Venture and Equity Funds in Iowa

 

AAVIN Equity Partners

118 3rd Avenue SE, Suite 630

Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Contacts: James D. Thorp, Paul Rhines,

Phone: 319-247-1072

Fax: 319-363-9519

Email: jthorp@aavin.com, prhines@aavin.com,

Website:  http://www.aavinvc.com/

Intended Projects: Growth financings, ownership changes and recapitalizations

Preferred investment: $500,000 to $3,000,000

Preferred Financing size: $1,000,000 to $10,000,000 - will work on LBO's up to $50mm

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Ag Ventures Alliance

2023 S. Federal

Mason City, IA 50401

Contact: Don Hofstrand or Brad Petersburg

Phone: 641-423-0844 or 641-588-3116

Email: dhof@iastate.edu or bfp@wctatel.net

Website:  www.AgVenturesAlliance.com

Intended Projects: Value-added agricultural ventures with at least partial farmer ownership

 

Ames Seed Capital Fund

1601 Golden Aspen Drive, Suite 10

Ames, IA 50010

Contact: Dan Culhane

Phone: 515-232-2310

Fax: 515-232-6716

Email: dan@ameschamber.com

Intended Projects: Investment only in Ames area

Preferred Financing size: $50,000 to $100,000

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Cedar Valley Venture Fund

John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center
Curris Business Building, Suite 5
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0130

Contact: Katherine Cota-Uyar

Phone: 319-273-7350

Fax: 319-273-7512

Email: katherine.cota@uni.edu

Website: www.jpec.org

Intended Projects: The fund will invest in post-family and friends start-ups, follow-on deals, mergers and acquisitions, and succession-based opportunities. The fund will encourage companies from the Cedar Valley and Iowa to apply for investment, but is not limiting its investment to Iowa.

Size of Fund: $1.61 million

Preferred investment: $100,000 to $300,000

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Eastern Iowa Angel Investors

Contacts: Dick Schwab or David Bird

Phone: 319-624-8096 or 319-329-5393

Email: dschwab@avalon.net or

            dfbird@sbcglobal.net

Intended Projects: Iowa-based businesses with significant growth potential

Size of Fund: $1.1 million

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Emerging Growth Capital Fund, LP

107 East 5th Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

Contact: Jim Goodman

Phone: 515-471-1965 Fax: 515-243-0342

Intended Projects: Any seed, early-stage with potential for significant return

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Equity Dynamics Inc.

2116 Financial Center, 21st Floor

Des Moines, IA 50309

Contacts: John Pappajohn and Matt Kinley

Phone: 515-244-5746

Email: kinley@pappajohn.com

Intended Projects: Investment is available in all stages of companies with substantial growth opportunities.  Primary areas of investment are high tech and medical.

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Greater Quad City Angel Investor Network

2820 East 42nd Court

Davenport, IA   52807

Phone: 563-355-7613

Fax: 563-355-2530

Contact: Mark Bawden

Email: mark@markandrita.com

Intended Projects: Viable early-stage businesses in Clinton, Muscatine, and Scott counties in Iowa and Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, and Whiteside counties in Illinois

Size of Fund: $1 million

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Growth Ventures Group, Inc.

10641 Justin Drive

Des Moines, IA 50322

Contact: Joe Stevens

Phone: 515-331-0840

Fax: 515-331-3002

Email: joe.stevens@growthventures.com

Website: www.growthventures.com

Intended Projects: Seed/early growth stage, Iowa-based technology businesses with a potential of reaching high-margin revenues of $50-100M in 5-7 years.

Size of Fund: Raised as needed for each project

Preferred investment: $500,000 to $1,000,000

Has Funds under management to invest: No

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: Yes

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for projects.

 

Hopewell Ventures

1045 South 60th Street

West Des Moines, IA 50266

Contact: Jude Conway

Phone: 515-770-4104

Email: Conway@hopewellventures.com

Website: http://www.hopewellventures.com/

Intended Projects: Early-stage, mid-stage and later-stage companies, including certain buyout opportunities in Midwest.

 

Iowa Capital Corporation

c/o Capital Management Associates, Inc.

2600 Grand Avenue, Suite 210

Des Moines, IA 50312

Phone: 515-883-2903

Fax: 515-244-7112

Contact: Terry Sullivan

Email: terry.sullivan@cma-inc.net

Intended Projects: All stage of companies with substantial growth opportunities.

 

Iowa Lakes Capital, LLC

1900 Grand Avenue North; Suite E-12

Spencer, IA  51301

Phone:  712.264.3474 or 1.800.765.1428

Fax:  712.580.3472

Cell:  712.260.8746

www.lakescorridor.com

Contact:  Kathy J. Evert, CEcD

Email: kevert@lakescorridor.com

Size of Fund: $1.355 million

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments in four county area but open to other Iowa investment opportunities.

 

Iowa Seed Fund, LLC

230 Second Street SE, Ste.212

Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Contacts: Miriam Ubben, VC Capital Formation

Phone: 319-369-4955

Fax: 319-364-8914

Email: mubben@edcinc.org

Website:  http://www.edcinc.org/

Intended Projects: Invests in early stage scalable, interstate commerce businesses headquartered in Iowa

Preferred Financing size: Maximum initial investment of $150,000.  Follow-on maximum of $150,000. 

