Greg Warnock
Co-Founder, Managing Director at Mercato Partners
Salt Lake City, Utah
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Summary
Greg Warnock is an entrepreneur, investor, and mentor with more than forty years of experience founding, scaling, and advising companies across a wide range of industries. He is the co-founder and managing director of a growth capital firm that partners with expansion-stage businesses to support their growth through strong governance, operational leadership, and strategic guidance. By working closely with founders, he helps strengthen go-to-market strategies, develop leadership teams, and open new pathways for market entry. The firm’s portfolio spans technology, healthcare, consumer services, and other high-growth sectors, with over $5 billion in reported exits through 2020. He has remained directly involved in driving this growth through thoughtful, hands-on leadership.
He also co-founded a platform focused on the food and beverage sector, designed to help emerging restaurant brands grow effectively. The platform provides access to capital, operational expertise, and an experienced network of industry professionals. Under his leadership, it has helped improve unit economics, expand multi-location operations, streamline supply chains, and protect brand culture during rapid growth. This approach has supported several early-stage restaurant concepts as they scale nationally.
Earlier in his career, he co-founded a venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies in information technology and life sciences. As managing director, he helped build its presence in the region before it merged with another firm to continue its investment focus.
He also served as Chairman and CEO of a publicly listed SPAC, which went public in 2023. Under his guidance, the company completed a business combination with a SaaS acquirer based in Brazil, expanding its investment footprint into international public markets.
Before focusing on investment, he founded and operated companies in technology, biotechnology, consumer products, and marketing. He played a key role in over 20 mergers and acquisitions, gaining deep experience in strategic growth and transaction execution.
In 2008, he launched an initiative focused on entrepreneurship education and co-founded a philanthropic foundation supporting community development in Utah. With degrees in Computer Science, Human Resources Management, and a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance, Greg Warnock continues to contribute to business, mentorship, and philanthropy.
Experience
2004
Apr
-
Present
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Mercato Partners
Mercato Partners provides growth capital to expansion-stage companies in the Mountain West region. We understand real growth requires more than just capital; it takes understanding customer behavior, market dynamics, and sales strategy. We also know that choosing the perfect investor for your business is as much about the right competency as compatibility, so if you are looking for a partner who understands growth and hard work.
Greg Warnock co-founded Mercato Partners and has been a Managing Director since its formation. After more than 20 years of entrepreneurship and private investing, Greg personifies the Mercato culture and approach; he is active with business leaders and directors, experienced in building and developing management teams, and adept at accessing the strategic relationships that enable strong growth.
Present
Chairman & CEO
Mercato Partners Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: MPRA)
Led the SPAC public listing and completed the business combination with Nuvini Corporation, expanding cross-border investment activities.
Present
Founder
Junto Partners
Founded an entrepreneurship education and mentorship initiative for emerging business founders.
1999
Jun
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2005
Jun
Co-Founder & Managing Director
vSpring Capital
vSpring Capital Merged with Canopy Ventures in March 2012 to form Signal Peak Ventures.
Signal Peak Ventures is a traditional early-stage venture capital firm with over $450 million of committed capital under management. Specifically, we target information technology and life sciences companies headquartered in the Rocky Mountain region. We look for companies with the potential to transform their markets and create lasting value. Our primary areas of focus include enterprise software, networking and communications, security software, Internet, mobile computing, drug delivery, diagnostics, and medical devices, all markets where the firm has deep experience.
Signal Peak Ventures is a traditional early-stage venture capital firm with over $450 million of committed capital under management. Specifically, we target information technology and life sciences companies headquartered in the Rocky Mountain region. We look for companies with the potential to transform their markets and create lasting value. Our primary areas of focus include enterprise software, networking and communications, security software, Internet, mobile computing, drug delivery, diagnostics, and medical devices, all markets where the firm has deep experience.
Education
University of Utah – David Eccles School of Business
PhD in Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance
University of Utah – David Eccles School of Business
Master's Degree in Human Resources Management
University of Utah
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science
Skills
