Rockies Venture Fund I Managing Partner, Dave Harris added, “RVC is excited to reach this 100th investment mark over just the last 5 years. Our organization has worked hard to make this a place where founders can gain value and raise capital efficiently and quickly.”
DENVER (PRWEB) July 17, 2019
After a record breaking 2018 for venture capital investing in Colorado, Rockies Venture Club (RVC) continues to support a thriving investor community while fulfilling its mission of accelerating economic development in Colorado by mobilizing and educating angel investors. With the latest investment in Sheets & Giggles, Inc., RVC has made 100 investments over the last 5 years, helping to facilitate over $40M across 50 companies since 2014, making RVC one of the most active angel investor networks in the country.
Sheets & Giggles (S&G) is a Denver-based startup selling eco-friendly eucalyptus lyocell bedding that's softer and more breathable than cotton, with up to 96% less water used than cotton. S&G has shaken up the bedding industry by selling direct to consumers via e-commerce channels. Sheets & Giggles first pitched at RVC’s annual Colorado Capital Conference in November 2018; closing a first round of funding with RVC late last year. The company just closed their second seed round in June 2019, led by RVC and with co-investment from Rockies Venture Fund I (RVF), an early stage Angel co-investment fund, and other Colorado-based investors.
"I'm thrilled that S&G is the 100th investment by RVC. Working with the group has been fantastic, and I'd recommend reaching out to them for any startup looking for a seed investor that acts quickly and adds a lot of value beyond the capital itself. I have a lot of appreciation for Dave, Peter, Jenine Rubin, Dean Myerson, and Doug Mandic, and I'm so happy that RVC decided to jump into bed with us," shared S&G CEO and Founder, Colin McIntosh.
Moving forward, S&G will use this capital to continue the company’s rapid acceleration. As one example, they are Amazon's Deal of the Day today (July 17th, 2019), a highly visible slot immediately following up Amazon Prime Day. The company is using funds from this round to fulfill inventory demands for Amazon and other channels, expand their product lines, dramatically increase their marketing budget and brand awareness, and hire at least 2 new full-time employees on the marketing team during Q3.
Rockies Venture Fund I Managing Partner, Dave Harris added, “RVC is excited to reach this 100th investment mark over just the last 5 years. Our organization has worked hard to make this a place where founders can gain value and raise capital efficiently and quickly. RVC has also been intentional about educating investors about the importance of follow-on investing so we can continue to support growing startups like Sheets & Giggles through their development years.”
RVC-backed companies have shown tremendous growth with over 50% successfully raising a second seed round or Series A. As of June 2019, RVC has made 14 investments in 2019, putting the group on pace to surpass last year’s record of 20 companies funded.
Over the last 5 years, RVC has invested in a diverse range of companies from a variety of industries. Although RVC’s investment focus is primarily in Colorado, that hasn’t stopped the organization from investing in startups around the country; leveraging strong syndicate partners as part of the Angel Capital Association. Also, with funding rounds ranging from $200k-$2M, RVC has helped start-ups of all sizes to reach their financial and operational goals in a quick and efficient manner while providing ongoing support to a portfolio of 40+ companies. Regardless of the size and industry of the start-up, RVC works to help its investors find transparent investment opportunities that meet their risk and return expectations while simultaneously guiding entrepreneurs to creating easy to understand business plans and investor pitches.
About the Rockies Venture Club: Rockies Venture Club is the oldest and one of the largest Angel Groups in the U.S.A., founded in 1985, whose mission is to advance economic development by actively connecting the most promising entrepreneurial companies with Angel investors, venture capitalists, and other community members. Every year Rockies Venture Club offers over 140 educational programs, mastermind groups, Angel forums, and two major conferences for both investors and entrepreneurs.