Chris Bixby To Lead Venture Capital Strategies
Chris Bixby has joined Rice Park Capital Management LP, a Minneapolis-based investment firm, as Managing Director, Venture Capital Strategies (“Ventures”). Bixby’s unique entrepreneurial background, combined with previous experiences in middle-market private equity, fintech start-ups, and as an executive in sales and marketing roles, makes him well-suited for Rice Park’s hands-on approach to venture capital.
Bixby will focus on leading investments in early- to mid-stage technology companies in the PropTech and Real Estate Technology (“RETech”) sector. Ventures will be supported by Co-Chief Investment Officers Matt Kennedy and Craig Freel, who add to Rice Park’s experience in the real estate sector.
“We believe Chris’ strong business acumen, expertise, and likeminded approach to investing and partnering with investors, portfolio companies, and colleagues will further our growth trajectory,” said Nicholas Smith, Managing Partner of Rice Park Capital Management. “Because of his skillset, we believe Chris offers high-level strategic insights. He digs deep into the day-to-day operations of a business to uncover potential opportunities for greater success.”
Prior to joining Rice Park, Bixby was VP of Growth at Sezzle, a digital payments fintech, where he joined pre-IPO and focused on go-to-market roles in enterprise sales, strategic partnerships, and marketing. Before Sezzle, Bixby worked in brand management at General Mills and later founded Collaborate Brands where he advised early-stage businesses in strategy, growth, and fundraising. The Harvard MBA graduate and Bowdoin College undergraduate began his career on Wall Street at Jefferies in Mergers & Acquisitions and spent several years in middle-market private equity.
“I am super excited about the opportunity to join the team at Rice Park to continue to build out Ventures. Rice Park has a tremendous amount of experience in real estate, mortgage, and structured credit, and I believe that we have a unique opportunity to leverage those insights to be better early-stage investors,” said Bixby. “I believe my previous experiences in private equity, at large corporations, and in high-growth startups will allow me to provide a hands-on approach to our investment process and portfolio.”
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