#USA #Palo Alto #True Ventures #Kevin Rose #Mike Montano

True Ventures Expands Its Investment Team with New Partners

True Ventures, a leading early-stage venture capital firm, has announced the addition of two new full-time partners to its team, Kevin Rose and Mike Montano. Both partners have significant experience in entrepreneurship and venture investing, making them valuable assets to the firm.

Kevin Rose: A History of Innovation

Kevin Rose's journey with True Ventures began years ago when he launched the social news platform Digg in 2004. This groundbreaking site transformed how users consumed and shared online content. Under his leadership, Digg soared to a staggering 38 million monthly users, becoming an essential part of internet culture.

In 2011, True Ventures invested in Rose’s next venture, Milk, which was acquired by Google the following year. Subsequently, Rose founded and led North, an app incubator that later merged with Hodinkee. He has continued to innovate with projects like his longevity and meditation apps, Zero and Oak, which evolved into Zero Longevity Science. In 2022, he was supported by True Ventures for his new venture, PROOF, a web3 media company that was acquired by Yuga Labs in 2024.

Beyond his entrepreneurial efforts, Rose has also established himself as a successful investor. He has backed numerous high-profile companies, including Twitter, Square, Facebook, and Nextdoor. His insights are often sought-after, as demonstrated by his appearances on prominent shows such as The Joe Rogan Experience and ABC Nightline News. Rose now aims to focus on investments at True, especially in areas where technology intersects with health, consumer needs, and enterprise solutions. “Being a founder is all about riding the ups and downs of building a company,” said Rose, highlighting his commitment to supporting new entrepreneurs.

Mike Montano: A Return to True Ventures

Mike Montano joins True Ventures as a familiar face. His first startup, BackType, received investment from the firm in 2009, which later led to Twitter acquiring the platform in 2011. Montano spent a significant portion of his career at Twitter, scaling its engineering team from 100 to 3,000 members and serving in several leadership roles.

During his decade at Twitter, he oversaw massive growth, both in user count and revenue. He also championed diversity efforts by sponsoring the Blackbirds initiative, which supports Black employees within the company. Montano's experience as an angel investor spans across various sectors, including promising companies in biotech and open-source platforms.

Having returned to True Ventures as a partner after initially serving part-time, Montano brings a wealth of knowledge in tech and startup leadership. “The pace at which technology is moving is unprecedented,” he commented, expressing excitement about True’s recent surge in AI investments. The firm’s commitment to nurturing AI-driven startups aligns with Montano's enthusiasm for the transformative potential these technologies hold.

True Ventures Today

Located in Palo Alto and with a presence in San Francisco, True Ventures has a robust investment team of 29 members and has managed over $3.8 billion since its inception in 2005. With a portfolio boasting over 60 AI companies, the firm is poised to make significant strides in the tech landscape as it remains committed to supporting pre-seed and seed-stage ventures. The inclusion of Kevin Rose and Mike Montano signifies True Ventures’ dedication to empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs in an ever-evolving market. As they embark on this new chapter together, both partners emphasize the firm’s role in fostering a supportive ecosystem where visionary ideas can thrive.