Lisa Crump

Lisa Crump is a Managing Partner of the Minneapolis-based Sofia Fund, which since its origins as the "Women to Women" network in 1998 has invested in exceptional, women-led growth companies. She joined Sofia Fund's leadership alongside CEO Cathy Connett, Joy Lindsay, and Dee Thibodeau, helping direct investment strategy and mentoring portfolio founders. She is also the founder of Cairn Ventures, through which she makes early-stage investments in innovative, high-growth-potential companies in the Midwest.

Crump's credibility comes from being an operator first. She is a co-founder of Stratasys, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSYS), the pioneering 3D-printing and additive-manufacturing company, where she served as an original director and corporate officer and led marketing and European sales distribution when the company's revenues were roughly $36 million. A pioneer in medical 3D modeling, she led the team that cleared the first 3D printer through the FDA for use in a hospital setting to support surgeons and improve patient outcomes. She exited the operation after about 12 years following the company's successful IPO, when revenues were around $40 million.

She brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in start-up and later-stage growth companies in the technology manufacturing sector. She holds a BA from Washington State University and an MS from Portland State University, and completed the ISS-Certified Director Training Program at UCLA's Anderson School of Management as well as executive education courses at the Wharton School.

Beyond investing, Crump is active across the Minnesota entrepreneurial ecosystem — including the Minnesota Venture Conference (Minnesota High Tech Association), the WE (westart.mn) Initiative / Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota, MN Cup, and Twin Cities Startup Week / Pitch Fest. She is a founding member of Growing Women's Capital and an active member of Gopher Angels and the national Angel Capital Association.

• Invests primarily in women-led and gender-diverse teams with "disruptive, scalable business models that use technology to solve real problems."
• Check size ~$100K–$500K, typically participating in rounds of $500K–$2.5M, with a preference for preferred stock in U.S. C-corporations and a target of 2–3 subsequent funding rounds before an exit in roughly 3–5 years.
• Sectors: information technology (software, apps, analytics, IoT, AI), enterprise solutions, health and wellness, and advanced/green technologies.
• Emphasizes proprietary technology addressing real-world problems backed by rigorous due diligence, and pairs capital with hands-on strategic mentorship drawn from her operating experience.
• On what earns a "yes," she stresses founder execution: *"Achieve the milestones. When entrepreneurs do what they say they will do, their life gets easier."* She also values founder mindset — *"Entrepreneurs are optimistic, passionate and confident – we have to be."*