Executive Director of SAM Fund & Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Mark Gramelspacher is an entrepreneur, investor, inventor, attorney, and advisor to international business and policy-makers. He currently serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Elevate Ventures and the Executive Director of the Smart and Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) fund. At Elevate Ventures, he primarily advises entrepreneurs seeking to scale pre-revenue, pre-profit and emerging businesses into high-value, high-impact, Indiana enterprises.
In his career, he formed or helped form more than a dozen start-up operations or acquisitions in manufacturing, distribution, and SaaS verticals. Mark organized and participated on several boards of directors and consulted and advised on numerous business acquisitions, reorganizations, joint ventures and divestitures. He sits on a number of private company boards of directors and advisors. He also consults and advises businesses and lawmakers on policy matters affecting business success in the United States and around the world.
- What is the one critical thing you want people to know about you? I understand the demands of leading a business. At this point in my career, I’ve learned to parse words and thoughts carefully. While I don’t offer a lot of volume, I try hard to be very intentional with what I do say”
- What is the most important thing you do for Elevate Ventures’ clients/constituents? Listen, listen, listen and look for patterns.
- What is your claim to fame? I live a truly blessed life, but I was the last person on PanAm Flight 101 when the next flight blew up over Lockerbie Scotland on December 21, 1988.
