Will Price’s motivation for founding Bozeman, Montana-based Next Frontier Capital in 2015 is deep-seated: he’s a member of an extended Montana family, and like many, work early in his career sent him far away from the state. By giving tech start-ups the capital they need to stay and create jobs for the next generation of Montanans, Price’s goal is nothing short of a reversal of the Treasure State’s historic brain-drain.
The Harvard-educated Price, whose family history in Montana dates to the 1850's, brings a wealth of experience to the state’s investment landscape. Price served most recently as the CEO of Flite, which in 2016 was acquired by Snap, the parent company of Snapchat. He was a managing director at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, and before that, he worked for Pequot Capital and for Morgan Stanley in NYC, Hong Kong and the ASEAN markets.
Price is upbeat about investing in Montana’s future. “I know people in Montana feel bittersweet about this, but I think Montana is on the map, as a destination for people and talent and capital,” Price says.
Today on "Can Do: Lessons From Savvy Montana Entrepreneurs," Price and host Arnie Sherman discuss the thinking behind Next Frontier Capital’s 17 investments to date, the challenges regional venture funds face, and how start-ups can attract venture capital in today’s marketplace.
Thanks to Peak Recording in Bozeman, Montana for their help in recording this episode.
