Castle Creek Launchpad Research
Investment Thesis
The Castle Creek Launchpad Fund backs early-stage fintech companies built for partnership with community banks. The fund is a joint venture between Castle Creek Capital, a private equity firm focused on community banking for over three decades, and Launchpad Capital, an Oakland-based fintech venture firm founded by Ryan Gilbert. The stated mission is to catalyze change in financial services through partnerships between fintech startups and the fund's 34 community bank limited partners. The firm looks for startups that work with financial institutions to drive deposits and fee revenue, expand business lines, increase operational efficiency, modernize regulatory compliance, and apply emerging technologies.
The site names three screens for companies: they drive a mobile-first future enabled by regulated institutions, they design technology community banks can implement to strengthen their competitive position, and they reshape the future of financial services and community banking.
Stage Focus
The fund describes itself as investing in early-stage companies. Disclosed rounds in the portfolio include a $2.225M seed (Attune, January 2024), a seed led by the fund (Crux Analytics, about $2.2M) and an $8M Series B (Marstone, January 2024), so the practical range runs from seed through Series B, with seed and Series A most likely for new positions. This is inferred from portfolio news, not stated by the firm.
Check Size
The firm does not publish check sizes. With a roughly $90M first fund and a portfolio of about 16 companies, initial checks are likely in the low single-digit millions, with reserves for follow-ons. No check size range is submitted because none is disclosed.
Lead Tendency
The fund led at least the Crux Analytics seed, and participates alongside other investors elsewhere. Lead tendency is recorded as both.
Recent Activity
Castle Creek Launchpad Fund I closed in July 2022 with more than $90M in commitments from 34 community banks. Recent portfolio news on the site: Attune closed its $2.225M seed (January 2024), Marstone raised an $8M Series B (January 2024), and Central Payments named Nikkee Rhody CEO (November 2023). The portfolio page carries additions dated through 2026 (Starlight, Crux, Nymbus, YO), which suggests the fund is still deploying from Fund I. No second fund has been announced.
Portfolio Highlights
The portfolio page shows about 16 companies concentrated in banking infrastructure, lending, payments, wealth, insurance and risk: Central Payments, Extend, Grid, UpEquity, MBI, Immediate, RiskScout, Alden, Attune, Marstone, Tongo, Nymbus, Bellecour, YO, Crux Analytics and Starlight. No exits are listed on the site.
Team
- Ryan Gilbert, Partner: Founder of Launchpad Capital (Oakland), general partner of its fintech funds, director of River City Bank, former GP at Propel Venture Partners Fund 1, founder of Billfloat/SmartBiz Loans, co-founder of PropertyBridge (acquired by MoneyGram), early Eventbrite investor and founding advisor to Square.
- Tony Scavuzzo, Partner
- Jurgen van de Vyver, Partner
- David Volk, Partner
- Kelsey Weaver, Partner
- Chris Eggemeyer, Vice President
Only Ryan Gilbert's biography was readable on the public site; the other bios are behind expandable sections that did not render.
Decision Process
A partnership of five partners across the two sponsoring firms. The exact IC mechanics are not public.
Founder Preferences
Launchpad says it values grit, candor, and a motivation to make meaningful changes. Founders who already sell to or partner with banks, and who want access to community bank distribution through the 34 LPs, fit best.
Geographic Focus
Offices in Oakland, CA and San Diego, CA. Investments are US-centered, with the LP base of US community banks as the main distribution channel. The portfolio includes at least one non-US-flavored brand (YO), so geography is not strictly limited.
Founder Takeaways
The differentiator is distribution: 34 community bank LPs can act as design partners, pilot customers and references. Founders without a bank-facing product, or consumer fintech with no institutional channel, are a poor fit. Pitches should explain the bank value case in terms of deposits, fee revenue, efficiency or compliance, because that is how the firm frames its own thesis.