Mike Montagano

Prior to leading venture-backed companies, Montagano practiced M&A and corporate finance law for one of the world's 50 largest law firms, Faegre Drinker LLP (then Baker & Daniels, LLP), working primarily with large private equity firms. Before practicing law, he worked for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indiana Governor Joe Kernan, U.S. Congressman Tim Roemer and was the 2008 Democratic Nominee for Indiana’s Third Congressional District.

At the age of 27, Montagano was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Indiana's 3rd congressional district (see map) in the 2008 U.S. Congressional elections. He was unable to unseat seven-term incumbent Representative Mark Souder, falling short by a margin of 43,384 votes. His campaign raised $854,429 in total contributions as one of the top funded challengers in the Country, but was outspent by Rep. Souder who raised $1,076,565.

He received his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his Juris Doctor from Indiana University School of Law, where he was an executive editor of the law review and chief justice of the moot court society. Montagano was a 2005 recipient of the American Bar Association Award of Recognition for Excellence in Law. He earned his B.A. degree from DePauw University, where he majored in economics. He also studied economics at the University of London.

Despite the outcome, Montagano gave Congressman Souder his toughest challenge for re-election in fourteen years in one of the Country’s most Republican Districts. According to Cook Political Report, the district has a Partisan Voter Index (PVI) of R+18, indicating a generic Republican outperforms a generic Democrat 68% to 32% (18% above 50%), a 36-point republican advantage. President George W. Bush carried the district in 2004 with 68% of the vote.

Michael Anthony Montagano (born July 4, 1981) is an American business executive. He is the Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Kitchen United Inc., a portfolio company of Google Ventures (GV) and Fidelity Investments. Previously, he was chief operating officer and chief financial officer for PowerFlex Systems, which was acquired by Fortune Global 100 company Electricite de France (ENXTPA:EDF). Additionally, Montagano practiced M&A and corporate finance law for one of the world's 50 largest law firms, Faegre Drinker LLP (then Baker & Daniels, LLP). He earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and JD from Indiana University School of Law.