We want your email address. Why? We throw parties, share deal flow, help our companies find talent, send the occasional news update, and do other random cool stuff. We’ll never share your info. Mostly we just want to build the Ascend network!

About Ascend

We invest wherever the Seattle Mariners play on TV.*

When I say “we”, I mean me, our Associate Nate, and Jen, our mighty Chief of Staff.

AI/ML, Data, SaaS, Cloud and Dev Tools are my sweet spots.

Preferred stage is pre-seed, preferred check $250-$750K.

Ascend’s Limited Partners (the people who have put their money into the fund) are a diverse group of technology leaders, financiers, and entrepreneurs.

*Plus Vancouver BC.

About Kirby

I’m Kirby Winfield, Founding General Partner. My CV is on LinkedIn.

If you want to know my story and why I do what I do the way I do it, this podcast uncovered some truths about me that I didn’t even realize. Prefer text? This interview covers the basics.

I was part of four exits out of four attempts as an operator.

2x IPO…but 2x acquihire too.

I raised venture capital twice and had to recap once.

I like helping entrepreneurs avoid the mistakes I made, and replicate the successful moves.

about jen

I’m Jen Haller, Partner and Chief of Staff. You can reach me at jen at ascend dot vc. I don’t always have the answers, but I know where to find them.

I’ve had the joy of growing some of Seattle’s coolest startups and most recently helped Ascend portfolio company Attunely scale through their Series A.

I earned my 15+ minutes of fame as the first person in the world to get the COVID-19 vaccine, I’ve fostered 20+ dogs, and have a long history of civic involvement from volunteering with social justice causes to political organizing. I’m also raising two extraordinary teenagers and in my spare time, enjoy finding ways to relax.

About Nate

I’m Nate Bek, Associate. You can reach me at nate at ascend dot vc. 

I most recently worked as a startups reporter at GeekWire, covering the newcomers in the Pacific Northwest tech scene. My journalism career took me down many rabbit holes, from pasta to pet care. 

I fell in love with entrepreneurship in college. I was CEO of Lucy's Lab Creamery, an ice cream parlor in Honolulu. Along with some friends, we experimented with flavors, teamed up with local restaurants, and even tried an online delivery platform during the pandemic. Spoiler: delivering ice cream in tropical heat is very hard. 

I was born and raised on the leeward coast of O‘ahu, HI, and graduated from UH Manoa.