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Ian Hathaway
Snowboard Instructor at The Hermitage Club at Haystack Mountain
Ian Hathaway is a prominent figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as the Co-Founder and General Partner at Far Out Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Santa Barbara, California. His firm focuses on investing in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, particularly in sectors such as marketplace, vertical SaaS, and fintech.12
Background and Education
Hathaway has a diverse background that includes roles as a startup advisor, mentor, and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He has also served as the Senior Vice President and Head of Capital Analytics at Techstars, contributing significantly to global capital formation and investment strategy.1 He holds a Master of Arts in Economics and Political Economy from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and History from the University of Dayton.25
Career Highlights
- Co-Author of "The Startup Community Way": This book discusses the dynamics of entrepreneurial ecosystems and was published in 2020. Hathaway's insights on startups and innovation are frequently featured in major publications like The New York Times, The Economist, and Harvard Business Review.1
- Previous Experience: Before founding Far Out Ventures, he worked with various organizations including Silicon Valley Bank and Bloomberg, where he led product and innovation initiatives.1 He has also consulted for major clients such as Google and Goldman Sachs.
Current Focus
At Far Out Ventures, Hathaway is dedicated to mentoring founders from pre-revenue stages through Series A funding. His investment strategy emphasizes supporting traditionally overlooked founders from diverse backgrounds.4 He is actively involved in advising emerging fund managers globally, leveraging his extensive experience across different markets, including the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.13
Hathaway resides in Santa Barbara with his family and continues to contribute to the startup ecosystem through his investments and mentorship efforts.1
Highlights

