Operator-led venture capital · Montecito, California
Montecito Ventures invests our own capital and time in early-stage founders, takes a seat on the board, and stays in the room from the first check to the exit.
We typically take two board seats, so we're accountable alongside you for every big decision.
No LPs to answer to and no fund clock. We invest our own money and move on founder time.
From incubating an idea to negotiating the sale, we've lived every stage ourselves.
We roll up our sleeves on strategy, hiring, go-to-market and fundraising, week in and week out.
Our approach
We're serial entrepreneurs first. We know what the first hire, the first big customer and the first hard board meeting feel like, because we've been there more than once. That experience is what we bring to every company we back.
Sharpening the problem, the market and the path to a business that lasts.
Pricing, channels, partnerships and the playbooks that turn traction into scale.
Key hires, org design, finance and the systems that let a company grow without breaking.
Follow-on fundraising, strategic relationships and, when the time is right, the exit.
The journey
Whether you're bringing us an idea or a business that's ready to scale, we meet you where you are and stay with you through what comes next.
Pressure-test the idea, shape the model and assemble the founding team, with our help at the whiteboard.
We write the check, join the board and set up a cadence that keeps everyone focused on what matters.
Hiring, go-to-market, partnerships and follow-on capital, with operators beside you, not just above you.
When the moment comes, we help you prepare, find the right buyer and negotiate the outcome you've earned.
How we partner
We keep our model straightforward so founders always know what working with us means.
We generally take two board seats and treat them as a working commitment, not a title.
Every dollar we invest is ours. That keeps our incentives aligned with yours.
You work directly with the two of us, not a rotating cast of associates.
No fund life forcing an early exit. We stay as long as it takes to build something great.
The partners
Montecito Ventures was started by two serial entrepreneurs who wanted to give founders the kind of partner they wished they'd had.
Drew is a serial entrepreneur, investor and digital business builder who has founded over 20 companies with 15+ successful exits across insurance, payments, e-commerce and digital marketing. He is an active angel investor and advises private equity firms, enterprises and founders on growth strategies.
Matt is a serial entrepreneur, investor and board member who has spent three decades founding and exiting companies in fintech, credit reporting, payments and background screening, including 700Credit, ScreeningOne and RentTrack, together contributing more than $1 billion in enterprise value.
Between the mountains and the sea, we build for the long run.Montecito, California
We focus on early-stage companies, from ideas we incubate alongside founders to young businesses with early traction that are ready to scale.
Because we want to be accountable. We generally take two board seats so we can be genuinely involved in the decisions that shape the company, and so founders always have experienced operators in the room.
Our own. Montecito Ventures doesn't manage outside LP capital, which means no fund timelines pushing for an early exit and decisions made directly by the two partners.
As involved as the company needs. Most of our founders talk with us weekly, and we roll up our sleeves on strategy, hiring, go-to-market, fundraising and, eventually, the exit.
No. We're based in Montecito and love supporting the Central Coast community, but we work with founders wherever they're building.
A short note about what you're building, why now, and where you are today. A deck helps but isn't required. We read everything and reply to every serious pitch.
Pitch us
Tell us what you're working on. Every pitch is read by one of the partners, and if it's a fit you'll hear back from us directly.
Your pitch is in. One of the partners will review it and get back to you.