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Brian Kaas is a Managing Director at CMFG Ventures, the venture capital arm of TruStage. He is responsible for leading strategic investments in innovative fintech, insurtech, and wealthtech companies.
Brian Kaas primarily invests in innovative early to growth-stage companies within the fintech, insurtech, and wealthtech sectors. His focus includes digital lending, payments, data analytics, cybersecurity, and solutions that enhance customer experience for financial services, credit unions, and small businesses.
Brian Kaas works as a Managing Director at CMFG Ventures, which is the venture capital subsidiary of TruStage (formerly CUNA Mutual Group).
Brian Kaas is the President and Managing Director of TruStage Ventures, a corporate venture capital firm located in Madison, Wisconsin. Before leading the venture capital arm of TruStage, formerly known as CUNA Mutual Group, he served as the organization's Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and was a Partner at the law firm Foley & Lardner LLP. Under his executive leadership, the firm has invested over $200 million across 28 financial technology companies, focusing primarily on Series A and B stage startups that benefit the broader credit union industry. In 2021, he launched the $15 million Discovery Fund to specifically target early-stage investments in fintech companies led by underrepresented founders. An alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, Kaas currently focuses on driving mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments in disruptive insurtech and decentralized finance technologies.
Brian Kaas stands as a pivotal figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as a Managing Director at CMFG Ventures. As the strategic venture capital arm of TruStage (formerly CUNA Mutual Group), CMFG Ventures plays a crucial role in identifying and backing innovative startups that are poised to reshape the financial services industry. In his capacity, Brian Kaas is instrumental in leading investment initiatives, focusing on companies that offer groundbreaking solutions in fintech, insurtech, and wealthtech.
At CMFG Ventures, Brian Kaas's investment focus is broad yet strategically targeted. He actively seeks out early to growth-stage companies developing cutting-edge technologies in areas such as digital lending, payment processing, data analytics, cybersecurity, and enhanced customer experience platforms. His work is particularly geared towards identifying solutions that can empower credit unions, benefit consumers, and support the growth of small businesses. The ultimate goal is to foster innovation that aligns with TruStage’s mission to help people achieve financial security, while also generating strong financial returns for the fund.
Brian's investment philosophy is deeply rooted in identifying not just promising technologies, but also strong leadership teams and scalable business models. He looks for companies that demonstrate significant market potential and possess the ability to integrate strategically within the broader financial services ecosystem, particularly those that can offer value to TruStage’s extensive network. This strategic alignment is a hallmark of CMFG Ventures' approach, ensuring that investments contribute to both industry advancement and the long-term vision of TruStage.
Before his impactful tenure at CMFG Ventures, Brian Kaas cultivated a robust career background that uniquely prepared him for the complexities of venture capital. He previously served as a partner at Godfrey & Kahn, a prominent law firm, where he specialized in venture capital, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and corporate finance. This extensive legal and corporate finance expertise provides him with a profound understanding of deal structuring, due diligence, and the regulatory landscape, all of which are invaluable assets in his current role. His transition from a legal advisor to a venture capitalist highlights his deep commitment to fostering innovation and directly contributing to the growth of promising enterprises.
Throughout his career, Brian Kaas has been a driving force in building and scaling CMFG Ventures from its inception. His leadership has been critical in shaping the fund's investment strategy and portfolio, contributing to its reputation as a significant player in the financial technology space. While specific individual investments are often a collaborative effort of the fund, CMFG Ventures' portfolio under his guidance has included companies that are transforming how financial institutions operate and how consumers manage their finances. Brian Kaas continues to champion entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating a more efficient, secure, and accessible financial future for everyone.
