Mark Lupa

Mark Lupa is the Managing Partner at Buff Gold Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Boulder, Colorado. After earning a PhD in pharmacology from the University of Lund, he spent 15 years conducting neuroscience research at the University of Colorado and UCSF before co-founding Tabernash Brewing. Lupa subsequently entered the private investment sector as a partner at Tango and the founder of High Country Venture. Through his investment career, he has directed capital into deep-tech startups, participating in an $18 million financing for TriSalus Life Sciences and a $65 million round for Taligen Therapeutics. Alongside co-founder Sally Hatcher, he currently targets seed and Series A investments ranging from $100,000 to $5 million for early-stage university spinouts. His current focus remains on commercializing academic research across the therapeutics, climate technology, and semiconductor sectors.