Gavin Christensen
The National Venture Capital Association has appointed Kickstart founder and general partner Gavin Christensen as chair of its board of directors for the 2026–2027 term, placing a longtime advocate for regional startup ecosystems at the helm of one of the venture industry’s most influential trade groups.
Christensen succeeds Andreessen Horowitz general partner Vineeta Agarwala and will help guide NVCA as the organization navigates a venture capital market increasingly shaped by AI investment, evolving regulatory scrutiny, and growing attention on geographic diversity within startup funding.
Based in the Mountain West, Christensen is best known for building Salt Lake City-headquartered Kickstart into one of the region’s most active early-stage venture firms. Over nearly two decades, he has played a central role in expanding venture activity across Utah and neighboring states, helping elevate markets such as “Silicon Slopes” into more established destinations for startup formation and capital deployment.
At Kickstart, Christensen developed a network-driven investment model that connects founders with operators, executives, and investors across the region, an approach that mirrored broader changes in venture capital away from concentrated coastal ecosystems and toward more distributed startup networks.
NVCA President and CEO Bobby Franklin said Christensen’s background reflects how the venture industry is evolving beyond traditional technology hubs.
“He has spent nearly two decades proving that world-class innovation can take root anywhere,” Franklin said, adding that Christensen’s leadership would support the organization’s efforts to broaden engagement across both emerging managers and established firms nationwide.
Christensen said his priorities as chair will include strengthening advocacy around policies that support entrepreneurship and innovation across the U.S. startup economy.
“American venture is strongest when it backs entrepreneurs across the country, from Silicon Valley to Silicon Slopes, Boise to Boston,” Christensen said. “NVCA plays a critical role in ensuring that founders and investors have a strong voice in the policies that impact whether the United States remains the best place in the world to start and scale a company.”
His appointment comes during a period of transition for the venture capital industry. While AI-related investment activity continues to drive large financing rounds and fundraising momentum, many early-stage firms and emerging managers remain focused on capital access, liquidity constraints, and regional ecosystem development. Industry organizations like NVCA have also become increasingly active in Washington on issues tied to tax policy, securities regulation, immigration, and startup competitiveness.
Alongside Christensen’s appointment, NVCA named 10 new board directors who will serve four-year terms through 2030. The incoming group includes executives from a range of venture firms spanning growth equity, early-stage investing, and impact-focused capital strategies.
The new directors are Adair Newhall of StepStone, Eric Hippeau of Lerer Hippeau, Holly Maloney of General Catalyst, Jenny Abramson of Rethink Impact, Karey Barker of Cross Creek, Mike Dodd of Silverton Partners, Monish Kundra of Columbia Capital, Paul Madera of Meritech Capital Partners, Samara Hernandez of Chingona Ventures, and Travis Hawkes of Capital Eleven.
The composition of the board reflects NVCA’s continued effort to represent a broader cross-section of the venture industry, including firms operating outside traditional coastal investment centers and investors focused on newer sectors and founder communities.
Founded in 1973, NVCA serves as the primary trade association representing the U.S. venture capital and startup ecosystem. The organization advocates on policy issues affecting venture firms and emerging companies while also providing industry research, educational programming, and member networking initiatives.