Tim McLoughlin

partner, Cofounders Capital

My biggest challenge as a venture capitalist is having to say, ‘No,’ 99-plus% of the time when companies ask us for money… It is always a difficult thing to do.

An Introduction: I played a little ice hockey at Harvard, where I graduated from undergrad in 2008. After graduation I co-founded a hockey training company based in Wake Forest and had training programs running across the country. I received my MBA from UNC-CH (Kenan-Flagler), and during that time I became heavily involved in the entrepreneurial and investor community in North Carolina.

I joined Cofounders Capital in late 2015 and became a full partner in 2018 when we raised our second fund. We now manage over $45 million in seed capital and have invested in over 30 companies.

I serve on the Board of Directors for several portfolio companies, the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, and am on the Core Review Committee for the NC IDEA private foundation.

Inspiration: First, we have the opportunity to help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams by giving them the capital resources (and some advice along the way) they need to execute their plan. During that journey, the capital we can provide will create jobs and value for all stakeholders. Second, there is an opportunity to create life-changing or even generation-changing wealth for founders who have spent years sacrificing to accomplish something they are passionate about.

A Proud Moment: In 2018, my partner, David Gardner, and I closed a $31 million Venture Capital fund focused on investing in N.C.-based software companies. It was a year’s worth of hard work, a lot of meetings, and convincing investment partners to join us in creating a vision that didn’t yet exist. That money is going to help a lot of entrepreneurs.

True Fact: I played a young Dale Earnhardt in a Sun Drop Cola commercial when I was 7 years old. I got to shoot it with The Intimidator himself at his childhood home.

More From Our Jun-July 2021 Issue

• Meet Erin O’Loughlin
• Meet Andy Munn
• Meet Marsha McLean
• Meet Hillary Parnell
• Meet Matthew Poling
• Meet Tim McLoughlin
• Meet Calin Riley
• Meet Victoria Ford
• Meet Brianna Williams
• Meet Erin Bircher
• Bring the Magic
• Meet Evan Bost
• Meet the 2021 Movers & Shakers
• A Peek at the Peak City
• Meet Amy Davenport
• Meet Stephen Rhodes
• Meet Nicole Case
• Meet Camille Kauer
• Meet Alicia Jurado
• Meet Virginia H. Johnson
• Meet Sylvia Inks
• Meet Dr. April Gessner Deddens
• Meet Jasmine Brown
• Meet Mycal Brickhouse
• Meet Matthew Bettinger
• Meet Shane Barry
• ‘It just had everything’
• Small Business Spotlight: Blue Diamond Gemstone Panning
• Riding to Victory
• Nonprofit Spotlight: Spirit League of North Carolina
• Restaurant Profile: Keen on Korean
• Liquid Assets: Wen-da-Hell Hefeweizen from Bearded Bee Brewing
• Liquid Assets: Frozen Lavender Lemonade from Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream
• Garden Adventurer: ‘Millenium’ Allium is More Than a Spellcheck