Michael Smerklo is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Next Coast Ventures. See sector focus and contact routes.
Michael Smerklo is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Next Coast Ventures, an Austin-based venture capital firm with over $600 million in assets under management that he built after acquiring and scaling ServiceSource to a NASDAQ listing. His investment thesis targets Series A and B companies in enterprise software, consumer, and emerging platforms, primarily within “Next Coast” markets outside the traditional Silicon Valley and coastal hubs. The firm typically writes checks between $5 million and $15 million on average, often taking lead positions and joining boards rather than following. Notable portfolio companies include Tenfold, Navegate, LeanDNA, AlertMedia, EverlyWell, and Stoplight, with Smerklo serving on the boards of the first four and as a board observer for the latter three. Smerklo distinguishes his approach by underwriting investments to realistic outcomes, avoiding massive capital intensity, and rejecting the “billion-dollar for Series A” mindset common in Silicon Valley. He is also the author of the 2020 book *Mr. Monkey and Me: A Real Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs* and maintains a blog on the entrepreneur’s journey at mikesmerklo
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