Our Team

John Martinson, Chairman

John@MartinsonVentures.com
215-493-1885

John Martinson has been a venture capitalist and software industry leader for 40 years. In 1986, John founded Edison Partners, which raised nine growth equity limited partnerships. John is also an active individual investor and philanthropist.

Edison Partners invested over $2 billion in 230 East Coast companies and realized 180 exits. John participated in 250 equity financings. He specializes in software/services for healthcare, education, financial, marketing, and business applications. John has also served on the Board of Directors for 80 companies.

Martinson Ventures is primary investor in 42 emerging companies. John has invested in 35 private companies and 25 private equity partnerships, and has made an initial commitment for five first-time venture funds. John is a member of the Golden Seeds, Jumpstart, and Delaware Crossing angel investor groups.

Martinson Family Foundation makes grants to educational and charitable programs, funding and advising 50 multiple-year projects at 20 universities (Rutgers, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, etc.) to improve K-12 instruction in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. These grants encompass curriculum development, new teaching methods, and continuing education for classroom teachers.

John is a past Chairman and eight-year Director of the National Venture Capital Association. He has also served as the Chairman of PACT, a leading venture and technology trade group in the Philadelphia area. New Jersey Technology Council was co-founded by John, who again served as Chairman, and he has headed the Mid-Atlantic Venture Fair and co-founded the New Jersey Venture Fair. In addition, John was a director of five trade associations, ten non-profit organizations, and six universities.

John earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He flew 500 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. John earned an M.S. in Astronautics from Purdue University and an M.B.A. Beta Gamma Sigma from Southern Illinois University. He has received Honorary Doctorates from Rider, Rowan, and Thomas Edison Universities. John was selected as the 18th Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Academy and serves on Endowment BOD. He has received the Pinnacle Award for supporting engineering education programs at Purdue University and was inducted into SIU’s Hall of Fame.

John was inducted into the NJBIZ and New Jersey Technology Council Hall of Fames and received an NVCA Service Award for contributions to the venture capital industry on a national level. The Greater Philadelphia Venture Group presented John the Blair Thompson award to recognize his lifetime venture capital achievements. The New Jersey Institute of Technology honored John with their first Entrepreneur award. He served as trustee of the N.J. Inventors’ Hall of Fame, and the New Jersey Technology Council named their annual Entrepreneur Supporter Award after John. Additionally, he has been honored by Ernst & Young for N.J. Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement, and PACT recognized John with their Legend Award.