# Travis Hawkes

> Travis Hawkes is the CEO, managing partner and co-founder of Capital Eleven, a Meridian investment firm. His career spans family sports retail, operating businesses, venture capital and other private investments, with a focus on supporting founders in Idaho and the Mountain West. He co-chairs Seed to Growth and joined the NVCA board in 2026.

- **Role:** CEO + Managing Partner at Capital Eleven
- **Organizations:** Capital Eleven, Capital Auto Loan, Sports Fan Group, Blue and Orange Store, National Venture Capital Association, Seed to Growth Conference, Riverwood Strategies, Idaho Department of Finance Emerging Technology Advisory Committee
- **From:** Boise, United States
- **Education:** BBA in Business Management, Boise State University, College of Business and Economics
- **Known for:** Three-time Pro Image Sports Franchisee of the Year winner, as reported in 2014., 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award, Boise State College of Business and Economics., Appointed to the NVCA board in May 2026; Hawkes described himself as its first Idaho-based director.

## Career timeline

- **1988** — Worked in his father Bill’s Pro Image Sports store at Boise Towne Square at age twelve.
- **2005** — Proposed the Boise State-focused retail concept that became the Blue and Orange Store.
- **2009** — Co-founded Capital Eleven with David K. Gardner.
- **2014** — Co-founded Capital Auto Loan with Gardner.
- **2019** — Capital Eleven began seed-stage venture investing in January.
- **2023** — Originated the Founder Series; Capital Eleven led Fitted’s $8.5 million Series A; named to Idaho’s Emerging Technology Advisory Committee in November.
- **2025** — Capital Eleven Advisors launched early in the year.
- **2026** — Received a COBE Outstanding Alumni Award and joined the NVCA board for the 2026-2030 term.

## Achievements

- Three-time Pro Image Sports Franchisee of the Year winner, as reported in 2014.
- 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award, Boise State College of Business and Economics.
- Appointed to the NVCA board in May 2026; Hawkes described himself as its first Idaho-based director.
- Co-chairs the annual Seed to Growth Conference in Sun Valley.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Boise State announced Hawkes as a COBE Outstanding Alumni Award recipient on February 23.
- **2026-05** — NVCA announced his appointment to its board on May 14, for a term ending in 2030.
- **2026-07** — Appeared on Ever Onward with Tommy Ahlquist to discuss Idaho’s innovation economy.
- **2026-08** — BoiseDev published a podcast conversation on startups, Micron and the Blue and Orange Store.
- **2026-09** — A new downtown Boise Blue and Orange Store location soft-opened; Hawkes is a co-owner of the retail business.

## Links

- Website: https://capitaleleven.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-b-hawkes-76a8a13/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/tbhawkes
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbhawkes/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/travis-hawkes
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-09