Spirits
Talisman Tequila
An ultra-premium añejo tequila, aged at least one year in oak.
CLMB roleShareholder
tequilatalisman.com
Pre-seed & seed · U.S. CPG & manufacturing
Operator-led capital for consumer brands and manufacturers.
We invest $100K to $1M at pre-seed and seed, then work alongside founders on what decides the outcome: production, distribution, margins, and growth.
Investment fit
Is CLMB a fit for your company?
A two-minute read before you reach out.
- Check size
- $100K–$1M initial investment
- Stage & instrument
- Pre-seed via SAFE · Seed via CLMB-led SPV
- Sectors
- Consumer packaged goods and manufacturing only
- Geography
- U.S.-based companies
- Our role
- Lead or co-lead preferred, with an operating role and board or observer seat
- Response time
- A reply to every pitch within 10 business days
What we look for
Pre-seed
A formulated product, a manufacturing partner identified, and early proof: first production run, initial accounts, or committed buyers. A full-time founder who already runs the business with systems.
Seed
Product in market with repeat purchase, real velocity in early accounts, a distribution path, and gross margin that holds after trade spend. Typically $250K+ in annualized revenue.
What we don't invest in
- Software, apps, and marketplaces
- Restaurants, retail stores, and food service
- Cannabis and THC products
- Pharmaceuticals and medical devices
- Idea-stage companies without a product
- Companies based outside the U.S.
Portfolio
Brands we back.
Consumer brands where CLMB Ventures has capital at work.
Ready-to-drink
Baila Tequila Seltzer
Tequila with coconut water and real fruit juice, with accounts across the Coachella Valley.
CLMB roleInvestor
bailaspirits.com
Functional energy
Charge
Functional energy, from caffeinated chocolate to shots and gummies.
chargechocolate.com
Functional beverage
Fuzzee
A premium functional coffee soda with a trademarked brand family.
CLMB roleLead investor · Board
drinkfuzzee.com
Ready-to-drink
Lake Hour
Premium canned cocktails: vodka and tequila seltzers made with real ingredients.
lakehour.comOperating support
Hands-on support after the check.
Some investors observe from a distance. We work between supporter and driver: opening our network when that's enough, and working inside the business when the company needs it.
- ProductionCo-packer selection, contracts, capacity planning, and production runs
- DistributionRoute to market, broker and distributor terms, and expansion sequencing
- MarginsCost of goods, pricing, trade spend, and margin by channel
- GrowthAccount strategy, sales leadership, and building the leadership team
- The P&LClose involvement in monthly management of the P&L, cash, and forecast
- NetworkIntroductions to retailers, manufacturers, co-investors, and acquirers
About
Scott Kimball, PhD
Founder & Managing Partner
Scott spent twenty years as an operator, fourteen as a manufacturing executive. As Executive Vice President of Capstone Nutrition, he helped take the company through its growth and sale to private equity, then integrated six nutrition manufacturers across seven plants as Chief People Officer of the acquirer. He has invested in early-stage consumer brands since 2023.
- OperatingEVP, Capstone Nutrition · CPO, INW
- EducationPhD, Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Process
From first email to funding.
Short to start. Detailed only once there's mutual interest.
- 01
Initial pitch
A short form and your deck. About ten minutes. We reply within 10 business days.
- 02
Intro call
If there's a fit, a conversation with Scott about the business, the round, and how you operate.
- 03
Diligence
An operating review, our own category research, and a review of your company file, under NDA. What we'll ask for →
- 04
Terms
A SAFE at pre-seed, or a CLMB-led SPV at seed. How we invest →
For founders
Building a brand or a plant that should be bigger?
Send a short pitch and your deck. If it fits, we'll set up a call.