We Don't Just Invest Capital.We Invest Wisdom.
The tech landscape is noisy. For young founders in the Pacific Northwest, finding guidance can be harder than finding funding.
The Clever Widget Factory is different. We aren't a traditional VC firm looking for a quick exit. We are a group of established professionals—engineers, architects, and business leaders—who volunteer our time, experience, and resources to support burgeoning talent in our community.
We believe that the best way to keep the PNW innovative is to reach back and pull the next generation up. Whether it's refining a business plan, debugging a critical feature, or providing seed funding, we exist to bridge the gap between a raw idea and a real company.
Our Approach
Experience Over Capital
We've been where our founders are. Our collective experience spans decades of building, scaling, and occasionally failing. This wisdom is often more valuable than any check we could write.
Community First
The Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem thrives when we support each other. We're committed to strengthening our local community, one startup at a time.
Long-Term Thinking
We're not chasing quarterly returns or quick exits. We invest in relationships and sustainable growth, supporting founders through the marathon, not just the sprint.
Quiet Impact
Much of our work happens behind the scenes. We prefer meaningful contributions over public recognition, focusing on results rather than headlines.
The Founders & Mentors
We are builders, breakers, and fixers. We've scaled some of the world's largest systems, and now we're helping the Pacific Northwest's next generation build theirs.
David Cates
Managing Partner
The Infrastructure Veteran
David has spent his career ensuring that the technology the world relies on actually stays online. With a background deep in critical datacenter services and infrastructure automation, David's expertise lies in the high-stakes world of site reliability. From automating the massive infrastructure behind the Amazon retail websites to hardening networks against cyber-security threats, he knows what it takes to build systems that scale securely. At The Clever Widget Factory, David helps founders ensure their "next big idea" is built on a foundation that won't crack under pressure.
Rafat Naqvi
Partner
The Transformation Strategist
Rafat is a veteran technology evangelist who specializes in taking businesses from "status quo" to "what's next." With a background as a Global Vice President for Enterprise Applications and deep roots in the University of Washington's mentorship programs, she is a driving force in cloud transformation and digital service design. Rafat joins The Clever Widget Factory to help startups navigate the complex intersection of business strategy and emerging technology, ensuring that innovation always serves a practical purpose.
Catalin Stafie
Partner
The Systems Architect
Catalin brings a wealth of engineering discipline to the collective. With a focus on distributed systems and software engineering, he helps young teams bridge the gap between theoretical code and production-ready reality. His mentorship focuses on technical rigor—helping founders make the difficult engineering trade-offs that define early-stage startups.
Andreas Bahm
Partner
The Product & Scale Expert
Andreas rounds out the leadership team with deep experience in operations and product lifecycle. He understands that a great product is only as good as its execution. At The Clever Widget Factory, Andreas works with founders to streamline their operations and prepare their technology for the demands of a growing user base.
Building the Future Together
We're selective about our partnerships, but always open to meeting exceptional founders who are building something meaningful.
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