Ernie Knight is the Managing Director and CEO of Valley Growth Ventures. Valley Growth Ventures is a “micro” venture capital investment fund created to support high-growth, early-stage companies across the state of Ohio, with a preference for those in the Mahoning Valley. Formed in collaboration between five area organizations, VGV serves to aid in the growth of companies in our region and to relocate out-of-region companies to the Mahoning Valley. Ernie has extensive experience working with startup technology organizations, including over two decades as a venture capital investor focused on the seed and early stages of growth. In addition to investing, he has served in several “C level” entrepreneurial management roles and over a dozen Boards of Directors. Prior to Valley Growth Ventures, Ernie acted as a Founding Managing Director of Nationwide Mutual Capital, where he invested across a national footprint and led three exits of over $100 million.