Redbud VC is a Columbia, Missouri-based pre-seed venture capital firm founded in 2023 by Brett Calhoun, Willy Schlacks, and Jabbok Schlacks. The firm backs early-stage tech founders who have been strengthened by adversity, prioritizing founder resilience, execution speed, and early distribution advantages over traditional venture pedigree or geography. Willy and Jabbok Schlacks are the co-founders of EquipmentShare, a construction technology company with a $6 billion market cap.
Redbud invests in AI, hardware, software, and vertical technologies at the pre-seed stage. The firm is deliberately sector-agnostic within tech, with a preference for founders building unglamorous, industrial-minded businesses in markets outside of traditional VC hotspots. Redbud is particularly drawn to companies solving real operational problems in construction, logistics, and infrastructure, reflecting the Schlacks brothers' background at EquipmentShare.
Redbud VC Fund II closed at $25 million in March 2026 and is targeting investments in approximately 40 companies. At the time of close, the fund had already deployed capital into seven portfolio companies.
Fund II LPs include the University of Missouri System Endowment, AngelList's Systematic Fund of Funds, a former Boeing CEO, and early employees and founders from Square, C2FO, Upgrade, Meta, and Veterans United. Since its founding in 2023, Redbud has invested in 38 companies total across both funds, building a national portfolio spanning more than 20 US cities.
Leadership
Brett Calhoun is General Partner and Co-Founder of Redbud VC. He was named to the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Venture Capital and has raised over $40 million in capital across startups and VC. Before Redbud, he co-founded three fintechs, built the Scale Accelerator, and held finance and analytics roles at a family office and at Paytient. He holds a CPA, the ABV accreditation, and an MBA from the University of Missouri. Willy Schlacks is a Founding Partner who co-founded EquipmentShare and serves as its President; the company has raised over $600 million in equity and grown to a $6 billion valuation. Jabbok Schlacks is a Founding Partner and co-founder and CEO of EquipmentShare, which he built from a Columbia, Missouri startup into one of the largest construction technology companies in the US.
Investment Strategy
Redbud typically writes checks of $250,000 to $500,000 and aims to be the first investor or the first institutional investor in a company, entering at the pre-seed stage. The fund targets approximately 40 portfolio companies, providing concentrated early-stage exposure and hands-on support rooted in the Schlacks brothers' operational experience scaling EquipmentShare. The firm deliberately builds a geographically distributed portfolio, investing across 20+ US cities and championing founders who are building outside of Silicon Valley and New York.
Other
Redbud VC operates at the intersection of operator-led investing and Midwest venture. Calhoun maintains an unusually active outreach practice, engaging with hundreds of founders weekly on LinkedIn. The firm's LP base is notable for including institutional investors like the University of Missouri System Endowment alongside senior operators from prominent tech companies. Founders outside of traditional VC geographies are strongly encouraged to reach out directly through redbud.vc.
Brett Calhoun - General Partner & Co-Founder
Willy Schlacks - Founding Partner
Jabbok Schlacks - Founding Partner
United States
