Investor Spotlight: Ryan Springer of Midnight Venture Partners

The Startup CPG Podcast · 27 Sept 2025 · 46m · Episode 198

What this episode covers

Ryan Springer, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Midnight Venture Partners and High Desert Vodka, discusses the evolution of his firm from Fund I to Fund II, highlighting a strategic shift toward larger, billion-dollar potential deals in the beverage and wellness sectors. He explains the mechanics of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for follow-on investments, the critical importance of founder-investor alignment regarding timeline and risk tolerance, and the necessity of 'grit' and tenacity in early-stage CPG founders. Springer also offers insights on differentiation, defensibility, and the emerging frontier of optimizing for AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT.

Mentioned

Companies
Midnight Venture Partners, Red Crypton
Products
High Desert Vodka, Olipop, Recess, Symbiotico
Tools
ChatGPT, Bing

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