Investment Associate

About Us: We are Denver Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on fueling founders from launch to legacy. Our investment philosophy centers on identifying exceptional "Founder DNA"—traits like being bold yet pragmatic, focused yet adaptable, decisive yet contemplative, and a thoughtful risk-taker with humble curiosity and an actionable vision. While rooted in Colorado, we are not limited by geography or industry, investing in technology startups across the U. S. We provide pre-seed and seed-stage funding, with checks ranging from $250k to $800k, and also back scale-ups at Series A and beyond with investments between $1M and $3M.

Our culture emphasizes conviction, community, and long-term partnership, aiming to be a trusted catalyst for founders by offering passion, insight, and an unmatched network. The Opportunity: We are seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious Associate to join our team, focusing on the critical deal flow operations. This role is ideal for an ambitious self-starter with a genuine passion for venture capital and technology, eager to develop a foundational understanding of deal sourcing, pipeline management, and early-stage company evaluation.

You will play a vital role in identifying and engaging with the next generation of groundbreaking founders, directly contributing to our firm's investment pipeline. What You'll Do: 1. Identification & List Generation: Company Research / Prospect Companies: Work with MDs to develop specific criteria for deal sourcing, then systematically identify promising companies, by leveraging digital tools to streamline and automate initial data collection. Prioritize with Signals: Prioritize companies based on key signals such as headcount growth, web traffic growth, and other relevant metrics ensuring focus on high-potential opportunities.  2. Mapping & Relationship Building: Network Mapping:

Utilize digital tools to map our existing connections and identify optimal introduction paths, empowering us to better serve early-stage companies and founders, identifying the most effective paths to introduction. Value Proposition Research: Conduct in-depth research to understand how Denver Ventures can genuinely help each prospect, including identifying potential introductions or resources we can offer. This will be the most time-intensive part of your role. 3. Activation & Outreach: Ecosystem Engagement: Be a key face of Denver Ventures, actively attend industry events, conferences, and networking functions to expand the firm's reach and identify new opportunities.

Weekly event presence is expected and we see this position as our ‘boots on the ground’ networking driver. Expand & Leverage our Network: Actively expand and leverage our firm's network to secure introductions and establish initial connections with target companies.  Initiate & Track Deal Outreach: Initiate personalized outreach and communication with founders, tracking all interactions meticulously until conversion.  Take Initial Deal Calls: Assist with managing and responding to inbound deals, take initial calls with founders to ensure they are a good fit for our criteria.  4. Pipeline Management & Reporting: Monitor Pipeline Deals:

Develop and implement a systematic process for categorizing and monitoring companies whose progress we’re actively tracking, , ensuring a clear understanding of their timeline and that we’re providing value in the interim. Maintain Data Integrity: Ensure accurate and comprehensive data is maintained in our pipeline management system, meticulously tracking all relevant metrics. Collaborate on Target Setting: Work with the investment team to define and achieve target numbers for deals moving through our funnel on an annual, quarterly, and monthly basis. Brief Investment Team:

Provide monthly briefings to the investment team on deal flow operations and pipeline statistics, highlighting progress, key learnings, and missed opportunities.  Who You Are: Obsessed with Venture & Tech: You have a demonstrable passion for the venture capital ecosystem, emerging technologies, and the startup world. You stay current with industry trends and are genuinely excited about disruptive innovation. You enjoy proactively networking and seeking opportunities and have a strong viewpoint on where technology is heading. Hungry & Driven: You possess an insatiable curiosity and a strong desire to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully.

You are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and tackle new challenges. Self-Starter & Always Learning: You are proactive, take initiative, and can operate effectively with minimal supervision. You are committed to continuous self-improvement and actively seek out new knowledge and skills. Professional & Polished: You exhibit excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of interacting professionally and effectively with founders, co-investors, and other stakeholders within the venture ecosystem. Why Join Us?Direct exposure to cutting-edge technologies and innovative founders across the U. S. Mentorship and guidance from an experienced team.

Opportunity to make a tangible impact on the firm's investment pipeline and the growth of promising startups. A collaborative and supportive team environment that encourages growth and continuous learning. Potential for future venture capital career advancement and future equity upside. Compensation: $48,000 - $62,000 per year base salaryWith your application attach a PDF with answers to these questions:

If you were given a small discretionary fund ($250k) to invest in any startup right now, where would you invest and why?What are 3 websites / blogs / content / thought-leaders that you regularly follow to keep up to date with technology and the venture ecosystem?What are two of the listed roles and responsibilities above that make you most excited about the role?