Kelly Perdew

Overview

Kelly Perdew is a seasoned venture capitalist and entrepreneur with a military background, focusing on early-stage technology investments. As the Managing General Partner of Moonshots Capital, he leads a seed-stage venture firm that invests in technology companies founded by exceptional leaders. Since 2004, he has been investing in and advising leading U.S. startups, including LinkedIn, Pandora, TrueCar, Gretel, and ID.me. Under his leadership, Moonshots Capital has backed 125 companies, achieving 27 successful exits and 14 unicorns. His investment strategy centers on identifying extraordinary leaders, often military veterans, who demonstrate the ability to build transformative companies. Moonshots Capital focuses on sectors where Kelly's network creates unfair advantages for founders, including dual-use technology, cybersecurity, fintech, AI, and defense innovation. Beyond capital, Kelly takes an active role in portfolio companies through board seats or formal advisory roles, providing significant leadership insights and access to an unparalleled network spanning both government and private sectors. Kelly's expertise spans multiple domains: he holds joint MBA and JD degrees from UCLA, has served in operating roles at 10 different early-stage companies, and maintains active board positions in numerous high-growth startups. His investment philosophy centers on identifying extraordinary leaders, frequently military veterans, who demonstrate the ability to build transformative companies. He published a book on applying military leadership principles to business called, Take Command.

Investment Focus

• Exceptional leadership
• Innovative technology solutions
• Scalable business models

Portfolio Companies