Don Stalter

General Partner

The best founders don’t come from the obvious places. They never have. Finding them before the market does, and staying in from the first check to the moment everyone else figures it out, is the whole job. It’s also the best part of it.

Donald grew up in the Midwest and early on demonstrated an entrepreneurial streak, running an online marketplace during high school. He later attended the University of Chicago, studying economics and international relations, which sparked his enduring global perspective and deep interest in cross-border ecosystems.

Right out of college, Don began his career as an M&A banker at Credit Suisse in San Francisco, working on monumental acquisitions before building his career in venture capital. He went on to hold senior roles at leading financial institutions and technology companies, building and scaling global investment teams and leading cross-border investments spanning multiple continents.

Don founded Sunshine Lake Capital with the conviction that the most overlooked founders often build the most enduring companies. With over two decades of experience across venture capital, operations, and strategy, his hands-on approach makes him a trusted partner to founders worldwide.

Pre-Fund Track Record

Deel

Alex Bouaziz & Shuo Wang

Visa barriers after MIT prevented Alex and Shuo from pursuing traditional careers. They built Deel instead — the infrastructure powering global hiring.

Investment Seed

Current Valuation $17.3B

Headway

Andrew Adams

Andrew struggled to find a therapist when he needed one. He built Headway to make mental healthcare accessible to millions.

Investment Seed

Current Valuation $2.3B

Kalshi

Tarek Mansour & Luana Lopes Lara

Global events move markets, yet individuals had no way to hedge that risk. Tarek and Luana built the first federally regulated prediction market.

Investment Seed

Current Valuation $22B