Emerging Industries | Venture Capital
Managing director
Idea Fund of La Crosse | La Crosse
Jonathon Horne leads the Idea Fund of La Crosse, a venture capital fund established in 2016 to invest in seed- and early-stage startup companies. The Idea Fund was the first VC fund to receive an investment from the Badger Fund of Funds. Over its first four years, the $13 million fund invested in 11 companies across the state, with an average initial investment of $500,000. Its portfolio includes Madison-based Quiver Quantitative and Eau Claire-based Smartcare Software. Earlier this year Quiver closed a $2 million funding round, and Smartcare closed a $5 million Series A funding round. The Idea Fund’s first investment was Madison-based Curate Solutions, a technology platform that provides civic intelligence and monitoring services. Curate was acquired by FiscalNote in 2021.
This fall, the Idea Fund announced the launch of a second venture fund focused on pre-revenue startups. Idea Fund II has attracted $20 million in investment capital and aims to raise $25 million.
A La Crosse native, Horne previously worked in investment banking for J.P. Morgan in New York City. He is a board member of Marine Credit Union and Children’s Museum of La Crosse.
Education: Bachelor’s, Lawrence University; MBA and J.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison