Top 10 VC Funds in Missouri

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Missouri is not only known for its barbecue, jazz, and the Gateway Arch, but also for its thriving startup ecosystem. The state has produced some highly successful startups, such as Square, Opendoor, and Zapier, thanks to the support of various venture capital (VC) firms. Due to its thriving market, more and more investors are willing to invest in businesses. We've sorted the top 10 VC funds and firms based on various metrics. Here's the list:


1. Ascension Ventures

ascensionventures

Ascension Ventures (AV) supports healthcare by putting money into services, technology, and medical technology. They began in 2001 and have more than $1 billion across five funds. AV collaborates with 13 health systems, employing over 580,000 individuals and generating $96 billion annually. Their aim is to enhance healthcare by investing in and supporting nearly 80 companies. AV links individuals with promising ideas to leaders in health systems, all with the goal of advancing healthcare.


Website: ascensionventures.org

Founding Year: 2001

Investment Range: $10M - $20M

Stage: Early

Sector: Healthcare sector, with a focus on healthcare information technology and services, and medical devices and diagnostics

Investment Geography: United States

Notable Investments: AdventHealth, CentraCare, Sentara, Ohio Health

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


2. Royal Street Ventures

royalstreet

Royal Street Ventures pioneers early-stage investment in underserved venture capital markets. Committed to ethical and industrious entrepreneurs seeking dedicated partnerships, they specialize in being the first organized backers of promising ventures. Focused on the Mountain West, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and California, they transform innovative ideas into thriving businesses. With a rich legacy spanning back to 1895, Royal Street Ventures carries a tradition of launching new industries, evolving to include external investors, diverse team members, and a robust portfolio of successful companies.


Website: royalstreet.vc

Founding Year: 2012

Investment Range: $1M - $5M

Stage: Early, Seed

Sector: Technology and technology-enabled startups

Investment Geography: Pacific Northwest and California

Notable Investments: PayIt, Blueboard, Kenzen, Measured Insurance, BacklotCars

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


3. Arsenal Capital Management

arsenalcapital

Arsenal is a private equity firm. It focuses on leading franchises in industrials and healthcare. Committed to high-growth, technology-driven businesses, they aim to be strategically vital and create value for all stakeholders. With a mantra of "Anticipate, Adapt, Enable," Arsenal pursues ambitious growth strategies, employs seasoned operators with balanced judgment, and fosters collaboration to discover market opportunities, accelerate growth, and build transformative businesses.


Website: arsenalcapital.com

Founding Year: 2012

Investment Range: Undisclosed

Stage: Growth

Sector: Industrial Growth, Healthcare Companies

Investment Geography: United States

Notable Investments: InterShunt, Deck Commerce, Juristat, Aptimmune, Harbor MedTech

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


4. Cultivation Capital

cultivationcapital

Cultivation Capital specializes in investing in the early stages of businesses, particularly during the Seed or Series A phases. They provide initial funding ranging from $100K to $3.5M and focus on diverse industries such as life sciences, health tech, software, IT, agriculture tech, and geospatial tech. Operating globally, they have invested in startups across 25+ states or countries. Recognized as one of the most active early-stage venture firms in North America, Cultivation Capital actively supports its portfolio companies, often assuming board responsibilities. 


Website: cultivationcapital.com

Founding Year: 2012

Investment Range: $100K - $3.5M

Stage: Seed, Series A

Sector: Life Sciences, Health Tech, Software and IT, Agriculture Tech, Ageospatial Tech 

Investment Geography: Global

Notable Investments: Planful, Benson Hill, Avail

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


5. iSelect Fund

iselectfund

iSelect invests in new businesses working on solutions for worldwide issues in food and health. They carefully choose businesses with strong financial plans in big markets to be safer. iSelect likes to support progress in farming, especially innovations like automated harvesting systems and tools for managing farms with sensors.


Website: iselectfund.com

Founding Year: 2014

Investment Range: $5,000 - $50,000

Stage: Early

Sector: Agriculture, Food Tech, Healthcare Sectors

Investment Geography: United States, Canada, Europe, and Americas

Notable Investments: Benson Hill, Artemis, Agrible 

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


6. RiverVest

rivervest

RiverVest Venture Partners is a prominent firm in the venture capital world. They focus on helping life science companies grow to meet important patient needs and make good money for investors. They're based in St. Louis and also have offices in San Diego and Cleveland. RiverVest works closely with top research institutions across the country to create and back biopharma and medical device ventures.


