2014 β€” 2016Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  3. Kauffman FoundationVice President of Entrepreneurship2012 β€” 2014Kansas City, Missouri Area
  4. Kauffman FoundationDirector of Entrepreneurship2007 β€” 2012
  5. JumpStart Inc.Chief Marketing Officer2004 β€” 2007Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  6. OptiemPresident2001 β€” 2004

Education

  1. Bowling Green State UniversityBS, Management Information Systems1984 β€” 1988

Skills & more

Leadership99Strategy91Public Speaking45Management28Team Leadership13Nonprofit Management3Nonprofits40Community Engagement10Grant Making4Economic Development5Non-profits28Executive Management20
+12 moreProgram DesignEntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship EducationPublic RelationsPrivate EquityMarketingProgram ManagementBusiness StrategyStart-upsStrategic CommunicationsNew Business DevelopmentCommunity Outreach

Languages German

  • Ice House Certified Facilitator β€” The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative

From Thom's professional profile.

Same school

Also attended Bowling Green State University10

Scott WeissFormer CEO, Evenflo at Tribes VenturesVictor Pascucci IIIManaging General Partner, Cofounder at Energy Capital VenturesKola AinaFounding Partner at Ventures PlatformLarry CookPartner, Chief Financial Officer at Flourish VenturesVictor PascucciIII, Managing General Partner at Energy Capital VenturesNatasha AnikOperations at Rock Health

+ 4 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Kauffman Foundation17

Samuel ArbesmanVenture Partner at Lux CapitalMiriam RiveraCofounder, Managing Director at Ulu VenturesDylan ReidInvestor at Zetta Venture PartnersMarin LicinaEntrepreneur in Residence at PeakGul DolenInvestor at JLSMaggie KenefakeInvestor at Iron Prairie

+ 11 more

Also worked at JumpStart Inc.16

Kathy HeflinChief Financial Officer at JumpStart VenturesFreddie CoffeySenior Director, Marketing at JumpStart VenturesKaleigh GallagherVice President, Tech Services & Network Management at JumpStart VenturesMark Richey1809 Managing Partner at 1809 CapitalKevin Mendelsohn1809 Partner at 1809 CapitalWilliam J. LeonardCFO at Nirvana Healthcare Ventures

+ 10 more

Colleagues at IDEA NC

Amy Bastian
Vice President at IDEA NC