RULE 1 IS A VENTURE STUDIO
The capital & team to build your dream.
We design, fund, and build B2B SaaS businesses.
We are dedicated to co-creating entrepreneur-centric companies.
Entrepreneurship is one of life’s most challenging and rewarding endeavors.
We empower you in your founder’s journey by providing the guidance and resources required to be successful.
R1 is founder focused.
Our Partnering Process
We qualify entrepreneurs by their talent, grit, and dedication – not their idea.
Only after identifying an entrepreneur do we evaluate an idea or business.
In as little as 120 days go from an idea to paying customers.
You determine if Rule 1 and its Entrepreneur in Residence model would be a fit for you as an entrepreneur. You learn more about everything that Rule 1 has to offer.
If you agree that Rule 1 can benefit you in your entrepreneurial journey, we next identify, test, and modify your business or idea to ensure Product-Market fit.
Once a path forward is determined, we work at a blistering pace, using proven methodologies, to design and build a working prototype while identifying your first customers.
How Rule 1 is Different
Not all businesses should be backed by traditional venture capital.
Rule 1 is a Venture Studio that is founder-focused and aligned with entrepreneurs.
Rule 1 partners with founders to co-create businesses that scale.
Our Leaders
Our world-class leadership team has the criteria to make your dream a reality.
Combining years of entrepreneurial experience resulting in multiple successful exits.
Proven leaders with the expertise to guide you along the path to success.
Todd Ehrlich, CEO
Founded Kill Cliff, Triserv, BAMFi, FactorCloud, Güten Beer (2018 World Beer Cup Champion). Navy SEAL, Endeavor Outliers Entrepreneur and two time Inc. 500 CEO (#103 & #121) & Vet100 (#11), Navy SEAL Foundation Ambassador
Gary Buxton, COO
Navy F/A-18 Naval Flight Officer, McKinsey & Company consultant. U.S. Naval Academy Systems Engineer, Harvard Business School MBA
Nick Fraunfelder, CRO
Quantum Energy Partners (multi-billion PE fund) Revenue and Operations lead at Clockwise.MD, MDClarity, and PurpleCloud Technologies. Baylor BA, Claremont MA , USC MBA
Jay Duraisamy, CTO
Technology architecture and data science. World class senior engineering exec and developer from Fortune 500 Company. Built multiple successful data products. Indian Institute of Technology
Stacy Sutton, CMO
Founded, scaled, and sold Big Drum digital marketing agency. Experienced marketer for tech startups. International “Search Engine Marketer of the Year” award. Berkeley Business BS, USC MA.
Monica Dioda, Growth Partner
Born and raised in Italy, worked mergers and acquisitions at Jones Day law prior to co-founding then selling biometrics software startup, FitMetrix. Doctor of Law (J.D.) Georgia State University College of Law, J.D. Universita di Ferrara, Italy
Emily Traxler, VP Customer Success
Built success teams from the ground up for SingleOps, Clockwise.MD and other tech startups. Level 3 Certified Customer Success Manager. BS Consumer Economics, University of Georgia
Jim Murphy, GP
Founder/CEO of Afterburner, Co-founder of Advanced Care Partners, 11x INC 500/5000 Founder and CEO, INC 5000 Hall Of Fame member, Forbes Small Giant, Flawless Execution thought leader/author, Board Member, Former USAF F-15 Fighter Pilot
Interested in applying or learning?
Regardless of where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, we’d love to hear from you. Send a message with some basic information and we’ll be in touch shortly.
Pondering your next career move?
