Rick Marini

Rick Marini is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, widely recognized for his operational background and successful exits before co-founding Catapult Capital. With over 25 years of experience, Marini has built and sold two companies: Tickle, an online social networking and assessment platform acquired by Monster Worldwide in 2004 for $100 million, and BranchOut, a professional networking application on Facebook, also acquired by Monster in 2012. His journey as an operator provides him with a unique perspective, allowing him to deeply understand the challenges and opportunities faced by early-stage founders. This hands-on experience forms the bedrock of his investment approach.

In 2021, Marini co-founded Catapult Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, alongside Mike Gordon. The firm was launched with a dedicated fund of $50 million, signaling a significant commitment to supporting the next generation of innovative startups. Catapult Capital primarily focuses on pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, targeting promising companies within the SaaS, Fintech, AI, and Consumer sectors. Their investment strategy is to provide not just capital, but also strategic guidance and mentorship, leveraging Marini's extensive network and operational expertise.

Catapult Capital's typical initial investment checks range from $250,000 to $2 million, reflecting their commitment to supporting companies from their earliest stages of development. This flexible check size allows them to back founders at critical junctures, from initial product development to scaling operations. Marini's personal investment track record also includes early stakes in highly successful companies such as Facebook, Palantir, Pinterest, and Uber, demonstrating a keen eye for disruptive technologies and market-leading businesses. Through Catapult Capital, he aims to replicate this success by identifying and nurturing high-potential startups that can achieve significant market impact.