While thousands of companies receive the privilege of being listed on the Nasdaq stock market exchange, few get to experience the thrill of ringing the bell to signal the start of trading. Yet, that’s where South Florida’s Maggie Vo and Jeff Ransdell recently found themselves.
Vo and Ransdell are the managing general partners of Coconut Grove-based Fuel Venture Capital, which consists of over 26 portfolio companies and startups underinvestment, including South Florida-based Taxfyle, Bolt, Ubicquia, Boatsetter, SoStereo and more.
“I came to the United States when I was 17, not even being able to speak the language,” Vo says. “Ringing the bell at the Nasdaq was a momentous occasion not just for me, but for immigrants of all walks of life. It shows that with hard work anything is possible.”
Along with Fuel Venture Capital, Vo and Ransdell manage Maquia Capital Acquisition, which targets tech-focused middle market and emerging growth businesses in North America and was founded in 2020. The company is listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol MAQC and recently raised $175 million by offering 20 million units at $10.
“I am so proud to have an opportunity to be a part of the Maquia team, a tier one leadership team of truly diverse individuals with an incredible track record in the public market, SPAC market and private market,” Vo says. “South Florida is such a blessing to me. To be able to have a company based here in Miami with investors from all over the world, and to do things like ring the Nasdaq bell in New York, it’s the best of all worlds.”
For Ransdell, who spent two decades at Merrill Lynch in various senior roles, the honor of ringing the Nasdaq bell was the culmination of a long and rewarding financial career.
“I’ve been doing finance a long time, almost three decades,” he says. “Getting to celebrate our own company being listed on the NASDAQ was a legendary moment in my journey of life.”
