The Wisconn Valley Venture Fund, a high-profile $100 million venture fund that was announced last August, has just named a former investor at Andreessen Horowitz to lead its fund.
The Wisconn Valley Venture Fund announced Monday that Jason Franklin has been hired as fund manager. Franklin spent three years at Andreessen Horowitz, one of the biggest tech VC firms in Silicon Valley, working as a limited partner in its Fund V. He also worked as a venture partner at Avalon Ventures and an investment fellow at Innovation Endeavors.
He also co-founded and served as CEO of Stamp Labs, a mobile security startup.
Franklin will be based in Milwaukee and San Francisco, and will lead all aspects of the fund, according to a news release.
"I'm excited to return to Wisconsin to take part in this unprecedented opportunity to transform our region into a driving force for advanced technology and entrepreneurship," Franklin said in a statement. "My goal with Wisconn Valley Venture Fund is to generate strong returns and deliver strategic opportunities for all four fund partners, while simultaneously stimulating the already strong entrepreneurial spirit of the region."
The Wisconn Valley Venture Fund is a joint effort by Advocate Aurora Health, Foxconn Technology Group, Johnson Controls and Northwestern Mutual, who are each contributing $25 million to invest in startups in Wisconsin, as well as nationally and around the world.
The fund, based in Milwaukee, was heralded as a major win for the region's startup ecosystem when it was announced last summer. However, the fund has yet to publicly announce any investments, and Foxconn has faced issues of its own as it looks to kickstart its new factory in Mount Pleasant.
But the hiring of Franklin is a sign that we could be hearing more from the Wisconn Valley Venture Fund soon.
