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Mike Smerklo

Mike Smerklo

Co-Founder and Managing Director atNext Coast VenturesAustin
LinkedIn Next Coast Ventures websiteFirm profile

Mike Smerklo co-founded Next Coast Ventures and serves as its Managing Director. He authored a book for entrepreneurs, holds board memberships, and previously led ServiceSource and worked at Opsware.

What Mike can write

Writes checks of$1M to $10M
Comes in atSeries ACan lead the round
Ownership target10-12%, > 12%At first check
Email the firm[email protected]The firm's own inbox for founders.

Next Coast Ventures writes $1M to $10M checks, larger than 83% of firms in the atlas.

Bars: how many firms report each check band. Highlighted: Next Coast Ventures.

Career

  1. Opsware · Director of Business Development
  2. ServiceSource (SREV) · CEO
  3. Next Coast Ventures · Co-Founder and Managing Director
    Now
  4. Lehman Brothers · Junior Analyst
  5. Morgan Stanley · Investment Banker
  6. Loudcloud
  7. ServiceSource · CEO

Companies founded

Next Coast Ventures

Investments named in public bios

CrowdhealthEverly HealthStreet Smarts VRSubmittableBrainCheck

Focus

venture capitalentrepreneurshiptechnology

Education

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, MBAMiami University of Ohio, BS

Before you pitch

Next Coast Ventures does not invest inBiotech

Also at Next Coast Ventures

Thomas Ball
Thomas BallCo-Founder and Managing Director

Partners like Mike

At firms with a similar stage, sector and check size.

Sammy AbdullahManaging Partner & Co-Founder, Blossom Street Ventures
Mike Dodd
Mike DoddGeneral Partner, Silverton Partners
Matthew VolosinPartner, Caffeinated Capital
Daniel Blomquist
Daniel BlomquistFund Partner, Creandum
Eric Chin
Eric ChinPartner and Alpha Founder, Crosslink Capital
Davis Treybig
Davis TreybigGeneral Partner, Innovation Endeavors

Alert me when Next Coast Ventures is active

One email when Mike's firm raises a fund, adds a partner or shows new activity.

Founders and investors at a Mode VC gathering

Send Mode VC your deck

Raising a pre-seed or seed round? We write $1M to $5M first checks and help founders with distribution. A partner reads every deck.

Send your deck

Questions

Who is Mike Smerklo?

Mike Smerklo co-founded Next Coast Ventures and serves as its Managing Director. He authored a book for entrepreneurs, holds board memberships, and previously led ServiceSource and worked at Opsware.

How much does Mike Smerklo invest?

Mike Smerklo invests through Next Coast Ventures, which writes checks of $1M to $10M at series a.

How do I pitch Mike Smerklo?

Email [email protected], the firm's inbox for founders, and name Mike in the subject. A warm intro from a founder Next Coast Ventures backed works better.

What did Mike Smerklo do before Next Coast Ventures?

Director of Business Development at Opsware; CEO at ServiceSource (SREV); Junior Analyst at Lehman Brothers; Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley; Loudcloud; CEO at ServiceSource.

Last updated 2026-10-15. Is this you? Ask for a correction.