Ryan Broshar grew up on an Iowa farm and founded three companies before joining Matchstick Ventures, giving him a founder's perspective when evaluating startups. He co-founded Beta.MN and Twin Cities Startup Week to build the Twin Cities startup ecosystem from the ground up, and served as founding Managing Director of Techstars Retail with Target, making him a go-to voice on retail innovation.

• Deep commitment to fostering the startup ecosystems in both Minnesota and Colorado. A significant amount of time is spent promoting local tech communities in cities like Minneapolis and Boulder, such as launching regional newsletters to share local events and highlighting regional success stories like fintech companies scaling in the Midwest.
• Strong ties to accelerator networks and a core belief in mentorship. Frequently praises the philosophy of helping founders before asking for anything in return, and actively celebrates when former mentors or colleagues from previous accelerator programs step into new leadership roles or join the current venture team.
• High interest in early-stage startups leveraging new technology to modernize legacy industries. Recent investments and shoutouts specifically highlight artificial intelligence tools designed to help financial advisors scale their client relationships and software solutions aiming to fix broken, outdated communication channels in supply chain logistics.
• Passion for regional sports teams, making this an ideal icebreaker for a casual conversation. Regularly cheers on Minnesota basketball and football teams, and openly engages in friendly playoff rivalries with Colorado-based partners.
• Appreciation for founder discipline as a crucial element of success. Specifically notes that a lack of focus is the primary reason early-stage companies fail, indicating a preference for founders who pitch a clear, undiluted vision.