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Cold Start
Cold Start Ventures is a venture capital and incubation partner that works alongside founders as cofounders, not just investors. They provide hands-on...
Cold Start
Cold Start Ventures is a venture capital and incubation partner that works alongside founders as cofounders, not just investors. They provide hands-on operational support to build and scale companies from early stage to growth, and state they have created more than $2B in enterprise value with backing from top-tier venture funds.
General information
Firm type
Generalist
Year founded
2019
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Lewes
Corporate office
Lewes, DE, United States
Principals
Matt Taksa
Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Cold Start?
Matt Taksa, the firm's founder, leads all investment decisions. Taksa previously co-founded Caladan and Arcbay, bringing an operator's lens to early-stage investing. His background in building and scaling startups informs Cold Start's concentrated, founder-aligned investment approach.
How does Cold Start source proprietary deal flow?
Cold Start operates as a select investor within the On Deck Founder network, which gives the firm early access to companies founded by On Deck program participants. This relationship provides a curated pipeline of pre-vetted founders before they enter broader venture fundraising processes. The firm also draws on Taksa's personal network from his prior ventures.
What investment stages does Cold Start typically target?
Cold Start focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage companies, occasionally participating in startup rounds. The firm writes first-check capital into companies still forming their initial product and go-to-market strategy. This stage preference aligns with the On Deck network's concentration of founders at the earliest stages of company building.
Which sectors does Cold Start focus on?
Cold Start is a generalist firm with confirmed exposure to enterprise software, digital health, and fintech. Portfolio companies Berry Street and Blossom Health reflect the firm's active investments in fintech infrastructure and digital health platforms respectively. The firm's deal flow is shaped by the sectors emerging from On Deck cohorts.
How is Cold Start related to On Deck?
Cold Start is listed as a select investor for On Deck companies and participates in the ODF network. This relationship is a partnership rather than an ownership stake—Cold Start gains early access to On Deck founder companies, and On Deck's ecosystem benefits from having a dedicated capital source for its graduating founders.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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