Investor HuntTop 10 VC Funds in South Carolina
South Carolina is great for starting businesses, especially in its capital, Columbia, which is known for its successful startups. The state's low taxes, cheap real estate, and low living costs attract entrepreneurs. Tech, manufacturing, and tourism sectors are booming, attracting many investors. Big companies are putting money into upcoming startups here. We made a list of the top 10 VC funds in South Carolina.
Here's a table that summarizes the overall VC data for a quick overview:
|
VC Firm |
Ticket Size |
Stages |
Founding Year |
|---|---|---|---|
|
IAG Capital Partners |
$100K - $50M |
Early |
2017 |
|
Liquidax Capital |
Undisclosed |
pre-IPO, public Micro, Small, Mid Cap |
2014 |
|
Charleston Angel Partners |
$100K (Min.) |
Early, Seed |
2004 |
|
Iron Bridge Private Equity |
Undisclosed |
Early, Later |
2001 |
|
Azalea Capital |
$10M - $100M |
Management Buyout, Acquisition |
1995 |
|
Good Growth Capital |
$250K - $1.5M |
Early, Seed, Series A |
2015 |
|
SC Launch, Inc. |
$200K+ |
Early, Seed |
2006 |
|
Alerion Ventures |
$1M - $5M |
Early |
2014 |
|
Greenmont Capital |
$1M - $5M |
Growth |
2004 |
|
BroadStreet Private Equity |
Undisclosed |
Early, Ground-floor |
2016* |
1. IAG Capital Partners
IAG is a bunch of investors who help new and existing businesses. They give money to help businesses grow without worrying about cash. IAG can help with different money problems, from starting up to changing things around. They have different ways to give money and can lead or join in with other investors. It knows a lot about investing and can be a good friend to businesses needing help and advice.
Website: iagcapitalpartners.com
Founding Year: 2017
Investment Range: $100K - $50M
Stage: Early
Sector: Technology-focused companies, including biotech, advanced computing, software, and life sciences
Investment Geography: South Carolina
Notable Investments: Cognito Therapeutics, Jana Care, Perenna, Enfabrica, Lucid Scientific, Swaybox Studios, VenoStent, Celestial AI, Elucid, Ayar Labs
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
2. Liquidax Capital
Liquidax Capital, started in 2014, helps companies and individuals with patents. They're known for their skills in managing patents and investments, particularly in technology. They focus on managing patents for businesses and offer customized solutions in areas like venture capital and innovation.
Website: liquidax.com
Founding Year: 2014
Investment Range: Undisclosed
Stage: Liquidax Capital provides services to a wide range of clients, including pre-IPO and public Micro, Small and Mid Cap companies
Sector: Aerospace, defense, government services, agriculture, business and tech-enabled services, consumer, leisure and retail, education technology, financial services, healthcare
Investment Geography: United States
Notable Investments:
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
3. Charleston Angel Partners
Charleston Angel Partners is a Charleston, SC-based angel investment group that provides seed funding, advice and resources to early stage founders and companies. They have a network of over 60 investors who have collectively invested $18 million in 30+ portfolio companies. Their goal is to help innovators and startups reach their potential through capital, counsel and community connections.
Website: chapsc.com
Founding Year: 2004
Investment Range: $100K (Min.)
Stage: Early, Seed
Sector: Healthcare, consumer, enterprise, software, artificial intelligence, machine learning, advertisement tech, energy
Investment Geography: Southeast United States
Notable Investments: Baebies, MedTrust, Red Clay, Site Fuel
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
4. Iron Bridge Private Equity
Iron Bridge Capital is a real estate development and investment company based in Charleston. They specialize in overcoming complex real estate challenges through collaboration with stakeholders in the communities they serve. They have provided over $400 million in investment capital for projects like affordable housing, schools, and commercial real estate across the US and abroad since 2001.
Website: ironbridgecapital.com
Founding Year: 2001
Investment Range: Undisclosed
Stage: Early, Later
Sector: Iron Bridge focuses on real estate investment and development. They also invest in tech and software companies
Investment Geography: Southwest, United States
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
5. Azalea Capital
Azalea Capital is a trusted private equity partner that takes a hands-on approach to help lower middle market companies accelerate growth through strategic guidance and financial support.
