Jason Kirby
Family, Investing, operating
As an executive/founder of 4 different startups that have been acquired/sold and when combined, raised over $40M, I've been exposed to what it takes to build a company with a strong vision and package it up for success. From creative services, education, HRtech, gaming and cloud infrastructure, I have proven systems and strategies that are industry agnostic for acquiring capital
Currently, I am the Founder & Managing Director of Thunder.vc, a tech-enabled investment bank helping VC backed companies with their capital strategy and accessing new sources of capital. We work with founders to identify how much capital they need, from what source, how to get it, and introduce them to those capital providers, whether it's debt, equity, or M&A.
Previously, I was President & COO of Generation Esports, the platform behind High School Esports League, helping them scale to over 3,500 schools and 150,000 students across North America. I left shortly after successfully closing our Series A funding of $11M and growing the team from 7 people to 60+ in 18 months.
Previously, I was at Walmart as the Director of Digital Media working towards bringing digital first media to the Walmart ecosystem. I became a part of the Walmart team after the acquisition of LiquidSky Software where I was the Chief Revenue Officer.
At LiquidSky Software (acquired by Walmart 2018), I managed marketing, sales, day-to-day operations, and was responsible for building our team from 3 to 40 people in 18 months. We successfully raised $12M in funding, grew to over 1.5 million registered users in 130 countries, closed B2B contracts with Fortune 100 companies, and built one of the most recognized brands in the cloud gaming space.
I've also run my own small businesses, invested as an angel investor, active LP in a few funds and have consulted for countless startups over the last 14 years.
My Leadership Philosophy:
As a leader I seek to challenge the status quo and motivate the team around me to identify and pursue opportunities to improve themselves and the business. I believe there is a place for "don't fix it if it isn't broken" but that mentality can lead to complacency which is my archenemy. I know that through observation of behavior, interpretation of data and constant optimization leads to systematically improved results.
Investing On The Side:
With a few exits under my belt, I've developed in an interest in investing.
As an angel, I invest in US-based tech-related companies that have identified a niche in a massive market and have proven initial product-market fit with the right leadership team who has experience in the industry and technology. I ultimately write checks to companies where I see a clear path to a 8-9 figure exit within 5 to 7 years. If there is an opportunity for me to support the founders on fundraising, operations, sales or marketing, that's a plus not a requirement.
I also invest in cash flowing assets like short-term rental properties.
Currently, I am the Founder & Managing Director of Thunder.vc, a tech-enabled investment bank helping VC backed companies with their capital strategy and accessing new sources of capital. We work with founders to identify how much capital they need, from what source, how to get it, and introduce them to those capital providers, whether it's debt, equity, or M&A.
Previously, I was President & COO of Generation Esports, the platform behind High School Esports League, helping them scale to over 3,500 schools and 150,000 students across North America. I left shortly after successfully closing our Series A funding of $11M and growing the team from 7 people to 60+ in 18 months.
Previously, I was at Walmart as the Director of Digital Media working towards bringing digital first media to the Walmart ecosystem. I became a part of the Walmart team after the acquisition of LiquidSky Software where I was the Chief Revenue Officer.
At LiquidSky Software (acquired by Walmart 2018), I managed marketing, sales, day-to-day operations, and was responsible for building our team from 3 to 40 people in 18 months. We successfully raised $12M in funding, grew to over 1.5 million registered users in 130 countries, closed B2B contracts with Fortune 100 companies, and built one of the most recognized brands in the cloud gaming space.
I've also run my own small businesses, invested as an angel investor, active LP in a few funds and have consulted for countless startups over the last 14 years.
My Leadership Philosophy:
As a leader I seek to challenge the status quo and motivate the team around me to identify and pursue opportunities to improve themselves and the business. I believe there is a place for "don't fix it if it isn't broken" but that mentality can lead to complacency which is my archenemy. I know that through observation of behavior, interpretation of data and constant optimization leads to systematically improved results.
Investing On The Side:
With a few exits under my belt, I've developed in an interest in investing.
As an angel, I invest in US-based tech-related companies that have identified a niche in a massive market and have proven initial product-market fit with the right leadership team who has experience in the industry and technology. I ultimately write checks to companies where I see a clear path to a 8-9 figure exit within 5 to 7 years. If there is an opportunity for me to support the founders on fundraising, operations, sales or marketing, that's a plus not a requirement.
I also invest in cash flowing assets like short-term rental properties.
On a personal level, I am happily married, father of a toddler with another on the way, and love to snowboard when the time allows.
