Ex-49er Young Starts Capital Firm

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) â€” Former San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young is huddling with venture capitalists in his new career. <br><br>Young, who retired from the 49ers less than three weeks ago,

Friday, June 30th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) â€” Former San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young is huddling with venture capitalists in his new career.

Young, who retired from the 49ers less than three weeks ago, is forming a new Salt Lake City firm called FirstLight Venture Partners to invest in high-tech start-ups in the West, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The new firm is near Young's old stomping grounds. Before turning pro, Young starred for Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Young will team up with David Bradford, a former executive at computer software maker Novell Inc., and several other venture capitalists.

FirstLight will begin raising money for its funds during the next month or two, Bradford said.

When he retired, Young indicated he might pursue a career in venture capital, an industry that has exploded during the last few years as the rise of the Internet spawned promising new start-ups looking for investors.

Young is no stranger to the business world. He is chairman of a San Francisco e-commerce company called Found Inc., which he invested in while still playing for the 49ers. He also is involved in Champion Investors, a firm established by former 49ers Ronnie Lott and Harris Barton to raise venture capital from professional athletes.