Website: rivervest.com

Founding Year: 2000

Investment Range: $1M - $100M+

Stage: Early

Sector: Life science companies, with a focus on Medical Devices and Biopharma

Investment Geography: United States

Notable Investments: Avalyn Pharma, OncoResponse, Spruce Biosciences, Venture Med Group, Alleviant Medical, Bonum Therapeutics

Submit Pitch/ Contact: info@rivervest.com


7. Advantage Capital

advantagecap

Advantage Capital, established in 1992, holds a unique mission: bridging the investment gap in historically underserved communities. Pioneering the mobilization of private institutional capital, the company focuses on states and regions lacking traditional risk capital. Their commitment extends beyond investment, aiming to ensure long-term prosperity for both portfolio companies and their communities. With a track record of innovation, Advantage Capital looks ahead to further amplify its impact, steadfast in its goal to generate substantial value for small businesses, investors, and communities alike.


Website: advantagecap.com

Founding Year: 1992

Investment Range: Undisclosed 

Stage: Growth

Sector: Food, Agribusiness

Investment Geography: Missouri

Notable Investments:  Quoddy, PayIt, E-Z Pack Tortillas Inc., Modern MD, First Orion, NevadaNanotech Systems, North End Teleservices, TurboSquid

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


8. Firebrand Ventures

firebrandvc

Firebrand Ventures is a distinctive venture fund. It revolutionizes Midwest investment by confidently backing early-stage software startups across the region. With a focus from Austin to Minneapolis and Boulder to Columbus, Firebrand combines robust branding, an extensive network, and substantial experience to identify exceptional teams with immense potential. More than just a source of early-stage capital, Firebrand provides decades of operational and investment expertise, a powerful network, and proactive support to accelerate entrepreneurs' businesses. Founded by individuals who understand the entrepreneurial journey, Firebrand pledges transparency, responsiveness, and accessibility to founders.


Website: firebrandvc.com

Founding Year: 2016

Investment Range: $5M - $10M

Stage: Seed

Sector: Technology

Investment Geography: United States

Notable Investments: Threatcare, The Minte, Headnote 

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


9. Five Elms Capital

fiveelms

Five Elms Capital, established in 2007, stands out as a premier partner for top-tier B2B software companies. With a focus solely on software investments, they've cultivated a vast network and in-depth domain knowledge. Managing over $2.4 billion in assets and supported by a global team of 70+ experts, they've successfully invested in 65 software platforms worldwide. Five Elms Capital specializes in injecting $5-75 million into companies with $2-20 million in revenues, offering minority or majority investments, growth capital, and liquidity options for founders and early investors.


Website: fiveelms.com

Founding Year: 2007

Investment Range: $5M - $75M

Stage: Late, Private Equity

Sector: B2B Software

Investment Geography: Global, with investments in Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia)

Notable Investments: Prismatic, Field Agent, Lumar

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


10. Twain Financial Partners LLC

twainfinancial

Twain Financial Partners, a specialty finance firm managing $4 billion in assets. They provide complete money solutions for real estate and renewable energy projects all over the United States. Twain started in 2013 and has its main office in St. Louis, Missouri, with branches across the country. They focus on being a reliable long-term partner in dealing with complicated and regulated money markets. Guided by values like respect, integrity, and innovation, Twain values lasting relationships more than one-time deals. They are quick to respond and work persistently to find solutions for their various partners in both public and private sectors.


Website: twainfinancial.com

Founding Year: 2013

Investment Range: Undisclosed

Stage: Seed, Debt Financing 

Sector: Real Estate, Renewable Energy 

Investment Geography: United States

Notable Investments: Clearloop, Curate, Lake Country Foods, Hotel Phillips, Wewoka Lofts, Academy Theatre, Silicon Ranch

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link


FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Is VC high risk?

A: Venture capital is a type of investment that can be risky but has the potential for high returns. However, there is no guarantee of success. Investing in startups is always uncertain, and you might lose your money. Even though VC firms try to minimize risks, investing in startups is always uncertain, and you might lose your money.



Q: What is the largest VC fund in the US?

A: The largest VC firm in the United States is Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with assets under management totaling $35 billion. They're in California and started in 2009. They put money into different kinds of companies, like tech and healthcare. Some famous companies they've invested in are Facebook and Airbnb.



Q: Do VC firms pay well?

A: Venture capital usually pays better than corporate development but not as much as private equity and hedge funds. At big VC firms, associates without an MBA can make $150K to $200K, while those with an MBA might rake in $200K to $250K. You might also ask, 'Do startups pay well?' Here's your answer.



Q: How many VC firms fail?

A: According to experts at The National Venture Capital Association, they believe that around 25% to 30% of startups supported by VC funding end up failing.



Best of luck with your amazing ventures.


Please note that this list is filtered by various metrics, and all the data are collected through various third-party websites, mostly the VC website. Since data such as ticket size or industry may change, you are requested to visit the official website given in the blog for the latest and updated information.


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