CU Students Please Vote to Restore Balance in Boulder
Dear CU Students,
I’m Dan Caruso. I am reaching out to you to encourage you to vote in the Boulder City Council for the following four candidates: Mark Wallach, Jenny Robins, Rob Kaplan, and Matt Benjamin.
Ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4 (postmarks don’t count). Please drop off your ballot at an official 24-hour drop box near you: Find your nearest ballot drop box →.
Please also text or forward this note to five other students and remind them to vote.
Who is Dan Caruso?
I am a tech entrepreneur, tech investor, and community builder. I founded Zayo Group in 2007 on Pearl Street, took it public in 2014, and sold it for $14 billion in 2020. As a venture investor, I funded over 20 tech startups in Colorado, backing many CU Boulder alumni. Several members of my Caruso Ventures team are CU Boulder graduates.
You will see my name on the building that connects Leeds School of Business to College of Engineering & Applied Science. We provide funding to the New Venture Challenge, Startup Summer, Catalyze CU, and many other CU Boulder initiatives. We also backed Sundance Film Festival and the Boulder Roots Music Fest.
I’m host of the podcast The Bear Roars, author of Bandwidth, and songwriter of Stretch.
Most importantly, I am a big believer in Boulder. The combination of being a college town, a research hub, an entrepreneurial hotspot, and a cultural mecca is what makes Boulder so special.
Why these four?
We need city leadership to have the best interests of Boulder’s future as their priority. This requires change. And we will achieve change only with the help of the students of CU Boulder.
Together, the candidates I am recommending represent the centrist, pragmatic approach Boulder urgently needs. Their priorities align with the vast majority of residents who want:
A stronger focus on safety and security
A renewed commitment to economic vitality, cultural vibrancy, and business success
A balanced, inclusive agenda that serves Boulder’s entire, diverse community and proactively leans into collaboration with CU Boulder
My recommendations are consistent with those of many respected community voices, including:
Steve Fenberg: Mark Wallach, Jenny Robins, Rob Kaplan, Matt Benjamin
Open Boulder: Wallach, Robins, Kaplan, Benjamin
Boulder Bulletin (Bob Yates): Wallach, Robins, Kaplan, Benjamin
Dave Query (Jax Fish House, The Post, Centro, Velvet Elk, Wonder Press): Wallach, Robins, Kaplan, Benjamin
Boulder Elevated: Wallach, Robins (only two recommendations)
PLAN–Boulder County: Wallach, Robins, Kaplan (only three recommendations)
Boulder Action (as of July 2025): Wallach, Robins, Kaplan (also only three)
Who Not to Re-Elect
It is equally important that we do not re-elect the following two incumbent candidates:
Lauren Folkerts
Nicole Speer
This is not about personalities; both are well-intentioned, community-minded individuals. But their priorities and ideology represent an approach that is out of step with Boulder’s pragmatic needs. Their record reflects a tolerance for divisive policies that have made Boulder less safe, less welcoming for families and friends, and more challenging for CU Boulder and businesses.
Want to Learn More?
You can read my earlier Engage Boulder notes for more context and reasoning:
Oct 23, 2025 – A Personal Note: Please Vote to Restore Balance in Boulder
Oct 10, 2025 – Engage Boulder Recommendations for City Council and More
Sept 23, 2025 – Safety, Security, and Pragmatism
Sept 8, 2025 – Why Engage Boulder Is Recommending AGAINST Incumbent Candidates
Every Vote Counts
Local elections are often decided by very small margins. Make sure your vote — and those of your CU Boulder friends — are among them. Please consider sharing this note with five Boulder voters you know. A few more informed voices can shape the direction of our city for years to come — and together, we can keep Boulder balanced, innovative, and united.
Together, we can ensure Boulder remains a place where creativity, accountability, and community flourish side by side.
With appreciation and optimism,
Dan Caruso
Managing Director of Caruso Ventures
Host of The Bear Roars | Author of Bandwidth | Songwriter of Stretch
Previously, founding CEO / Chairman of Zayo Group
dan@carusoventures.com