# Starve Ups

Starve Ups is a Private Equity based in Portland, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Portland, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Portland, Oregon, United States
- **Founded:** 2000
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.starveups.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/starve-ups

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Starve Ups was Oregon's first startup accelerator and is its only scalerator, defined as an end-to-end accelerator. It was founded by founders and is solely made up of a community of startup founders and their membership companies. Formed in October of 2000, it provides support for founders from inception to acquisition through Survive, Strive and Thrive stages, taking zero equity and charging zero fees.

## Sectors

- Enterprise Software
- Consumer
- Digital Health
- Mobility & Transportation
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- Media & Entertainment
- Education
- Real Estate
- SpaceTech
- AI/ML
- Food & Beverage

## Offices

- Eugene, Oregon
- Bend, Oregon

## People

- Kevin DeWhitt — Board Chairman & Membership Director

## Questions

### How does Starve Ups source and select companies?

Starve Ups accepts a new class of member companies annually, selecting for founder traits rather than vertical or product-stage filters. The firm's website states it looks for founders who feel incomplete if they aren't building their company, show an all-in dedication, and practice a 'Pay It Forward' approach to peer mentoring. There is no formal fund commitment or investment committee.

### How is Starve Ups structurally different from a typical VC firm or accelerator?

Starve Ups does not raise or deploy a fund; it takes no equity, charges no fees, and has no carried interest structure. It operates as a peer-mentoring network of founders who support each other from incorporation through exit. This architecture removes the regulatory and incentive structure of an investment adviser, making it more akin to a private membership association.

### What is Starve Ups' track record on exits?

According to the firm's own metrics page, its 222 member companies have generated 35 exits totaling over $1.42B in shareholder value, including three initial public offerings (Arcimoto on NASDAQ in 2017, Jive Software on NASDAQ in 2011, and Agilyx on OTCQX in 2021) and multiple acquisitions by firms such as Yahoo, Johnson & Johnson Vision, and DexCom.

### Which sectors does Starve Ups explicitly avoid?

The firm states publicly that it 'doesn't invest in verticals' but rather unites with peer founders. Member companies span 20 industries — including enterprise SaaS, CPG, digital health, and clean energy — with no publicly stated exclusionary sectors.

## Related profiles

- [StarVest Partners](https://altss.com/profile/starvest-partners)
- [Stash Wealth](https://altss.com/profile/stash-wealth)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:08:11.274Z

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