Team Spotlight: Dan Kimerling
Learn more about the driving force behind Deciens.
Welcome back to our “Team Spotlight” series, where we shine a light on the exceptional individuals who make up Deciens.
This month, Deciens is celebrating its seventh birthday, and what better way to mark the occasion than by spotlighting our founder and managing partner, Dan Kimerling? Since founding Deciens in 2017, Dan has been a key player in financial services innovation, staying focused on supporting groundbreaking early-stage companies. He’s on the board of several of our portfolio companies, including Chipper, GlacierGrid, and Treasury Prime.
Before Deciens, Dan co-founded Standard Treasury, an API solutions company that was acquired by Silicon Valley Bank. He’s done everything from being an analyst at TechCrunch to leading API Banking, Open Platform, and Global Research at SVB. He even earned a spot on Forbes' “30 Under 30.” He’s also a member of the Young Presidents' Organization, was named to the Milken Institute’s Young Leader Circle, and recently completed the Kauffman Fellows program.
In this Q&A, we’ll dive deeper into the journey, vision, and experiences that fuel Dan’s leadership at Deciens.
Q: Where are you located, and what factors influenced your decision to live there?
A: I currently live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When deciding where to settle, my wife, Jo, and I knew we wanted to be closer to family. That left us choosing between New Jersey, where I’m from, or New Mexico, where she was raised. Given that my family is now scattered across the country and there’s a strong concentration of her family in Albuquerque, it made sense for us to move here. So, during the pandemic, we made the move to the Land of Enchantment and haven’t looked back since. Our dogs, Pica and Scruff, seem to like it here too.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
A: The most rewarding part of my job is working closely with the founders in our portfolio, my colleagues, and our clients. I see Deciens as a convening organization – focused on bringing together the right people to foster mutual growth and success. What truly excites me is the opportunity to contribute to ecosystem development and to engage directly with individual members of our community.
I genuinely adore both aspects: nurturing the broader ecosystem and fostering meaningful connections with each person involved. There’s a unique joy in seeing these efforts come together, creating a dynamic and thriving community where everyone can grow and achieve their goals.
Q: What has been your most significant professional achievement so far?
A: Without a doubt, founding Deciens stands out as my most significant achievement. I’ve always been driven by the belief that we need more entrepreneurs in the world, and I wanted to be in a position where I could work closely with them right from the start. This devotion to early-stage ventures motivated me to create Deciens Capital in 2017.
Before founding Deciens, I co-founded Standard Treasury, where we developed leading API solutions for the global financial services community. I served as CEO until its acquisition by Silicon Valley Bank in 2015, after which I focused on API banking, open platform, and global R&D at the bank. Deciding to sell Standard Treasury was one of the most challenging decisions I've faced. Although it was the right move, it made me question whether I was abandoning the mission that drove me to start the company. That experience was invaluable and ultimately guided me into venture capital.
Today, with Deciens, I’m fortunate to be in a role where I can actively support and collaborate with other founders. My journey and the challenges I’ve faced provide valuable insights as I work with our portfolio companies. The chance to help shape the next generation of entrepreneurs and see their ventures grow is incredibly rewarding, and it’s what makes founding Deciens such a profound achievement for me.
Q: Where did you grow up, and how did that shape who you are today?
A: I grew up in central New Jersey, in a town called Edison. The most significant influence on me was its remarkable diversity. Thanks to its strong public schools, convenient public transportation, and close proximity to New York City, Edison is a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds. From a young age, I was surrounded by people from all over the world, which taught me how to interact with a wide range of perspectives and experiences. This early exposure to such a diverse community has had a lasting impact on my ability to connect with others and has greatly enriched both my personal life and professional work.
Q: What's something most people don't know about you?
A: I am profoundly color blind. It makes getting dressed quite the adventure.
