About FreshTracks Capital

Funding Innovative High-Growth Companies in Vermont and the Surrounding Region

The FreshTracks Team

The experience, education, background and resources of the FreshTracks team make it a deeply rooted yet agile investor.

The FreshTracks Approach

We partner with talented passionate entrepreneurial teams and like-minded investors to build exceptional Vermont companies with national impact. FreshTracks is backed by a diversified pool of limited partners and has completed more than 60 investments to date, most with an operating presence in Vermont, although we occasionally invest more broadly across the northeast. With our high-impact model, proven over five funds, we have helped catalyze more than $500MM of co-investment into our portfolio companies. Collectively these businesses have supported more than 2,500 high-paying jobs, and generated more than $500MM in annualized revenue, fueling economic growth in Vermont and beyond.

What We Do

The Firm invests in high growth companies from Pre-Seed stage to Series C with a focus on technology, consumer products, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and health/wellness. We will lead rounds where the size and stage are a fit for our fund, and where we can add significant value.  We also co-invest in rounds where a known strong lead investor is identified.  We reserve significant capital for follow-on allocation. In addition to providing capital, FreshTracks is committed to leveraging its Managing Directors’ experience and extensive networks to provide accelerated access to talent, partners, advisors and customers. 

How We Do It

The Firm’s diligence process is focused on the company’s management team, mission, market, product-market fit, technology, and business model. We aim to provide timely, honest feedback to the companies we evaluate and to recommend alternative partners and pathways if we are not the right fit. 

Post investment, we roll up our sleeves and work hard to provide the team with further capital, support, and counsel.  FreshTracks’ General Partners often serve as Directors on the Boards of the portfolio companies the firm invests in.  And we strive to be a reliable co-investor alongside other lead investors when not involved at the Board level.   

History

Cairn Cross and Charlie Kireker co-founded FreshTracks Capital in 2000 to bring capital to the under-served private investing market in Vermont. The firm has become an anchor and venture catalyst in the state and across Northern New England, helping to build the early-stage funding ecosystem which has dramatically grown and evolved over the past 2 decades.  FreshTracks is currently managed by General Partners Lee Bouyea, T.J. Whalen, and Cairn Cross.

Extending Our Reach

Our limited partners include Vermont foundations and institutions as well as high net worth individuals and families many of whom are successful entrepreneurs in their own right.  Limited partners often can be helpful to our portfolio company founders and managers, providing business insight and connections to help our companies find further capital, customers, vendors and recruit talent. 

If you would like to learn more about FreshTracks Capital, please contact us.