This story appears in the November 2025 issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.
Utah universities are hotbeds of innovation that lay the groundwork for breakthrough technologies. The Nucleus Institute, Utah’s bold new engine driving innovation, collaboration and commercialization statewide, helps support the transition of these technologies from campus to company through mentorship, training, connection and funding.
True innovation requires both time and capital. Most investors who put money into VC expect returns in 5-10 years. The typical VC fund lifecycle is 10 years, already a long time to have capital tied up, but truly disruptive companies often need even longer to reach maturity.
Enter the Nucleus Fund: $40 million of “patient capital” designed as an evergreen fund. Returns are reinvested to continue supporting the goal of helping mitigate the “valley of death” that many technologies face as they commercialize out of research institutions by investing at the earliest stage.
I was drawn to venture investing because it funds dreams, creates jobs and builds our future. No VC should be put on a pedestal; a VC’s goal should always be to support the builders and employees doing the real work. Moving forward, this column will highlight the founders and funders who are shaping Utah’s future, as well as major deals happening across the state. To start, we’ll highlight the primary VC players in Utah and the stages at which they invest.
Angel investor groups
Early-stage VCs (pre-seed to Series A)
- Album VC
- BUILD Capital Partners
- Convoi Ventures
- Element Ventures
- EPIC Ventures
- Frazier Group
- Frame VC
- Kickstart Seed Fund
- Nucleus Fund
- Peterson Ventures
- Philo Ventures
- RET Ventures
- Run Ventures
- Sorenson Capital
- Spacestation Investments
- SpringTide Ventures
- Startup Ignition Ventures
- Tandem Venture Partners
- A variety of family offices
Growth-stage VCs (Series B and beyond)
- Cross Creek
- The Cynosure Group
- Halo Experience Company (HXCO)
- Mercato Partners
- Pelion Venture Partners
- Sandlot Partners
- Sorenson Capital
Student funds
- Campus Founders Fund
- Cougar Capital
- Nucleus Fund
- Philo Ventures
- Sorenson Impact Fund
- University Growth Fund
- Wolverine Fund
What do you want to know about the Utah VC scene? Do you have an investment that deserves a shoutout? Did I miss highlighting a key Utah fund or investor group? Send inquiries and information to angela@nucleusutah.org.
