Why 6 former A-B InBev execs launched a St. Louis-based VC firm
Members of Dreampact Ventures. Back row (left to right): Luiz Edmond, Fued Sadala, Odilon Queiroz; Front row (left to right): John Guerra, Lucas Donnelley, Gustavo Pimenta
After leaving executive posts at Anheuser-Busch InBev, the co-founders behind St. Louis-based venture capital firm Dreampact Ventures still wanted a chance to share their experience and expertise.
“We had an amazing journey, but we said ‘what are we going to build for the future? What are we going to do with the money we made and the time we have,’” said Dreampact co-founder and principal Luiz Edmond, the former chief sales officer and North America president and CEO of Anheuser-Busch.
Out of those questions came the venture capital firm founded by Edmond and five other former A-B InBev executives. In addition to Edmond, Dreampact's five other co-founders and principals are:
Odilon Queiroz, former chief information officer at A-B InBev
Pablo Gonzalez, former vice president of logistics at A-B InBev’s North America zone
Fued Sadala, former vice president of logistics and procurement for A-B InBev’s North America zone
Joao (John) Guerra, former CFO for A-B Inbev’s North America zone
Gustavo Pimenta, former CIO of the brewer’s South America zone
Lucas Donnelley is the firm’s managing director. Donnelley did not work at A-B InBev.
Dreampact made its first investment in April 2018, and has kept a relatively low profile since its launch. The firm made headlines Tuesday with the announcement that it led a $3.5 million seed funding round for St. Louis construction technology startup Ryvit.
A key tenant of Dreampact’s investment approach is providing startups with more than just capital, Edmond told the Business Journal is an interview. The venture capital firm takes a hands-on and collaborative approach with portfolio companies, seeking to provide startups with its principals’ expertise in topics such as sales, pricing, logistics, procurement and finance.
“One of the things that is in common for all of us is we all like to learn things,” Edmond said. “We could go home and watch TV and just have fun. I think what motivates us is getting to know people, helping people succeed.”
With its intensive partnership model, Dreampact says it will limit its investments and expects each of the firm’s partners to lead on two to three portfolio companies maximum. The company's portfolio currently includes Ryvit, fintech startup Become, wellness firm Balance, edtech startup Plexuss and e-sports company Misfits Gaming. The firm has plans to soon announce an addition to its portfolio.
Dreampact is targeting investments in financial technology, education technology, entertainment, longevity and wellness and what it calls “connected world.” The firm describes "connected world" as innovation that includes consumer technology, smart cities and homes and autonomous vehicles. Edmond said he and his co-founders want to invest in companies centered around “unstoppable trends” that will shape the future of the economy.
“The idea of Dreampact was inspired basically to look at entrepreneurs with big ideas,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s not only the ideas they have or the big dreams they have, but also the impact we can have on their dream.”
Dreampact has placed a geographic focus on primarily investing in the U.S, but said it is open to funding international firms that have operations in the U.S. The firm invests in seed to Series A companies, eyeing startups with products generating revenue.
“When they go to market and they have between $500,000 and $1 million in revenue, that’s where we think we can start creating value for them,” Edmond said.
Click here to read the full story in the St. Louis Business Journal, written by Nathan Rubbelke.