Ocean Crest Ventures.
The investment arm of Making Waves Collective. Early-stage capital for entrepreneurs who have something going and need the capital to keep it going.
Capital earned through community.
Ocean Crest Ventures is the third tier of the Making Waves ecosystem. Founders come through the community, prove themselves in the Founders Cohort, and the very best receive early-stage investment from OCV.
This is not a traditional fund. We back founders we know, founders we have coached, and founders we believe in — because we have watched them work. By the time we write a check, we have already invested in the founder.
We do not take outside applications for investment. Every OCV-backed founder has gone through the Making Waves ecosystem first — starting with the community and earning their way through the Founders Cohort.
Investment is not applied for. It is earned through the ecosystem.
“We invest in the builders who move with the tides, not against them.”
Early-stage focus
Ocean Crest Ventures concentrates capital at the pre-seed and seed stages, where our network, coaching, and conviction matter most. We are not just writing checks — we are building alongside founders from day one.
Founder-first thesis
We do not limit our focus to a single sector or industry. We invest in people — founders with something real, real momentum, and the conviction to see it through. The company follows the founder.
Companies we back.
From healthcare to workforce development, our portfolio reflects conviction-driven investments in founders building across industries.
American Pain Consortium
Career TEAM
Coral Care
Integrated Dermatology
Ocean Crest Properties
Peakline Partners
Purpose Built Ventures
Shareholder Ventures
Twill
Advisory Board.
Experienced operators and investors guiding the Ocean Crest vision.
Nick Briere
CEO, NextMinds · Partner, Sonick Group
Dedicated to improving innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth.
Michael Carter
Managing Partner, Carter Morse & Goodrich
Advises middle-market business owners on maximizing shareholder value in transactions valued between $20M and $200M.
Warrick Dunn
Founder, Warrick Dunn Charities · Former NFL Player
Former NFL running back drafted 12th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1997, now a dedicated philanthropist.
Mušan Durić
Managing Director, Werth Ventures
Oversees investment strategy, capital allocation, financial management, and long-term planning.
Evan Gappelberg
CEO & Founder, Nextech3D.ai
Founder of Nextech3D.ai, ARway.ai, and Toggle3D.ai, specializing in AI-powered engagement platforms and 3D modeling technology.
Wendy Guillies
Retired President & CEO, Kauffman Foundation
Instrumental in developing Global Entrepreneurship Week, which has expanded to more than 180 countries worldwide.
Michele Henry
Founder & CEO, Face Foundrie
Founder and operator who has generated over $75 million in revenue across her ventures.
David Karp
Co-Founder & Senior Managing Director, Cresset Capital
2025 Barron's Top 100 Independent Advisor — ranked #7 nationally and #1 in Virginia.
Dr. David L. Katz
Founder & CEO, Diet ID, Inc.
Specialist in Internal Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine.
Noel T. Langerman
Managing Partner, Karp & Langerman, P.C.
Practice focuses on corporate transactions, with particular experience advising on sell-side private equity exits.
Miles Lasater
CEO & Founder, Purpose Built
Serial entrepreneur who took a fintech company from idea to $200M+ in revenue, 750+ employees, and a public listing on the NYSE.
John Lawrence, Esq.
Partner, Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and private equity transactions.
Ronald Larrow, CPA
Partner, Simione, Macca & Larrow
Spent over 20 years providing federal and state tax consulting services to closely-held businesses.
Dr. Lawrence P. Ward
President, University of Hartford
Became the University of Hartford's seventh president in July 2024, leading its academic and entrepreneurial mission.
Wayne M. Zell, Esq.
Founder, Zell Law
Over 30 years of experience advising on business matters, holding the highest AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Investment criteria.
Stage
Pre-seed and seed. We write checks into companies with strong conviction and a clear founder at the helm.
Sector
All industries. We back entrepreneurs who have something going — regardless of what they are building. Conviction and momentum matter more than category.
Connection
Priority given to founders from the Making Waves Founders Cohort. The path to investment starts inside the community.
Apply for the Founders Cohort.
The path to Ocean Crest Ventures investment starts with the community. Join the Making Waves Collective, apply for the Founders Cohort, and prove what you can build.