Website: azaleacapital.com
Founding Year: 1995
Investment Range: $10M - $100M
Stage: Management Buyout, Acquisition
Sector: Manufacturing, aerospace, energy, industrial service, distribution, business services, consumer product, healthcare
Investment Geography: Southeast (United States)
Notable Investments: ACL Airshop, Sage Automotive Interiors, Power Services Group
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
6. Good Growth Capital
Good Growth Capital provides early funding and support to science and tech startups working in fields like life sciences, data science, and green tech. They help startups succeed by identifying promising opportunities, thoroughly reviewing them, and guiding founders over time.
Website: goodgrowthvc.com
Founding Year: 2015
Investment Range: $250K - $1.5M
Stage: Early, Seed, Series A
Sector: Technology start-ups operating in the medical technology, biotechnology, data science, green technology, therapeutic platforms, biopharma-enabling, medical devices, diagnostics/tools, FinTech, democratizing business, AI, SaaS, big data etc.
Investment Geography: South Carolina and Southeast
Notable Investments: SkyHawk Therapeutics, Republic
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
7. SC Launch, Inc.
SC Launch Inc. is the investment arm of SCRA. It provides early-stage funding to tech startups to supplement other funding sources. Profits support more investments. A 9-person board approves deals and represents SC academia and industry.
Website: scra.org/sc-launch
Founding Year: 2006
Investment Range: $200K+
Stage: Early, Seed
Sector: Technology
Investment Geography: South Carolina
Notable Investments: Pixlmob, SiteLabs, WAVS Custom, Ruffian Software, New Forge, VirtueRN, ScopeStack, Mainstage Gaming Network
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
8. Alerion Ventures
Alerion Ventures, headquartered in Charleston, SC, is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in B2B startups across the Southeast U.S. They prioritize companies with initial traction and potential for expansion. Alerion's experienced team aims to help promising B2B startups in the Southeast grow for the long haul.
Website: alerion.ventures
Founding Year: 2014
Investment Range: $1M - $5M
Stage: Early
Sector: Various
Investment Geography: Southeast, United States
Notable Investments: Payzer, OutboundEngine, PhishLabs
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
9. Greenmont Capital
Greenmont Capital Partners, established by industry experts in natural products, is an investment fund. Specializing in early-stage companies within the United States, the firm actively supports and invests in businesses poised for growth in the natural product sector.
Website: greenmontcapital.com
Founding Year: 2004
Investment Range: $1M - $5M
Stage: Growth
Sector: Consumer products, specifically branded consumer products aligned with the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market
Investment Geography: United States
Notable Investments: Madhava Natural Sweeteners, Door to Door Organics, Uncle Matt's Organic Juice, and Eco-Products
Submit Pitch/ Contact: contact@greenmontcapital.com
10. BroadStreet Private Equity
Broadstreet is a big player in helping Carolina's main land developer with money for property. They have lots of projects and places for homes, around 30,000 in all. They're good at dealing with changes in the market to make sure they make the most money. They know a lot about building homes, buying land, and running hotels, which makes them prominent in Carolina's real estate world.
Website: broadstreetprivateequity.com
Founding Year: 2016*
Investment Range: Undisclosed
Stage: Early, Ground-floor
Sector: Infrastructure, Land Development, Home Development, Hotel and Lodging, Land Banking, Restaurants, Specialty Finance, Crypto Mining
Investment Geography: United States
Notable Investments: Durham Homes, Crystal Lagoons, Lennar, Meritage, Pulte Homes, Ryan Homes, Culver’s, Public Storage
Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: What is the minimum amount for a VC fund?
A: Venture capital funds usually ask for a minimum investment of $250,000 to $500,000, and sometimes even more. Investing a small amount of money can still cost a lot. These funds are usually only open to wealthy people and big organizations that have a lot of money.
Q: What cities have the most VC investments?
A: The top five cities for venture capital investment are San Francisco, New York City, Boston, San Jose, and Los Angeles. These cities together receive more than two-thirds (67.5%) of all venture capital investments.
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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