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[1][2]. 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[2][8]. The firm typically writes checks between $5 million and $15 million on average, often taking lead positions and joining boards rather than following[2][7]. 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[3]. 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[2][7]. 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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