Name

Coolwater

Legal name

Coolwater Capital

Website

https://coolwatercap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds and Investment Management

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Emerging Manager / Seeding Platforms (Multi-Manager) (FSANAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Venture capital fund-of-funds
• Fund manager accelerator
• Venture ecosystem development
• Emerging manager support
• Co-investment access

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Investment Returns: Coolwater generates returns through equity stakes in VC funds within their network and co-investments in portfolio companies. They deploy capital alongside the fund managers they back, earning carried interest and equity appreciation on successful exits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Coolwater Capital is a next-generation venture capital firm-of-funds that launches and supports emerging VC managers by providing capital, infrastructure, and strategic support in exchange for early co-investment access to portfolio companies. It runs the Capital Accelerator program (multi-month curriculum, 100+ hours of advisory, LP-taught modules) for new and scaling fund managers, delivers bespoke Ecosystem Building Programs for governments, DFIs, corporations, and NGOs, and invests directly in VC funds to co-invest in their portfolio companies.

Product overview

Coolwater Capital is a next-generation investment firm that operates as a platform combining three core offerings: (1) the Fund Manager Accelerator, an intensive program providing curriculum, advisory support, and expert-led modules for emerging fund managers; (2) Ecosystem Building Programs, bespoke initiatives that partner with governments, DFIs, corporations, and NGOs to design and scale venture ecosystems globally; and (3) VC Fund Investment with co-investment access, where Coolwater invests in VC firms and gains early privileged access to the startups they back. The platform emphasizes deep partnerships with fund managers and deploys the majority of its capital through direct co-investments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capital Accelerator (Fund Manager Accelerator) Intensive, high-touch program equipping new and scaling venture capital fund managers with a multi-month curriculum, 100+ hours of advisory support, and modules taught by LPs and domain experts. Designed for tier-one spinouts, top operators turning VCs, and deep domain specialists launching specialized funds.
• Innovation Ecosystem Building Programs Bespoke programs partnering with governments, DFIs, corporations, NGOs, non-profits, and ENFs to design, launch, and scale thriving venture ecosystems. Components include market assessment, fund manager capacity building, GP and LP education and activation, regulatory and structural support, and integration into global VC networks.
• VC Fund Investment & Co-Investment Access Investment in venture capital firms with early co-investment access to the breakthrough companies they back. Coolwater invests in strategic archetypes — tier-one spinouts, founders becoming VCs, and specialized funds — and deploys the majority of its capital via direct co-investments alongside network fund managers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ emerging managers backed since 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Coolwater has delivered multiple long training programs supporting Japanese fund managers through JETRO's initiative. The partnership focused on international best practices, cross-border collaboration, and institutional readiness. The initiative has grown 3x, supporting 31 fund managers across multiple cohorts as part of Japan's broader innovation and capital markets strategy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Correlation Ventures: Correlation Ventures is a venture capital fund-of-funds employing a data-driven, broadly-diversified approach to backing large numbers of early-stage venture funds and capturing co-investment rights. Highly comparable to Coolwater's emerging-manager seeding and co-investment access model.
• Kauffman Fellows: Kauffman Fellows is a leadership program that identifies, develops, and networks emerging venture capital managers globally. Shares Coolwater's emerging-manager talent-development and ecosystem-building thesis and serves a similar LP-facing constituency.
• Backstage Capital: Backstage Capital is a fund-of-funds and accelerator dedicated to backing underrepresented emerging managers and the founders they support. Operates a directly comparable emerging-manager seeding and accelerator platform with co-investment access.
• Humble Ventures: Humble Ventures is a fund-of-funds and venture firm investing in emerging managers and the portfolio companies they back. Closely aligned with Coolwater's emerging-manager focus and co-investment thesis.
• Visible Hands: Visible Hands is a venture platform that backs first-time fund managers and underrepresented founders through an accelerator-style program. Directly comparable high-touch emerging-manager development model with embedded co-investment access.
• StandUp Ventures: StandUp Ventures is an early-stage venture firm and emerging-manager platform backing founders and fund managers from underrepresented backgrounds. Comparable emerging-manager focus and accelerator-style support structure.
• 645 Ventures: 645 Ventures is an early-stage venture firm operating an emerging-manager platform that seeds and supports first-time funds with co-investment access. Closely mirrors Coolwater's fund-building and co-investment model.

Broad incumbents

• AngelList (now Alto): AngelList/Alto is a broad venture platform providing fund formation, LP management, and capital introduction services to managers and LPs at scale. Operates an overlapping capability set (fund infrastructure, LP access) but at much greater scale and breadth than Coolwater.

Others

• Carta: Carta is a venture infrastructure and fund administration platform serving managers and LPs with cap table, fund admin, and LP management services. Comparable as enabling infrastructure used by emerging managers that Coolwater supports, rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• World Bank/IFC venture ecosystem programs: Development finance institutions such as the IFC and other multilateral bodies run venture ecosystem-building programs targeting emerging managers in emerging markets. Comparable to Coolwater's government/DFI ecosystem-building mandates like JETRO but at multilateral rather than firm-led scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coolwater
• Xx.com/coolwatercap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coolwater