# Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures

> Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures (MSIV) is a regional venture capital firm and startup community builder serving Marin and Sonoma counties. It combines early-stage investments with founder networking, volunteer executive mentorship, and the annual North Bay NEXT conference.

- **Founded:** 2020
- **Headquarters:** Corte Madera, United States
- **Founders:** Zachary Kushel (Founder & Managing Partner)
- **Products:** Regional venture capital funds, North Bay Founder Network, Executive Network, North Bay NEXT, North Bay Startup Map
- **Notable:** Reported assets under management exceeding $17.7 million across two funds in October 2026., Reported more than $8.665 million deployed into 22 startups by October 8, 2026., Fund I completed 13 investments; Fund II had completed nine by October 2026.

## Products & services

- **Regional venture capital funds** — Early-stage equity investment across sectors in startups building a physical presence in Marin and Sonoma. Capital deployment began in 2021.
- **North Bay Founder Network** — Peer networking, mentorship, and skill-building for Marin and Sonoma startup founders; its public page lists more than 200 active participants.
- **Executive Network** — Volunteer executives and founders mentor local entrepreneurs and support portfolio operations; the program describes nearly 1,000 service hours annually.
- **North Bay NEXT** — Annual startup conference with experienced founders, interviews, networking, and startup showcase presentations; fifth edition held May 6, 2026.
- **North Bay Startup Map** — April 2025 map of 100 startups and 15 coworking or social working spaces; mapped company locations are approximate.

## Achievements

- Reported assets under management exceeding $17.7 million across two funds in October 2026.
- Reported more than $8.665 million deployed into 22 startups by October 8, 2026.
- Fund I completed 13 investments; Fund II had completed nine by October 2026.
- Sageful AI, whose initial capitalization MSIV says it led, was acquired by Practicing Excellence in February 2026.
- North Bay NEXT 2026 drew more than 350 attendees.
- Founder Zachary Kushel received the 2023 Leaders of the North Bay award for Innovative & Entrepreneurial Spirit.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Closed Fund II above $11 million; 98% of its capital came from Marin and Sonoma residents or institutions.
- **2026-10** — Held its sixth annual Fall Party at La Crema in Windsor on October 15.
- **2026-09** — Announced investment in Fairfax-based Your360 AI.
- **2026-06** — Announced investment in Novato-based Lighthouse Pharmaceuticals.
- **2026-02** — Announced portfolio company Sageful AI’s acquisition by Practicing Excellence.

## Links

- Website: https://www.msivfund.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marin-sonoma-impact-ventures
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/MSIVstartups
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msivstartups/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MSIVstartups

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/marin-sonoma-impact-ventures
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-27