Invest & mentor

For founders building real companies.

Stuart is looking for companies to invest in and founders to advise and mentor. Alongside capital, he brings what most early companies are missing: a proven way to create demand, a brand people trust, and the experience of building one.

Stuart Derman

What Stuart looks for

Builders with customers, in markets he knows

The best fit is a company where better marketing, a clearer story or an operator's perspective would change the trajectory.

Markets Where he has built

Clean energy and solar, home services and contracting, and B2B software with complex products and long sales cycles.

Traction Real customers

Companies that sell something people pay for today, and could grow faster with a stronger demand engine.

Founders Committed operators

Founders working on the company full time, who want honest feedback and act on it.

Location Utah first

A preference for Utah and the Mountain West, where he can be in the room, but not a requirement.

Beyond capital

What founders get from Stuart

Demand

A growth engine

Access to the Compounding Demand approach and, where it fits, RELLO's team for go-to-market, lead generation and sales enablement.

Story

A brand people trust

Help sharpening the pitch, the positioning and the story, the work Stuart has done for companies at every stage.

Experience

An operator's view

Lessons from founding RELLO, chairing a nonprofit board, and marketing a solar company through its acquisition.

Ways to work together

Invest, advise or mentor

01
For companies raising

Investment

Capital for companies with traction, paired with hands-on help on demand and brand.

Pitch →
02
For growing companies

Advisory

An ongoing advisory role on go-to-market, marketing leadership and positioning, typically in exchange for equity.

Apply →
03
For early founders

Mentorship

A small number of founders each year, by application, for regular working sessions on the company and the founder.

Apply →

How it works

From pitch to decision

1

Send the basics

The form below takes about five minutes. A deck helps but isn't required.

2

Stuart reads it

Every submission is read. If there's a fit, you'll hear back with next steps.

3

A first conversation

A call to understand the company, the founder and what would move it forward.

4

A clear answer

A straight yes or no, with the reasoning, so you're never left guessing.

Pitch

Tell Stuart about your company

For investment, advisory and mentorship. If you're looking for RELLO's services instead, visit RELLO .

Every submission is read.

Thank you. Your submission is in. If there's a fit, you'll hear back with next steps.