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Homegrown Capital
Founded by Matt Paulson alongside Tim Weelborg, the former Executive Director of Enterprise Institute, Homegrown Capital emerged from the operational cash...
Homegrown Capital
Founded by Matt Paulson alongside Tim Weelborg, the former Executive Director of Enterprise Institute, Homegrown Capital emerged from the operational cash flows of MarketBeat. The firm operates from Brookings and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with a mandate to invest in companies at the seed and early venture stages. Paulson's prior work building a subscriber-supported financial media platform informs the firm's preference for capital-efficient business models over growth-at-all-costs startups. The firm's strategy spans early-stage venture equity and residential real estate, with confirmed positions including three multifamily properties in Sioux Falls — City's Edge, The MarQ, and The Brixx — and the mixed-use development The Crimson. On the venture side, Homegrown participates in startup funding rounds across the Plains region, often alongside the Falls Angel Fund network, where Paulson serves as chairman. The firm has not disclosed a formal fund structure, suggesting a deal-by-deal or ever-green model rather than a traditional closed-end venture fund. Sector coverage includes enterprise software and fintech, reflecting Paulson's operational background. Homegrown Capital also maintains a connection to Cresten Capital, a real estate investment vehicle for the partners, and holds a personal cryptocurrency portfolio. Paulson holds board seats with the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and Startup Sioux Falls, embedding the firm within the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. The MarketBeat Philanthropy Committee and the Paulson Center at Dakota State University represent the family's philanthropic footprint, with the latter signaling a focus on technology education in the upper Midwest. No recent fund close or major deployment figure has been publicly reported. What distinguishes Homegrown is its dual-use capital structure: operating income from MarketBeat feeds both venture and real asset investments, allowing the firm to behave like a family office with a permanent-capital posture even as it invests alongside external angel networks. This structure means Homegrown is not beholden to limited partner redemption cycles, giving it the latitude to hold positions indefinitely — a rarity in regional seed-stage investing.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Brookings
Corporate office
Brookings, SD, United States
Additional offices
Sioux Falls, SD
Principals
Matt Paulson
Co-founder and Managing Partner
Tim Weelborg
Co-founder and Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does Homegrown Capital fund its investments?
The firm is self-funded through the operational cash flows of MarketBeat, the financial media company Matt Paulson founded. This permanent-capital structure means Homegrown does not raise outside limited partner commitments for a traditional venture fund. Instead, it deploys capital on a deal-by-deal basis, often alongside the Falls Angel Fund network and other regional co-investors.
What investment stages does Homegrown Capital target?
Homegrown focuses on seed and early-stage venture rounds. The firm has not announced participation in Series B or later-stage deals. Its portfolio is concentrated in companies based in South Dakota and the broader northern Plains, where institutional venture capital presence is thin.
Does Homegrown Capital invest only in tech startups?
No. While the venture portfolio targets enterprise software and fintech companies, the firm also holds significant real estate assets in Sioux Falls. These include three residential properties — City's Edge, The MarQ, and The Brixx — as well as the mixed-use development The Crimson. The partners also maintain a personal cryptocurrency portfolio.
Who runs investment decisions at Homegrown Capital?
Co-founders Matt Paulson and Tim Weelborg serve as Managing Partners. Paulson is the more visible figure, given his role as founder of MarketBeat and chairman of the Falls Angel Fund. Weelborg's background leading Enterprise Institute, an economic development organization, provides a complementary lens on regional company-building.
How is Homegrown Capital related to Falls Angel Fund?
Matt Paulson chairs the Falls Angel Fund, a regional angel network that co-invests with Homegrown in early-stage companies. The two entities frequently participate in the same rounds, giving Homegrown access to deals sourced through the broader angel network while maintaining its own balance-sheet capital for direct commitments.
Does Homegrown Capital maintain philanthropic structures?
Yes. The MarketBeat Philanthropy Committee directs charitable giving connected to the operating company. The firm is also tied to the Paulson Center at Dakota State University, which supports technology education and likely functions as part of the family's broader philanthropic and talent-development strategy in South Dakota.
Is Homegrown Capital a single-family office or a venture firm?
It operates in the space between those categories. Homegrown is externally labeled as an asset manager, but its self-funded, permanent-capital structure resembles a single-family office deploying the wealth generated by MarketBeat. It lacks the outside LP base of a traditional venture firm, yet it publicly presents as a capital provider for startups, making it a hybrid entity.
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