Seattle Welcomes Fortson VC: A New Venture Fund on the Block
Fortson VC, a fresh venture fund, has recently secured $50 million to support early-stage software startups in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The fund is spearheaded by Cole Younger, a seasoned tech investor in the Seattle area who previously led Arnold Venture Group, a seed-stage venture arm under a family office. The business underwent a rebranding as Fortson VC and transitioned into a standalone venture firm earlier this year.
The inaugural “Fortson Gen I” fund is set to primarily invest in B2B software startups at the pre-seed to Series A stages. Younger aims to make 25 to 30 investments, with initial check sizes varying from $500,000 to $1 million. He envisions the future of software to be characterized by products that are adaptive, predictive, and operate with increased intelligence while significantly reducing user barriers.
While Fortson has a geographic focus on the Pacific Northwest, it remains open to investment opportunities outside the region. Younger has a track record of backing various Pacific Northwest startups such as SheerID, Copper Banking, and Easy Metrics. His investment decisions heavily rely on the founding team, emphasizing on supporting non-linear founders with a unique vision and strong internal drive.
With the Seattle region witnessing several early-stage venture firms raising new funds, including Ascend, Founders’ Co-op, Flying Fish, and Graham & Walker, the tech investment landscape is vibrant. Madrona, a Seattle-based venture capital firm, also announced $770 million for two new funds earlier this year.
Younger, an alumnus of the University of Washington, kickstarted his investing career at Pacific Horizon Ventures. He later founded Vintage Lane Venture Partners, an investment advisory firm specializing in early-stage venture investments.
In conclusion, Fortson VC’s entry into Seattle’s venture capital ecosystem brings a fresh perspective and a focused approach to supporting innovative software startups in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. With Younger at the helm, the fund is poised to make a significant impact by backing visionary founders and pioneering companies that push the boundaries of technology.
