Northwest Venture Associates

Tom Simpson, the firm's co-founder and Managing General Partner, leads investment decisions. Chris L. Hurley serves as General Partner and participates in deal evaluation and portfolio management. The firm has not disclosed additional investment committee members or principals.

The firm sources from its Spokane headquarters, relying on a network of relationships across secondary and tertiary US business communities that are underserved by coastal venture capital. This geography-driven origination strategy is reinforced by the firm's three-decade presence in the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. Co-investment relationships with regional funds like Madrona Venture Group and Foundry Group also contribute to deal access.

No. The firm targets later-stage, growth-equity opportunities with check sizes typically between $10 million and $50 million. It explicitly avoids seed and early-stage venture risk, prioritizing companies with established revenue and proven unit economics. The investment stage coverage spans growth equity through pre-IPO rounds.

The firm maintains a generalist growth-equity mandate with demonstrated portfolio activity in enterprise software, digital health, industrial technology, and mobility. It does not target sector-specific funds or disclose explicit exclusion lists. Portfolio companies have included Coinbase Global (crypto infrastructure), 1Password (cybersecurity), and Ping Identity (identity management).

The firm operates as a traditional growth-equity partnership, taking minority and majority positions in later-stage private companies. It does not maintain a permanent capital vehicle, fund-of-funds program, or publicly disclosed co-investment club. Investment structures are fund-driven, with capital deployed from closed-end partnerships raised periodically across the firm's history.