Venture capitalist John McKowen provides the startup capital necessary for new companies to grow, compete in their chosen marketplaces, and ultimately to be traded publicly on a national stock exchange. John McKowen’s first success at taking a company public came in 1997, when he funded startup Internet developer Navidec, which went on to be a billion-dollar company listed on NASDAQ.
John McKowen next found success in 2006 in the energy industry, funding the startup efforts of gas exploration company BPZ Energy, whose stock is now traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2010, as CEO of Colorado startup Two Rivers Water & Farming, he took that firm public with an over-the-counter listing.
Currently CEO of GrowCo., Inc., and VetaNova, two firms in the cannabis industry, Mr. McKowen earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and took classes on business and securities law from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law. He lives in Denver.