Heartland Ventures

Heartland Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Columbus, Ohio, established in 2016. The firm focuses on connecting large Middle America companies with emerging technologies from the coasts, emphasizing sectors such as construction technology, manufacturing technology, agriculture technology, logistics technology, and human resource and staffing technology. Heartland Ventures aims to facilitate early adoption of innovative solutions by corporations while enabling startups to engage with key corporate decision-makers. Since its inception, the firm has invested in seven portfolio companies and has facilitated over 114 connections between startups and Heartland corporations, generating more than $65 million in pipeline revenue for its portfolio. The firm typically invests in seed to Series A rounds, with check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million.

Mark Accomando

Partner, Investment Team

Max Brickman

Managing Director

Bianca Caban

Principal

Paige McCarthy

Associate

Conor McGuinness

Partner, Community Team

Mike Schmuhl

Director

Austin Westerfeld

Associate

Tom Williams

Principal, Community Team

15 past transactions

Soil Connect

Venture Round in 2021
Soil Connect Services, Inc., founded in 2018 and based in Plainview, New York, operates a digital marketplace that facilitates the transport and management of soil and aggregates. The company's platform connects individuals and businesses such as excavators, contractors, builders, and landscapers, addressing the inefficiencies and costs associated with soil management. By enabling users to network and transact efficiently, Soil Connect aims to streamline operations for professionals who regularly work with soil, ultimately saving them both time and money.

Soil Connect

Venture Round in 2020
Soil Connect Services, Inc., founded in 2018 and based in Plainview, New York, operates a digital marketplace that facilitates the transport and management of soil and aggregates. The company's platform connects individuals and businesses such as excavators, contractors, builders, and landscapers, addressing the inefficiencies and costs associated with soil management. By enabling users to network and transact efficiently, Soil Connect aims to streamline operations for professionals who regularly work with soil, ultimately saving them both time and money.

kea

Series A in 2020
Kea LLC, headquartered in Mountain View, California, specializes in developing automated ordering software designed for the restaurant industry. Established in 2018, the company's product, Kea Voice, efficiently processes phone orders and customer requests, allowing restaurants to manage their operations more effectively and maintain direct relationships with their customers. By streamlining the ordering process, Kea enables restaurants to concentrate on food preparation while enhancing the overall customer experience. As a rapidly growing enterprise, Kea is positioned to significantly transform traditional restaurant operations.

Third Wave Automation

Series A in 2020
Third Wave Automation, Inc. develops an autonomous forklift using machine learning, computer vision, and robotic material handling. Its technology enables forklifts to perform complex tasks using shared autonomy. The company was founded in 2018 and is based in Union City, California.

Soil Connect

Seed Round in 2020
Soil Connect Services, Inc., founded in 2018 and based in Plainview, New York, operates a digital marketplace that facilitates the transport and management of soil and aggregates. The company's platform connects individuals and businesses such as excavators, contractors, builders, and landscapers, addressing the inefficiencies and costs associated with soil management. By enabling users to network and transact efficiently, Soil Connect aims to streamline operations for professionals who regularly work with soil, ultimately saving them both time and money.

Workstream

Series A in 2020
Workstream Technologies, Inc. operates an automated online hiring platform designed specifically for companies that employ hourly workers. The platform allows employers to post job openings, track applicants, schedule interviews, and manage the onboarding process for new hires. Workstream serves a variety of industries, including healthcare, hospitality, retail, and transportation, facilitating the hiring process for businesses in sectors that require efficient workforce management. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and aims to streamline the recruitment process for both job seekers and employers.

kea

Seed Round in 2019
Kea LLC, headquartered in Mountain View, California, specializes in developing automated ordering software designed for the restaurant industry. Established in 2018, the company's product, Kea Voice, efficiently processes phone orders and customer requests, allowing restaurants to manage their operations more effectively and maintain direct relationships with their customers. By streamlining the ordering process, Kea enables restaurants to concentrate on food preparation while enhancing the overall customer experience. As a rapidly growing enterprise, Kea is positioned to significantly transform traditional restaurant operations.

Grabango

Series A in 2019
Grabango develops checkout-free shopping technology for the retail industry, utilizing hardware tools and computer vision software. Founded in 2016 and based in Berkeley, California, the company employs cameras and shelf sensors to track customer interactions with products. As customers add items to their carts, the system identifies and counts these purchases, allowing for a seamless checkout experience. Once finished, customers can pay via a registered payment method on their smartphones and leave the store without waiting in line. Grabango's technology is designed to integrate with existing brick-and-mortar stores, accommodating various retail formats from convenience stores to larger grocers, and aims to enhance the shopping experience by streamlining the payment process and eliminating queues.

Workstream

Seed Round in 2018
Workstream Technologies, Inc. operates an automated online hiring platform designed specifically for companies that employ hourly workers. The platform allows employers to post job openings, track applicants, schedule interviews, and manage the onboarding process for new hires. Workstream serves a variety of industries, including healthcare, hospitality, retail, and transportation, facilitating the hiring process for businesses in sectors that require efficient workforce management. Founded in 2016, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and aims to streamline the recruitment process for both job seekers and employers.

SPIDR Tech

Venture Round in 2018
SPIDR Tech gives law enforcement agencies the technology they need to provide people with the service they deserve. WIth SPIDR Tech's community relationship management platform, law enforcement agencies are able to use their own data to automate customer service and marketing functionalities. This results in enormous cost savings and huge improvements in public perception.

StrongArm Tech

Series A in 2017
StrongArm Technologies, Inc. is a safety science company that specializes in developing data collection and assessment solutions aimed at enhancing the safety of industrial workers. The company offers a risk monitoring device that utilizes machine learning to analyze risks related to musculoskeletal injuries, along with the FUSE Risk Management Platform, a cloud-based IoT-enabled software that leverages motion-interpreting sensors for real-time monitoring and assessment. Additionally, StrongArm provides a posture feedback system designed to assist industrial workers with proper lifting mechanics and postural support. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, StrongArm Technologies focuses on improving workplace safety through innovative technology.

botique.ai

Convertible Note in 2017
Botique.ai Inc. specializes in developing an AI-powered conversational process automation platform aimed at enhancing customer interactions in contact centers. Founded in 2017 and based in Newark, New Jersey, the company offers a solution that automates chat interactions, alleviates workload on human agents, and increases overall availability. The platform utilizes advanced Conversational Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing algorithms, enabling it to effectively simulate human-like interactions. This technology seamlessly integrates into existing service workflows, requiring minimal training and resource commitment from companies. Botique.ai has already demonstrated its effectiveness in large commercial enterprises, where it has successfully reduced personnel costs without compromising the quality of customer interactions. The company currently serves five paying enterprises, achieving an annual recurring revenue of $100,000.

Mimir

Debt Financing in 2016
Mimir Corporation provides Mimir Platform, a cloud based platform to help instructors and students by moving the computer science classroom online and adding automation. The company was founded in 2014 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. As of December 17, 2019, Mimir Corporation operates as a subsidiary of HackerRank.