Frank Gruber

Frank Gruber is a startup founder, investor, author, and ecosystem builder focused on backing entrepreneurs who are building critical technologies to strengthen America and improve life for all.

He bootstrapped Tech.Co (formerly Tech Cocktail), scaled it to millions of readers, and sold it after helping thousands of startups gain visibility and traction. Earlier in his career, he was the first contributor to TechCrunch outside its founders and served as a product lead at AOL, where he launched global consumer products like myAOL and AIM Lifestream.

Along the way, Forbes named him one of the “Most Connected People in Tech,” and Washingtonian honored him three times as a “DC Tech Titan.”

Today, Frank is the Managing Partner of Established Ventures and co-creator of Startup of the Year—a long-running startup discovery program that has supported top emerging companies across the U.S. He also helped launch the Established Network, a digital platform that brings together founders, investors, and corporate innovators to spark meaningful connections and growth.

Through his work at Established, Frank and his team have supported national innovation programs for organizations like NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)—producing SBIR/STTR-focused events, national road tours, and virtual experiences for thousands of startups.

Frank is also the author of Startup Mixology (Wiley), has written thousands of articles for Tech.Co, TechCrunch, and Fortune, and has hosted more than 300 podcast episodes featuring founders, investors, and leaders driving the future forward.

He’s traveled to 40+ cities with Steve Case as part of the Rise of the Rest tour, emceeing pitch competitions and hosting fireside chats to spotlight the next generation of entrepreneurs across the country.