Partners for Success.
Equipment Financing for Emerging and Growing Companies.

We are experienced and like-minded business operators who understand the importance of quick and effective decision-making. We work closely with our clients to gain a deep understanding of their businesses, allowing us to offer solutions that help them achieve their goals.

Our Mission: leverage our experience building and operating businesses to be the premier equipment leasing partner serving emerging and growth-stage businesses.

What Makes Us a Trusted Partner

SPEED

We can usually provide indicative pricing and terms within 48 hours and fund in 2 weeks. One stop shop – as an equipment financing partner, we can finance multiple draws as the business continues to grow.

EXPERIENCE

With direct operating, credit, and equity investing experience, we can underwrite both complex and simple credit situations.

APPROACH

We believe in understanding what's important to our clients first. By prioritizing their needs, we create an outcome that benefits all parties.

Tom Carter Headshot_edited_edited_edited

Tom Carter, CFA

Founder, Managing Partner

Tom founded Fountain Partners in 2006. Prior to Fountain Partners, Tom held Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer roles at Starmine (acquired by Thomson Reuters). Tom was an equity research analyst at Piper Jaffray in San Francisco covering e-commerce, internet banking, payments, online trading, exchanges, credit, real estate and software companies enabling large scale financial services companies. Prior to Piper Tom spent five years in private capital and two years in commercial real estate. Tom graduated with B.A. and M.S. in Finance degrees from Bentley University. Tom is a CFA Charterholder and past member of the Ethics and Continuing Education Committee of the CFA Institute San Francisco. Tom is an active basketball player and is the founder of Path Project, a not-for-profit career path resource for high school and college students.

John Van Hooser

Managing Partner

John joined Fountain in 2010 after serving as an advisor to the company during 2009. John’s background includes 15 years experience in due diligence, structuring, negotiation and management of venture and growth stage companies as a private equity and venture stage investor with J.P. Morgan Capital and as a General Partner at M/C Partners. During that time, John served as a board member or active observer on the boards of 14 portfolio companies. John’s investment career has spanned venture, growth and buyout investments in the media and communications, IT services and healthcare sectors. John started his career as an Associate Consultant at Bain and Company and served as a Senior Financial Analyst in Studio Strategic Planning for The Walt Disney Company immediately prior to business school. John earned an MBA from The Harvard Business School and a BA, Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth College.

Afsheen Sharifi, CFA

Managing Partner

Afsheen joined Fountain in 2010 focusing on credit analysis and fund operations. Afsheen’s background includes extensive direct operating experience in accounting, financial reporting and budgeting. Afsheen started his career conducting investment manager due diligence and as an Associate in wealth management at First Republic Bank. Afsheen earned B.S. degrees in Corporate Finance and Financial Services from San Francisco State University and is a CFA Charterholder. He remains active in the community as a black-belt karate instructor and coach for his young daughter’s basketball and softball teams.

Rachel Parlo

Accounting and Operations

Rachel joined Fountain Partners in 2019 as an Accountant and brings experience from various industries to help her lead many of Fountain’s accounting processes. Rachel’s previous accounting experience includes roles at a growing technology company and a wine business in California’s wine country. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Sonoma State University. She enjoys traveling, music, and Giants baseball (Go Giants!).

Justin Chin

Sales, Lease Originations

Justin Chin joined Fountain Partners in 2011 focusing on business development. Prior to joining Fountain Partners, Justin worked as a financial reporting analyst at Fidelity Investments and was a senior account executive at Brighton House Associates. Justin earned a B.S. in Finance from Bentley University, where he also played varsity hockey. Outside of the office, Justin enjoys golf, hockey, scuba diving, traveling, and following the Boston sports teams.

Kim Storbeck

Sales, Lease Originations

Kim Storbeck joined Fountain as a consultant in 2022. Kim has over 18 years of extensive experience originating, structuring, and negotiating lease transactions with startup, emerging growth, venture, and private equity-backed companies. Kim’s vast number of connections working in the venture capital space and forming strategic relationships has led to over $200 million of transactions in her career supporting a wide variety of businesses across many verticals. Deep, long-term relationships have been the key to her success.