SLO Seed Ventures

SLO Seed Ventures is a San Luis Obispo, California-based accredited angel investor group established in 2009 and co-founded by Jo Anne Miller. The group's membership comprises successful entrepreneurs, experienced operating executives, and veteran angel investors who collectively evaluate and back early-stage startups based in and around California's Central Coast region between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. The organization has since rebranded as Central Coast Ventures, operating as the successor vehicle providing angel and seed capital to high-growth startups in the region. SLO Seed Ventures is sector-agnostic, evaluating companies on team strength, addressable market size, and sustainable competitive advantage rather than industry vertical. The group invests at the seed or early Series A stage, with individual member cheques typically in the $5,000 to $15,000 range as part of an accelerator-style model exchanging capital for 5 to 20% equity. The disclosed portfolio includes Rezolve AI, CoachNow, and Mazen Animal Health -- the latter as part of a $12 million Series A led by Fall Line Capital and AgFunder in May 2022. The group has recorded one exit, Shotzoom, which closed in February 2024. Beyond capital, the group provides mentorship, business advice, legal and accounting connections, and access to its Central Coast operator and investor network -- drawing on the Angel Capital Association for syndicated and follow-on capacity. The organization's positioning as a local, community-rooted investor fills a gap for Central Coast founders who lack proximity to Silicon Valley funding networks, providing a first institutional relationship that can anchor later rounds from larger out-of-market investors.