Current Firm
Kickstart
Investments
5+ companies
Focus
Enterprise, Fintech
About Serene Papenfuss
Gavin Christensen is an early pioneer who deliberately stayed in Utah to build a seed ecosystem in the Mountain West rather than relocating to established venture centers like Silicon Valley, and he built Kickstart from scratch while fundraising and proving the region's potential. He's known for playing the long game with founders through multi-year relationship building and patience, and he openly shares his personal experiences with health challenges to help entrepreneurs understand resilience and moving forward under pressure.
Focus Areas
EnterpriseFintechAIDigital HealthSaaS
Investment Stage
Pre-Seed
Seed
Series A
Series B+
Notable Investments
Kat Kennedy
Alex Soffe
Curt Roberts
Dalton Wright
Serene Papenfuss