Elevate Ventures

The Elevate Ventures mission is to create sustainable cultures and infrastructures across the state of Indiana that fully support the development of entrepreneurs. The company wants to be thought of as a comprehensive guide, resource, and catalyst for developing the next generation of highly successful Indiana-based businesses. Elevate evolved from the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund founded in 1999, and today the State of Indiana remains a top client of theirs. 

Elevate Ventures Nexus

Launching under Elevate Ventures in 2019, Elevate Ventures Nexus provides top-of-the-line programming and funding to educational institutions, entrepreneurs, and communities. This program developed by Elevate Indianapolis is designed to build a stronger bond between these three groups. Over time, Elevate expects to see more startups launching and growing in Indiana. 

Elevate Nexus Pitch Competition

Every single year, Elevate Nexus awards startups based on a pitching system. The Elevate Nexus competition happens twice a year regionally, and winners advance onto an annual statewide competition that involves larger investment winnings. Elevate rewards startups with investments ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. Companies in the pre-seed and seed stages of fundraising are eligible to enter the Nexus competition.

Hyde Park Venture Partners

Hyde Park Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that aims its focus on Midwest technology startups. Their focus on B2B SaaS and marketplace companies is similar to High Alpha’s, and we have partnered on several investments. The company has offices in Chicago and Indianapolis, and their team is focused on adding value to every investment.

Allos Ventures  

Allos Ventures is another venture firm in the area, headquartered in Indianapolis. The company invests in startups and entrepreneurs who set out to change the industry as we know it. Their team partners with leading entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life with the right capital. Allos Ventures has a strong focus on working with top business minds to accelerate growth and build value. They have invested in several High Alpha Studio and Capital companies, including Lessonly and Docket.

High Alpha

High Alpha is the leading venture studio in Indianapolis. In 2019, we were named the Most Active VC in Indiana by CB Insights, and our team has a proven track record of operating experience. We started the first venture studio — uniting company building and venture capital — and have founded more than 30 SaaS companies, and invested in over 60.

Over the years, we have focused on creating some of the most successful software options on the market today. Keep reading to learn about some of the incredible business solutions we’ve developed.

Champion

Champion, the platform for second-order revenue, helps companies identify, activate and track their strongest advocates and power users so they can partner to drive growth, shorten sales cycles and unlock sales powered by a company’s existing users.

Tenon

Tenon is an enterprise marketing work management platform built on ServiceNow. Built by marketers for marketers, Tenon gives marketing teams the technology they need to collaborate and execute campaigns at scale. In 2023, Tenon announced it has raised a $3M seed round led by High Alpha and ServiceNow Ventures.

Stitch

Stitch, a consultancy focused exclusively on Braze, advises, enables and supports marketers through custom solutions and services.

Holder

Holder is a web3 CRM and customer engagement platform for the tokenized world. Holder launched in 2022 as the first web3 company in the High Alpha portfolio.

High Alpha Resources    

We are proud to offer insights and guidance for entrepreneurs through our monthly newsletter, Jet Stream. We provide our companies with guidance through every stage of company building, from ideation to execution to fundraising and beyond. We surround our companies with expertise in marketing, design, finance, talent, engineering, data science, and more. 

We’re always looking for entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and new talent. If you’re looking to start a company, or just for your next career opportunity, get in touch. 

Midwest Venture Capital

Now that you're more familiar with the top venture firms in the Indianapolis area, we’ll now talk about some of the leading firms in the entire Midwest region. Keep reading to learn about the best capital Midwest solutions, including providers of venture capital by state.

Venture Capital Cleveland

When it comes to Midwest VC solutions, Cleveland is a city that is rapidly expanding in this regard. There are constantly new startups being developed and these businesses need the right capital to build their company successfully. Take a look at a few of the leading capital organizations in Cleveland:

• Runa Capital
   
• First Analysis
   
• Medici Ventures
   
• ABS Capital Partners

Venture Capital Illinois

Another area that is leading the pack when it comes to the best capital firms in the Midwest is Illinois. Take a look at two of the most popular venture companies in Chicago.

Chicago Venture Partners

Chicago Venture Partners is a private investment firm that provides capital to publicly traded entities through private transactions. The company invests in its own capital, which allows them to seek other opportunities across a diverse range of industries.

Angel Investors Chicago

Angel Investors of Chicago is a company that includes very skilled investors and developers who are focused on providing capital for early and mid-staged entrepreneurial businesses. Their company includes members such as independent business owners and senior corporate executives who are very knowledgeable and experienced about building emerging enterprises.

Louisville Venture Capital

Louisville is another place that is booting with new startups and innovative entrepreneurs. Over the years, capital firms in Louisville have helped numerous businesses gain the capital they need to take their companies to the next level. Take a look at one of the most successful capital firms in the area:

Poplar Ventures

Poplar Capital is a venture firm that helps technology companies grow in Middle America. If you’re a technology company or cloud-based software provider who is located in the Midwest, then contacting Poplar Ventures can be a huge step in the right direction. Take a look at some of the leading companies that decided to seek investments through Poplar Ventures:

• Podchaser
   
• SkuVault
   
• Switcher Studio
   
• BehaVR

John H. Willmoth is the founder and managing partner at Poplar Ventures. With over thirty years of experience in corporate development, investments, and mergers and acquisitions, he is well-equipped to handle any investment project.

Louisville Venture Capital

Louisville is home to the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. That being said, there are many capital firms that have decided to call Louisville home. Over the years, numerous Louisive venture studios have formed to help local entrepreneurs thrive in the ever-changing landscape of today. Take a look at some of the more popular venture companies in the area:

Access Ventures    

With the idea that entrepreneurs are a crucial part of the American dream, Access Ventures aims to focus on giving these professionals the capital they need to grow. Access Louisville understands how difficult it is for these businesses to find the necessary capital to take their ideas to the next level, so Access is here to give those entrepreneurs the opportunities they’ve been waiting for.    

Access Ventures Grant Opportunities

As Access Ventures is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation, they’re able to offer grants to organizations that align with their core beliefs and overall mission.    

Access Ventures Opportunity Fund

Another reason why Access Ventures is unique is because they provide an opportunity fund where other investors can help to co-create the next up-and-coming startups. This allows the company to invest even more, so more and more startups and entrepreneurs can get a piece of the pie.

Angel Investors Louisville, KY

Louisville is home to many investors who consistently give back to the skilled entrepreneurs of today. If you’re looking to boost your capital with investors who understand your vision, then looking into the many Louisville angel investors can be a huge step in the right direction. To find a list of the leading angel investors in Louisville, including contact information to learn more, then be sure to look up Angel.co and BluegrassAngels.com. Even if you’ve been turned down by venture capital firms when looking for investments, it doesn’t hurt to pursue angel investors. Just one key investment is all you need to take your innovative startup to the next level.