Investor profile
VentureVets
Micro-fund
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VentureVets operates a $5M early-stage fund deploying $50,000 initial checks—via Shared Earnings Agreements and Convertible Notes—exclusively into veteran, first responder, and military spouse-led ventures. The fund targets operator-founders with deep domain expertise in construction tech, PropTech, industrial innovation, workforce solutions, and adjacent dual-use technologies, focusing on companies generating $150K–$5M in revenue that are solving infrastructure, workforce, and digital transformation challenges in large, fragmented, under-digitized sectors. The firm's differentiated model combines a 501(c)(3) accelerator (providing 12–18 months of structured mentorship, customer validation, and access to 200+ general contractor relationships) with an LLC investment fund, generating proprietary deal flow and de-risking investments before capital is deployed. Strategic partnerships with Comcast, NSF I-Corps, Indiana IoT Lab, and Elevate Ventures amplify founder access to capital, enterprise customers, and government contracts, with a geographic anchor in the Midwest industrial base and national reach.
Notable quotes
“When we started VentureVets, we were focused on entrepreneurs. The whole idea was to create events and rooms where founders could collide with the resources they actually needed. Mostly money. Sometimes mentors. Sometimes the right introduction at the right moment.”
“Venture Vets is a place to support veteran and military spouse, military-connected entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. We have an affinity for construction because of our family business. I'm an economic developer by training and so the real estate and construction side is the network and the work that we know best.”
“Indiana's combination of advanced manufacturing, construction growth, and PropTech innovation creates ideal conditions for veteran-led ventures. VentureVets leverages these sector strengths while addressing workforce development—veteran founders hiring veteran talent—contributing to Indiana's broader economic competitiveness.”
Team
Courtney Zaugg
Co-Founder, Managing Partner & GP
Nathan Zaugg
Co-Founder & Head of Platform
Duke Long
Advisor – PropTech Expert (REACH Accelerator)
David Mann
Advisor – Investment & Strategy Executive (The Firefly Group)
Phil Luzius
Advisor – Technology & Fund Strategy
Recent investments
| Company | Round | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokenote | Accelerator/Seed | — | — |
| Forces Horizon | Accelerator/Seed | — | — |
| BRAVO Construction Group | Accelerator/Seed | — | — |
Frequent co-investors
| VC firm | Deals together |
|---|---|
| Elevate Ventures | 1 |
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