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.
Brett Calhoun - General Partner & Co-Founder
Willy Schlacks - Founding Partner
Jabbok Schlacks - Founding Partner
United States
