NASHVILLE-based Monique Villa Capra has launched Daytrip Ventures LLC to pursue opportunities in "the New American South," where "pre-scale (pre-Series A)" startups are in search of capital.
Toward such ends, Daytrip's website declares Daytrip's determination to create "a first-of-its-kind network of local, regional and nationwide entrepreneurs, operators, and experts..."
The site indicates the Daytrip flag has been raised here because Nashville is "conveniently located at the epicenter of the New American South -- a region claiming 87% of the nation's population growth in 2023, a higher share of US GDP."
"Daytrip is about recognizing and leveraging a proximity advantage to the fastest growing economy in the U.S.," says the website today.
The Daytrip site's authors explain that pre-scale capital enables a potential high-growth company "to launch and test assumptions" as is attempts to scale, and provides a very practical list of related tasks.
PitchBook indicates Daytrip is "actively seeking new investments." Meanwhile, at this early juncture, the Daytrip website does not comment on ideal-target characteristics, first check size, etc., nor has VNC found any related SEC filings. This story will be updated as warranted.
However, Villa Capra might, if asked, share some information about Daytrip during the Oct. 16 program of the MidSouth Alternative Investment Association (MSAIA).
The topic: "Generating Alpha in the New American South," which Villa Capra is to moderate. Panelists and registration info are in Notes at the bottom of this page.
VENTURE CHOPS
During 2022-2023, Villa Capra was the first chief investment officer appointed by Tennessee Technology Development Corporation dba Launch Tennessee, with heavy responsibility for ensuring LaunchTN's passed muster to join the ranks of the U.S. Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) beneficiaries, which ultimately drew $70MM for capital-catalyzing deployment by LaunchTN, under contract with Tennessee Economic & Community Development (which directly manages a separate SSBCI credit allocation).
Prior to relocating to Nashville from her hometown in the Los Angeles area, Villa Capra also served LA-area Core Innovation Capital, NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), Velos Partner, TAG Strategic, KCRW 89.9FM (PBS), and TOMS (a Certified B Corp, name associated with "Tomorrow's Shoes").
Earlier this year, according to her LinkedIn, Villa Capra ended her contract roles in advisor Beyond Ventures (Los Angeles) and Mucker Capital (Venice, Calif.).
In 2018, Villa Capra and Grace Huebner co-founded Build in the Southeast, a volunteer collective aiming to "increase the number of startup success stories in the Southern by leveraging a cross-regional collaborative network."
Given the seemingly complementary roles of Daytrip and BuildSE, we'll add that in July Nashville-based Reed Ezell, who is also the Nashville-based head of fundraising partnerships for Wefunder, became executive director of Build in SE.
Further, we note that Villa Capra's former Launch Tennessee teammate, Evan Prislovsky, who is now business development manager for San Francisco-based Pilot.com, still works some on Build in SE's special projects.
CONTEXT
The logic behind Daytrip's regional strategy may remind readers of former America Online CEO and Revolution LLC venture capitalist Steve Case, who launched the "Rise of the Rest" project and then did whistle-stops in "flyover states" in a full-scale customized bus . Related VNC coverage.
VNC notes that others have experienced new interest in the South. For example, Founders Tamika Tyson (Houston) and Emily Halpern (Washington, D.C.) created growth-equity-oriented TGC Impact, which is focused on the South and at a glance seems a likely ally of firms such as Daytrip Ventures. Related.
At one point, the Daytrip website emphasizes the impact of the COVID19 pandemic, which is said to have triggered the dispersal inland of a substantial portion of Silicon Valley's vast talent pool, with the South seeming to have benefited disproportionately.
Daytrip organizers assert: "A greater number of entrepreneurs building in places like the New American South requires a greater number of stage-appropriate investors to fuel solutions for our collective future. Forming collaborative networks spanning all corners of private capital is imperative to closing the funding gap long-experienced by entrepreneurs between the coasts. This is enabled by the unique accessibility of the geography, connected by an efficient system of interstates and short, inexpensive flights."
NOTES
The MSAIA program mentioned above in this story convenes Oct. 16 at Maggiano's Restaurant, Nashville, with registration and networking 4-5pm, program 5-6pm, followed by more networking til 7pm.
In addition to Moderator Monique Villa Capra, the panelists are Whitney Williams, partner/CFO at Beliade Consumer Partners; Ryan Brown, venture partner at Render Capital; and, Hunter Hillenmeyer, an investment partner with Company Ventures and a founding member of the board of the Greater Nashville Private Capital Association (GNPCA).
Steps to register: (1) RSVP to Greg Dyra via email (greg@msaia.org). (2) Make a Minimum $40 donation payable to nonprofit Rock The Street, Wall Street by pre-paying via PayPal for RTSWS or at the door at Maggiano's.
FYI, VNC research suggests the 16 states of the New American South's 3 divisions are:
South Atlantic
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• West Virginia
East South Central
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Mississippi
• Tennessee
West South Central
• Arkansas
• Louisiana
• Oklahoma
• Texas
Lastly, regarding the South's rising esteem, we note that on Nov. 3 The Michelin Group will celebrate the "talented culinary community of the American South," with publication of its Michelin Guide American South, covering only Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina.
The Michelin edition's debut will take place in Greenville, S.C. (Michelin manufacturing investments in South Carolina during the past half-century have been extraordinary.) VNC
.last edited 1215 13 October 2025