Empowering Entrepreneurs.

Transforming
Ventura.

Together, we are building a thriving Ventura County by helping dreamers become founders and founders become change makers.

—driven with purpose

Our Mission and Values

Startup Ventura is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs across Ventura County. Through world-class accelerator programs, mentorship, and community collaboration, we help founders turn bold ideas into thriving companies that create jobs, drive innovation, and strengthen our local economy. 

Entrepreneurial Spirit

We believe in the courage, creativity, and resilience of founders.

Community First

We exist to lift up Ventura County by supporting the people who shape its future.

Excellence with Integrity

We set ambitious goals, pursue them aggressively, and uphold the highest standards of trust and accountability.

—Meet The Team

Meet the Passionate Minds Driving Our Vision Forward

Get to know the people who turn vision into action and see how their unique talents fuel our purpose. Our team brings together diverse expertise, shared values, and a commitment to our mission.

Luke Erickson

Chairman,
Managing Director

Luke Erickson is the founder of Startup Ventura and serves as Chairman and Managing Director of the organization. With a background in business development and entrepreneurship, Luke launched Startup Ventura in 2025 to bring nationally recognized accelerator programs, including gBETA in partnership with Gener8tor, to Ventura County. Driven by a passion for empowering founders and strengthening the local economy, he leads the organization’s programming, partnerships, and community impact initiatives. Luke’s vision is to position Ventura as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurial growth.

Brent-Stig Kraus 

Board Member,
Senior Revenue Executive

Brent Stig Kraus is a senior revenue executive with extensive experience scaling SaaS companies through hypergrowth and strategic exits. He most recently served as CRO at SevenRooms, acquired by DoorDash in a $1.2B transaction, and previously held leadership roles at ChowNow and MINDBODY during its $1.9B acquisition by Vista Equity Partners. Earlier in his career, Brent helped drive Lynda.com’s growth leading to its $1.5B acquisition by LinkedIn. With a track record of building high-performing teams and driving transformative growth across multiple SaaS verticals, Brent brings deep expertise in enterprise sales, go-to-market strategy, and operational excellence. 

Brian Gonzalez

Board Member,
Co-Founder & CTO of Curri

Brian Gonzalez is the CTO and co-founder of Curri, a nationwide delivery and logistics platform built for construction wholesalers and distributors. He began his career in startups in 2010 at Dollar Shave Club and has been immersed in the entrepreneurial world ever since. After earning his master’s degree in data science, Brian launched Curri in the heart of downtown Ventura, where he continues to lead technology and innovation today. Under his leadership, Curri has raised capital from leading investors including Y Combinator and Bessemer Venture Partners.

— Collaborating For Impact

Key Stakeholders & Community Partners

Startup Ventura is proud to collaborate with leading organizations that share our mission of building Ventura County’s entrepreneurial future:

City of Ventura

Supporting innovation at the heart of our community.

Ventura Community
College District

Providing educational pathways
and resources for the next generation
of founders.

Ventura County
Credit Union

Empowering financial growth
and community investment in
local entrepreneurship.

Startup Ventura Annual Benefit:
A Night to Remember

On Friday, November 14th, we hosted our first-ever Startup Ventura Annual Benefit, bringing together an incredible cross-section of our community. Founders, Ventura Community College leadership, Chamber board members, city and county officials, and supporters all showed up despite the stormy weather to rally behind the future of entrepreneurship in Ventura.

With signature cocktails crafted by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, a full buffet from Santa Cruz Market, and keynote remarks from Startup Ventura leadership and local officials, the evening carried a sense of purpose and momentum. Most importantly, our community helped raise $15,000 to fuel Startup Ventura’s mission.

We heard from Luke Erickson, Deputy Mayor Doug Halter, Brent Kraus, Brian Gonzalez, and John Will III, each helping spotlight the vision for an incubator launching in early 2026.

Conversations throughout the night centered on Ventura’s entrepreneurial potential, the coming partnership with gener8tor, and the role local leaders will play in shaping a thriving startup ecosystem.

Event Highlights at a Glance

Attendees
Key Note Speakers
Raised

A massive thank-you to our sponsors

Ventura Chamber of Commerce,
Ventura County Credit Union,
and Santa Cruz Market.

And we’re grateful to Doug and Randy for opening their beautiful space for the evening.

  • “I was fortunate to attend the first annual Startup Ventura benefit dinner, and the energy in the room was contagious. Operators, founders, and policy makers all came together with one shared mission: expand opportunity in Ventura, attract top talent, and strengthen the community. I firmly believe that building an entrepreneurial culture here will create economic growth and open doors for generations to come. This is only the beginning, and I am excited to play a part in it.”
    Sean H
  • “Throughout my career I have worked with many of the premier venture and private equity firms. Last week I had the privilege to attend an inaugural event for Startup Ventura, meeting an impressive team led by Luke Erickson. It was a pleasure to see a group so focused on benefiting the community, creating new opportunities to support emerging businesses, support entrepreneurs and create jobs in Ventura County.”
    Jeff
  • “Startup Ventura is building something special. Their remarkable team is not only helping entrepreneurs launch and grow, but also creating the kind of opportunities that allow people to plant real roots here in Ventura. Because of their work, more people can build a life in this community and play an active role in shaping its future.”
    John Will
  • “Ventura County has an affordability problem that’s also a brain drain problem. People grow up here get educated here and then have to leave because there aren’t enough opportunities to stay….Luke and the team are building something from the ground up by bringing together education, capital, entrepreneurs, and government to create the kind of community where founders can actually succeed. Where local innovation drives local jobs and we stop losing our best people to other cities.”
    Rob Russel

Up Next: A Bigger, Bolder Gathering

We’re already working on our next major event, coming in April or May. This one is shaping up to be our most ambitious gathering yet. Whether you’re an investor, founder, mentor, or simply curious about our mission, you’ll want to be there.

Expect deeper dives into the Ventura startup landscape, elevated networking, hands-on breakout sessions, and experiences designed to bring together the people driving Ventura’s innovation economy.

More details coming soon. In the meantime, follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Let’s Work Together

Contact

We are building a stronger, more innovative Ventura County. For partnerships, collaborations, event participation or to join our mission, please get in touch.