Has Funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Federation of Iowa Insurers

316 Sixth Avenue, Suite 740

Des Moines, IA 50309

Phone: 515-288-8208

Fax: 515-280-3322

Intended Projects: The Iowa Federation of Insurers represents Iowa life and health insurance companies, a number of whom have made a commitment to provide venture capital financing to help establish and expand businesses in Iowa.

 

Iowa First Capital Corp.

c/o Corridor Management Co., LLC

222 Third Avenue SE, Suite 12

PO Box 607

Cedar Rapids, IA 52406

Contact  Dennis C. Wangeman

Phone: 319-364-4411

Fax: 319-364-4422

Email: dwangeman@cmanco.com

Size of Fund: $7 million

Intended Projects: Early-stage, mid-stage and later-stage companies, including certain buyout situations primarily focused in Iowa

Preferred investment: $100,000 to $500,000

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will Participate with others:  Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Moramerica Capital Corp./MACC Private Equities Inc.

101 Second Street SE, Suite 800

Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Phone: 319-363-8249

Fax: 319-363-9683

Contact: David R. Schroder

Email: david@investam.com

Intended Projects: Start-up and growth situations

 

North Iowa Venture Capital Fund LLC

500 College Drive

Mason City, IA 50401

Contact: Tim Putnam

Phone: 641-422-4111

Fax: 641-422-4129

Email: putnatim@niacc.edu

Intended Projects: Not limited to region

Website: www.niacc.edu/pappajohn/

Intended Projects: Early-stage, emerging and growth companies and attractive acquisition opportunities.  Typical funding will provide $50,000 - $160,000 in direct equity or convertible debt financing.

Size of fund: $1.69

Has funds under management to invest: Yes

Will serve as lead investor: Yes

Must serve as lead investor: No

Will participate with others: Yes

Status of activities: Actively looking for investments

 

Renew Rural Iowa Fund

5400 University Ave.

West Des Moines, IA 50266

Phone: 800-254-9670

Fax: 515-225-5419

Contact: Dave Sengpiel

Email: dsengpiel@ifbf.org

Website: http://www.renewruraliowa.com/funds.aspx

 

Software and Information Technology of Iowa (SITI)

1500 NW 118th Street

Clive, IA 50325

Contact: Leann Jacobson

Phone: 515-327-5579

Fax: 515-327-5577

Email: leann@sitiworks.com

Intended Projects: Software/IT companies

 

Rock River Capital

Contact:  Bruce Jennings

Phone:  712-472-2531

Intended project:  Rock River Capital provides equity financing for start-up, expanding or ownership transition businesses, with a primary focus on businesses operating in or moving to Lyon County, Iowa.

Website:  www.rockrivercapital.com

 

Western Iowa Growth Fund, LLC

PO Box 768

Carroll IA 51401

Contact:  Rick Hunsaker

Phone:  712-792-9914  ext. 18

Emailrhunsaker@region12cog.org

Size of Fund:  $330,000

Intended Projects:  All stage companies that show growth potential 

Area of Investment:  All of Iowa, with an emphasis on Audubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, Sac, and Shelby Counties.

Joint Investment?:  Yes

Must serve as lead investor?:  No

Status:  Actively seeking investments

 

Venture Network of Iowa (VNI)

200 East Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50309

Phone: 515-242-4715

Intended Projects: Presentation forum for entrepreneurs to seek financial investment.

 

Wellmark Venture Capital Funds

Iowa State University

Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship

2501 North Loop Drive, Suite 1615

Ames, Iowa 50010

Contact: Michael Upah

Phone: 515-296-6532

Fax: 515-296-6714

Email: mjupah@iastate.edu

Intended Projects: Projects with technological advancements, intellectual property, excellent growth potential, and/or able to attract private equity capital

 

North Iowa Area Community College

John Pappajohn Business & Entrepreneurial Ctr.

500 College Drive

Mason City, IA 50401

Contact: Tim Putnam

Phone: 641-422-4111

Fax: 641-422-4129

Email: putnatim@niacc.edu

Intended Projects: Look at all types other than retail and professional services

 

University of Iowa

John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center

108 Pappajohn Business Building, Suite 160

Iowa City, IA 52242

Contact: Lynn Jahn

Phone: 319-335-1022

Fax: 319-353-2445

Email: lynn-jahn@uiowa.edu

Intended Projects: Look at all types other than retail and professional services

 

University of Northern Iowa

John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center
Curris Business Building, Suite 5
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0130

Contact: Katherine Cota-Uyar

Phone: 319-273-7350

Fax: 319-273-7512

Email: katherine.cota@uni.edu

Website: www.jpec.org

Intended Projects: Iowa-based, for-profit corp. engaged in IT, educational technology, advanced manufacturing, technology-related industries, medical or surgical advancements, biotechnology, and cutting-edge computer-related products or software with prospects for growth.  No retail or restaurant