Monique Villa recently joined Launch Tennessee as the organization’s first Chief Investment Officer, leading a new $70M fund backing early-stage companies in Tennessee. She is also the Co-Founder of Build In SE, a network of ecosystem builders committed to supporting entrepreneurs in the Southeast. Prior to joining Launch Tennessee, she was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) with Mucker Capital. In 2018, she joined Mucker’s investment team and opened the firm’s first satellite office in Nashville to lead investments into early-stage startups across the Southeast and North America.

A native of Los Angeles, Monique’s career in early-stage venture capital began in 2013 as Head of Investor Relations for Velos Partners, a fund based in Los Angeles and Singapore focused on emerging markets. She also served as Chief of Staff to the founding partner of Core Innovation Capital, a fintech-focused fund based in LA and San Francisco. Earlier in her career, Monique advised digital entertainment startups on business development and strategic partnerships and later went on to lead a startup accelerator for students in the Greater Los Angeles area. Her startup career began in 2008 while interning for TOMS, where she supported finance and inventory management projects for several nationwide launches.

Prior to founding Third Prime, Wes spent a decade as a private equity and hedge fund professional at Trimaran / Trian, investing across diverse industries. He was also a technology investment banker and M&A lawyer at Skadden before turning venture capitalist. Wes received his J.D. from Duke School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Western Kentucky University.

Since 2003, Chambless has led Nashville Capital Network, a group of 130 professional investors who have infused more than $60 million in 2015, and over $425 million since NCN's inception, into local companies including Aspire Health, NextGxDx, PharmMD, and Contessa Health. In his role, Chambless oversees NCN's investor network and is responsible for deal flow, investment analysis and due diligence. He also serves as managing partner of NCN Angel Funds I & II and the TNInvestco Tennessee Angel Fund. Chambless earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and his graduate degree from Vanderbilt Owen. He is on the board of the Nashville Technology Council.

According to a release, NCN has funded 58 companies that have raised more than $100 million through the NCN platform. The companies have gone on to raise $1.4 billion in follow-on capital and have aggregate enterprise values in excess of $8 billion.

Steve co-founded LFM Capital, a private equity, lower middle market firm investing into manufacturing companies. Steve brings over 29 years of operating experience, having served in a variety of senior executive and functional roles in manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, technology and sales.

If you have raised money before you know how difficult and long the process can take. Rodney has always had a passion for creating things from the ground up and scaling successful companies, and he’s doing just that for the private capital industry with Verivend having transacted hundreds of millions of dollars on their platform.

For hundreds of years, banking has been… for a lack of better term …. boring. In today’s episode of the Cap Table we sit down with Chief Innovation Officer of FirstBank, Wade Peery. As a career banker turned innovator, Peery leverages his 30+ years of banking to transform the industry with blockchain, smart contracts, and digital assets, pioneering a new way for banking.

Have you ever heard of a private equity roll up? In today’s episode, we talk with John Cerasoulo, who’s on his third go-around executing a roll-up strategy, this time in the HVAC and plumbing industry. Tune in to learn more!

Have you ever heard of a Venture Capital firm that gives some of their equity to the founders? On today's episode with Cam Doody we dive into his success as founder at bellhops which transitioned him to funding over 18 startups and raising 18m in 5 weeks

What’s one of the most exciting investment opportunities happening in Nashville? This episode will literally throw you for a loop. We talk to Amani Kelly, independent sponsor, who helped raise capital for Nashville’s first theme park, Storyville Gardens. How can you get involved with this project? Find out today.

Did you know you can invest into a musicians songs that they create? This is called Music Royalty investing. We talk with 16m music royalty fund manager, Aaron Davis on how you can do this too.