Blue Mesa Partners: Marc H. Morgenstern, Early-Stage Investor, and Author
Founded by Marc Morgenstern, Blue Mesa Partners has backed dozens of high growth, disruptive startups for almost 4 decades as investor and mentor capitalist.
Since being the first outside investor in revolutionary office supply superstore OfficeMax (OMX:NASDAQ) in 1988 (later sold to Kmart), Blue Mesa has played an active investment, strategic, negotiating, or operating role in startup and early-stage companies in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Cleveland.
Our investment philosophy is “First In, Last Out. From Day One through Exit.”
We engage deeply and early, staying actively involved through a company’s full lifecycle rather than making passive, fragmented investments. Great companies and deals are built as much on creativity and long-term relationships as on capital.
Track Record
We were first outside check writer in Kevin Czinger’s category-creating Divergent 3D (the DAPS system integrating AI, robotics, and 3D printing) which is revolutionizing manufacturing for the defense and automotive industries.
Other founding, seed, or first round investments include LoungeBuddy (travel app; sold to American Express (AXP:NYSE), CardinalCommerce (pioneer in online retail authentication technology; sold to VISA (V:NYSE), Capstone Partners (placement agent for PE funds; MBO), and Twitch (fka Justin.TV; sold to Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ).
Founder and Managing Partner Marc H. Morgenstern, co-founded Within3 (digital collaboration for pharma and life sciences; sold to Insight Partners), C+T Access Ventures (technology venture fund), and groundbreaking CadenceCounsel (providing top-tier lawyers on a variable basis for top-tier law firms; sold to Lateral Link). He’s served as a director of numerous private and public companies including Mr. Gasket Co.(MRGC:NASDAQ), the Cleveland-based high performance manufacturer of aftermarket auto parts.
Read Notable Deals and Transactions
A 2026 Inductee into the Dealmakers Hall of Fame, Marc was CEO and founded Equity Realty Securities (NASD-registered placement agent), and served on the NASD Business Conduct Committee.
Forbes:
“One of the 25 M&A books every CEO, Founder, and Business Owner should read”. The EQ of M&A. The human side of buying, selling, and investing in any business.
