About 1SVC

Investing with a Long View. Building for Generations.

We believe capital is most powerful when it is aligned with people, purpose, and long-term value creation.

1st Sovereign Capital is a Native led investment fund supporting founders, businesses, and opportunities positioned to strengthen economies, expand ownership, and create prosperity across generations

OUR MISSION

We expand access to capital for Native entrepreneurs building businesses that strengthen Indigenous economies and create long-term opportunity.

By connecting founders to investment capital, strategic relationships, and ecosystem support, we help unlock growth, expand ownership, and create prosperity across generations.

OUR APPROACH

We invest early in Native-led businesses across food systems, consumer goods, and technology.

Our model combines investment capital with strategic guidance, trusted relationships, and ecosystem connectivity to help founders accelerate growth and create lasting value.

We believe strong companies are built through partnerships, not transactions.

OUR DIFFERENCE

Sovereign capital is our perspective on stewardship, resilience, and long-term value creation.

As a Native-led investment fund, we combine financial discipline with cultural understanding, bringing a long-term view to every investment we make.

We believe the strongest opportunities emerge when capital is paired with trust, partnership, and community.

Leadership Team

1st Sovereign Capital is a Native led team with experience across institutional investing, executive leadership, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous economic development.

The team brings firsthand experience in managing multi-billion-dollar investment portfolios, advising capital markets, leading national organizations, and supporting Native business growth. This combination of investing and operating expertise informs our approach to capital allocation, founder support, and long-term value creation.

Advisory Team

Our advisors bring decades of experience across investing, entrepreneurship, tribal economic development, and ecosystem building.

They provide strategic insight, industry expertise, and trusted guidance as we work to expand access to capital and strengthen the Indigenous entrepreneurial ecosystem.

  • A 20-year investment veteran and the founder of Acknowledge Capital, a Native-owned firm advancing Tribal financial sovereignty. She serves as Chairwoman of the First Nations Economic Development Corporation, the investment entity for the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. Her experience spans public equities, private companies, and real estate, including leadership as Managing Partner of a single-family office.

  • An experienced angel and venture capital investor, Eli works with a globally diverse network of accredited investors to create catalytic wealth through early-stage investing. As the founder of an international advisory firm, they support governments, nonprofits, and corporations in designing and deploying complex innovation initiatives at a global scale.

  • Advised and consulted a range of startups, from bootstrapped to startups that have raised over $50 million in investments. With experience in working with early-stage companies building go-to-market strategies, branding, marketing, media, and creative initiatives, he brings a deep understanding of market trends. He applies his cross-market experience to guide deal flow for 1SVC investments.

  • With over 20 years of experience building Native-owned businesses, partnerships, and policy solutions, Dawn is the founder of SunSinger Consulting. She served as Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs under President Obama. She holds a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Montana and an M.B.A. from Saint Martin’s University and serves on boards including SWAIA, Mohawk Networks, and UM’s College of Forestry.

  • Derek Valdo (Pueblo of Acoma) is a seasoned executive and tribal business leader with decades of experience in Native-owned enterprise development and financial stewardship. As the CEO of AMERIND, Derek led national efforts to build economic resilience through tribally owned insurance and housing solutions. He brings to 1st Sovereign Capital a legacy of trust, operational excellence, and commitment to economic sovereignty.

NICOLE JOHNNY

  • Nicole Johnny (Diné) is a finance professional with deep experience in Indigenous capital formation, venture investing, and tribal economic development. With an MBA in Finance and a career rooted in advocating for Native entrepreneurs, Nicole brings a strategic vision for equity-centered capital access. Her work spans venture capital, nonprofit leadership, and ecosystem building to empower Indigenous innovation across sectors.

DEREK VALDO

Understanding 1SVC

  • A common misconception is that the success of tribal gaming has solved Native access to capital.

    In reality, gaming revenues primarily support tribal governments and community services not venture investment in Native-owned businesses.

    Native entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers to growth capital, investor networks, and equity financing. 1st Sovereign Capital was created to help bridge that gap by connecting Native founders with the capital and strategic support needed to build and scale enduring businesses.

    We believe thriving Tribal Nations and thriving Native entrepreneurs are both essential to the future of Indigenous economic development.

  • 1st Sovereign Capital is a Native-owned, Native women-led investment fund built at the intersection of investing, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous economic development.

    We combine investment capital with strategic relationships, ecosystem connectivity, and a long-term perspective to support founders building enduring businesses and stronger Indigenous economies.

    Our approach is grounded in stewardship, partnership, and the belief that the strongest opportunities emerge when capital is aligned with community, culture, and long-term value creation.

  • Native entrepreneurs are building innovative businesses. Yet they remain among the most undercapitalized founders in the United States, with limited access to growth capital and investor networks.

    We believe this represents both a market opportunity and an opportunity to strengthen Indigenous economies. By supporting Native founders with capital, relationships, and strategic guidance, we can help unlock business growth, expand ownership, and create long-term prosperity.

  • Sovereign capital is capital aligned with long-term economic self-determination.

    1SVC reflects our belief that capital should create more than financial returns; it should expand opportunity, strengthen economies, and generate value that endures across generations.