David Spreng
Chairman, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer
ds@runwaygrowth.com

David founded Runway Growth Capital in 2015 and is the chairman of the firm’s investment committee.

David is a seasoned and respected Silicon Valley-based investment executive, with 30 years of experience as a venture capitalist and growth debt lender. As a VC, he has been active in the formation and development of nearly 50 technology companies with 18 IPOs and 14 trade-sales. He was ranked four times by Forbes magazine on their annual Midas List as one of the top 50 venture capitalists; in 2006 he was ranked the #8 VC.

Beginning in 2010, David transitioned from venture capital to growth lending as a Co-Founder of Decathlon Capital Partners, a provider of revenue-based loans to small, fast-growing, bootstrapped companies. His experience at Decathlon opened his eyes to the opportunity to use debt as an alternative to equity to finance the growth of both venture-backed and non-venture backed growth companies. In 2015, he formed what is today Runway Growth Capital to pursue this vision.

David’s commitment to the entrepreneurial ecosystem is unwavering. He has served on the board and as Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee of the National Venture Capital Association (“NVCA”) and has been an active member of the World Economic Forum (“WEF”) community—including as a frequent panelist in Davos, as a member of the Technology Pioneers Selection Committee, the Steering Committee for Entrepreneurship and Successful Growth Strategies, and as an adviser to the Alternative Investments 2020 and Mainstreaming Impact Investing initiatives.

  • Founder Runway Growth Capital
  • Co-Founder Decathlon Capital Partners
  • Co-Founder Crescendo Ventures
  • Previously: SVP, Head of Strategy $20B asset management subsidiary of Lloyds Bank plc
  • Ranked four times on Forbes Midas List; #8 VC in 2006
  • NVCA board and Chairman of Government Affairs Committee
  • Panelist at the World Economic Forum in Davos
  • Member of WEF Technology Pioneers Selection Committee + Steering Committee for Entrepreneurship and Successful Growth Strategies
  • Graduate of the University of Minnesota