Ian Rountree
General Partner at Cantos Ventures
San Francisco, California
Overview
Work Experience
General Partner
2016 - Current
Cantos is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm with $90M under management dedicated to investing in potentially world-changing deep tech startups at the idea stage (pre-seed). We focus on the intersection of climate & industrials, the life sciences & AI, aerospace & defense, and next-generation computing. We exclusively invest in entrepreneurs building solutions in the real world.
A pre-seed firm obsessively pursuing the near frontier – where software, hardware, & wetware intersect.
Board Member
2023
Atomos Space is an aerospace company building and developing orbital transfer vehicles.
Raised $21,897,041.00 from O'Shaughnessy Ventures.
Board Member
2023
EARTH AI is a predictive explorer and driller for critical minerals.
Raised $14,000,000.00 from Roman Smolevskiy.
Board Observer
2018
Board Observer
2019 - 2023
Pow.bio provides a genetically engineered solution for fermentation scientists.
Raised $11,225,000.00 from Thia Ventures, XFactor Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, Gullspång Re:food, VECTORS, Possible Ventures, Vectors Angel, Better Ventures, iSelect and Bee Partners.
Agent, Chief of Staff
2015 - 2016
We believe technology is at its best when it is invisible.
Clients give us complex business problems and we become their operations, automation, and AI partner to deliver operational breakthroughs.
"Cherub" Investor
2012 - 2016
I enjoy keeping a pulse on new companies devoted to creating real value and have aided a select few. My investments include Ava, EasyPost, Boxes, Castle, Rental Beast, GuestDNA (fka AppSmyth), Contigo Financial (now part of Emerge Financial Wellness), and CosmosID.
Manager
2013 - 2015
The Mascot offers a unique glimpse into the winegrowing estates of Harlan Estate, Promontory, and BOND.
Associate Director of Corporate Relationships
2013 - 2013
Worked closely with VP of Business Development and SoFi Co-Founder Dan Macklin to create a new employee benefit, bringing student loan refinancing to thousands of young professionals through partnerships with top companies, from the Fortune 100 to mid-stage startups.
Associate Director of Bank Partnerships
2012 - 2013
Inaugural member of 4-person team led by Co-Head of Capital Markets that secured $180mm in loan participations, executed special projects for CFO (market size, expansion strategy.
Marketing Manager - Ambassador Program Lead
2012 - 2012
Co-founded SoFi's campus and MBA class advocacy initiative, the "Ambassador Program."
SoFi is a finance company that offers a range of lending and wealth management services.
Raised $4,845,067,367.00 from Coatue, Baron Capital, Chamath Palihapitiya, T. Rowe Price, BlackRock, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), Altimeter Capital, Hedosophia and Durable Capital Partners.
Revenue Cycle Analyst
2011 - 2012
Member of Revenue Cycle enhancement projects for healthcare systems in Tennessee and Wisconsin driving in excess of $20M in income statement benefit
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
2005 - 2009
High School
2001 - 2005