Rural Rockets, Farmer Founders & Marc Nager’s VC Remix
Wed Dec 10 2025
Steve Pockross sits down with Marc Nager, co-founder and general partner at Howdy, a rural Colorado-focused venture fund breaking ground with its unconventional name and a bold, investment approach. From keen insights on growth investing lessons that span the tech market to specific insights on building rural-focused tech startups, Marc shares how connecting talent, capital, and vision far from traditional tech hubs is reshaping what success looks like. Together, they explore the importance of founder self-awareness, overcoming growth plateaus, the evolving landscape of impact investing, the key to a great rebrand, and how AI is rewriting the rules for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Get ready for a playful and insightful conversation about capital, community, and the power of building companies in unexpected places.
About Marc
Marc Nager is the co‑founder and Managing Partner at Howdy Partners (formerly Greater Colorado Venture Fund), a venture firm backing early‑stage rural tech companies in Colorado and beyond. Previously, he oversaw global startup efforts as CEO of Startup Weekend and UP Global — programs that helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs in 700+ cities around the world. Before that, Marc served as Chief Community Officer at Techstars and Managing Director of the Telluride Venture Accelerator, giving him deep experience in accelerator‑led startup growth and community‑driven ecosystems. He now lives in Southwest Colorado and dedicates his work to proving that top‑tier startups — even rocket‑science level ones — can be built far from traditional tech hubs.
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Steve Pockross sits down with Marc Nager, co-founder and general partner at Howdy, a rural Colorado-focused venture fund breaking ground with its unconventional name and a bold, investment approach. From keen insights on growth investing lessons that span the tech market to specific insights on building rural-focused tech startups, Marc shares how connecting talent, capital, and vision far from traditional tech hubs is reshaping what success looks like. Together, they explore the importance of founder self-awareness, overcoming growth plateaus, the evolving landscape of impact investing, the key to a great rebrand, and how AI is rewriting the rules for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Get ready for a playful and insightful conversation about capital, community, and the power of building companies in unexpected places. About Marc Marc Nager is the co‑founder and Managing Partner at Howdy Partners (formerly Greater Colorado Venture Fund), a venture firm backing early‑stage rural tech companies in Colorado and beyond. Previously, he oversaw global startup efforts as CEO of Startup Weekend and UP Global — programs that helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs in 700+ cities around the world. Before that, Marc served as Chief Community Officer at Techstars and Managing Director of the Telluride Venture Accelerator, giving him deep experience in accelerator‑led startup growth and community‑driven ecosystems. He now lives in Southwest Colorado and dedicates his work to proving that top‑tier startups — even rocket‑science level ones — can be built far from traditional tech hubs.