Stout Street Capital

Active

Overview

Stout Street Capital is a Denver-based venture capital firm founded in 2017, specializing in pre-seed and seed-stage investments in early-stage technology companies, particularly B2B SaaS models in sectors like fintech, cleantech, HR, edtech, insurtech, and IT software for construction, government, energy, media, healthcare, and cloud services.¹²³ The firm invests in the US and Canada, excluding San Francisco, New York, and Boston, with check sizes typically ranging from $100K to $500K and reserves for follow-on investments.²³ It has managed multiple funds, including Stout Street Capital Fund III closed in July 2024, and completed around 80 investments sourced through conferences like UNMET.¹³

History

Stout Street Capital was co-founded in 2017 by Clay Gordon and John Francis.¹² Clay Gordon focuses on HR, cleantech, edtech, insurtech, and fintech, while John Francis targets IT software in construction, government, energy, cleantech, media, advertising, HR, healthcare, and cloud services.²⁴ The firm launched Value Fund-I, investing in 36 companies by 2018, followed by Value Fund-II targeting post-revenue seed-to-Series A companies valued under $10 million, and Stout Street Capital Fund III closed in July 2024.¹³

Notable Products

Stout Street Capital Fund III - Closed in July 2024; early-stage venture fund focused on technology investments.
Stout Street Value Fund-II - Targets post-revenue seed-to-Series A investments in companies valued under $10 million.
Stout Street Value Fund-I - Invested in 36 companies by end of 2018 with average initial investments of $100K.

Reputation

Stout Street Capital is perceived as a regional player emphasizing data-driven investments and community-building through UNMET conferences, having evaluated over 10,000 startups and invested in over 65 companies.³ Professionals note its focus on lean B2B SaaS outside major hubs, with partners bringing operator and institutional experience.²⁴ No prominent criticisms appear in available sources, though its scale remains modest compared to larger VC firms.¹³

Sources (5)