Next Level Ventures

Next Level Ventures, LLC is a venture capital firm based in Des Moines, Iowa, founded in December 2013. The firm specializes in seed, startup, early-stage, and later-stage investments, focusing primarily on sectors such as agriculture, banking, insurance, biosciences, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. Next Level Ventures typically invests between $0.5 million and $5 million for a minority ownership stake in companies with annual sales of at least $1 million. The firm aims to support Iowa-based companies with significant growth potential, offering not only capital but also management expertise. Additionally, Next Level Ventures seeks to be actively involved in its portfolio companies by serving on their boards. As a certified Iowa Innovation Fund, the firm plays a role in contributing to the economic development of the region.

Ryan Gerhardy

Senior Associate

Barbara J. Gooch

Director of Administration

Duane Harris

Partner

Scott Hoekman

Senior Advisor

Craig Ibsen

Founder & Managing Partner

Liz Keehner

Associate

Michael Perrin

vice_president

Dave Tucker

Partner

Martin Walker

vice_president

Past deals in Iowa

OpenLoop

Series A in 2022
OpenLoop is a health technology company that provides a comprehensive platform aimed at enhancing virtual care services through a turnkey clinician workforce solution. The platform streamlines the process of finding and recruiting healthcare professionals by centralizing a database of providers and their specialties, while also collecting job requirements from various healthcare institutions. This approach facilitates timely notifications to hospitals and recruiters when suitable opportunities become available, effectively addressing staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. By simplifying telehealth operations, OpenLoop supports organizations in scaling their clinical services efficiently.

Gross-Wen Technologies

Series A in 2021
Gross-Wen Technologies is a biotechnology company that specializes in the fields of water quality, wastewater, and water nitrogen. It helps municipalities and industrial clients sustainably treat water in more effective and affordable ways.

Dryland Genetics

Venture Round in 2021
Dryland Genetics specializes in developing solutions for sustainable food supply in a world with less water. It applies cutting-edge quantitative genetics and high throughput phenotyping to improve the yield and agronomic properties of naturally water-use efficient crops which can grow in parts of the world where crops such as corn or rice would die.

Dwolla

Venture Round in 2021
Dwolla, Inc. is a fintech company that specializes in developing application programming interface (API) solutions for electronic payments and bank transfers. Founded in 2010 and based in Des Moines, Iowa, Dwolla provides a platform that allows businesses of all sizes to collect, facilitate, and send payments efficiently. Its Access API enables users to link bank accounts and initiate transfers seamlessly, while the Dwolla Dashboard offers tools for managing customer information, viewing transactions, and analyzing business trends. Additionally, Dwolla Labs, a subsidiary associated with Veridian Credit Union, provides users with a low-fee method to access, move, and earn money through a pooled account system. This infrastructure simplifies the complex processes of accessing payment networks and navigating regulatory requirements for its clients across various industries.

WINPRO Pet

Series B in 2021
WINPRO Performance Products LLC, established in 2016 and located in Ankeny, Iowa, specializes in manufacturing WINPRO, a unique line of blood protein supplements for dogs. These supplements are designed specifically for sporting, working, and show dogs, utilizing clinically proven animal blood proteins to address and mitigate stress-induced inflammation. As the first and only product of its kind in the market, WINPRO aims to enhance the health and performance of dogs by leveraging the benefits of blood proteins.

OpenLoop

Seed Round in 2021
OpenLoop is a health technology company that provides a comprehensive platform aimed at enhancing virtual care services through a turnkey clinician workforce solution. The platform streamlines the process of finding and recruiting healthcare professionals by centralizing a database of providers and their specialties, while also collecting job requirements from various healthcare institutions. This approach facilitates timely notifications to hospitals and recruiters when suitable opportunities become available, effectively addressing staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. By simplifying telehealth operations, OpenLoop supports organizations in scaling their clinical services efficiently.

MSUITE

Seed Round in 2020
MSUITE Corporation designs and develops a cloud-based suite of management software to connect building information modeling (BIM), Fab, and Field Construction teams for the construction industry. The company provides solutions, such as BIMPro, a plug-in for Autodesk Revit that automates spooling selection and sheet creation; FabPro, a shop production management tool that focuses on accurate productivity and status tracking; and FieldPro, a field management tool that allows site leadership to track real time status and productivity of activities on the job site. MSUITE Corporation was founded in 2015 and is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Coviance

Series B in 2020
Coviance is a technology company that specializes in developing software solutions for credit unions and community banks. Its web-based platform enhances the lending process by providing loan officers and lending staff with tools to improve efficiency and speed. The software facilitates various aspects of the lending cycle, including compliance with the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, credit and fraud reporting, loan valuation, flood determination, and title searches. Additionally, Coviance offers services such as income verification, tax certifications, and nationwide closing and signing services, all designed to streamline workflows and reduce the time required for loan processing. Founded in 2015 and based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Coviance is focused on improving the overall borrowing experience for customers.

VIDA

Series C in 2020
VIDA Diagnostics, Inc. specializes in clinical imaging software and analysis services, focusing on lung and respiratory care. The company's flagship products include LungPrint, an automated AI-powered tool that analyzes chest CT scans to assess lung physiology and functional tissue, and VIDA|precision, which provides detailed lung measurements for pulmonary clinicians. Additionally, VIDA|vision enables interactive examination of advanced quantitative imaging analysis results. The company offers comprehensive image analysis services for both academic and clinical trials, including study design, CT protocol development, and data analysis. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, with an office in Minneapolis, VIDA's software is FDA cleared and CE-marked, making it suitable for clinical use in multiple regions, including the US, European Economic Area, Canada, and Australia. Through its innovative solutions, VIDA aims to empower healthcare organizations and physicians to enhance patient outcomes, especially for those at risk of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and COVID-19.

MākuSafe

Venture Round in 2019
MākuSafe Corp., founded in 2016 and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, specializes in wearable technology designed to enhance workplace safety. The company has developed a two-piece armband equipped with IoT sensors that collects environmental data, including location and motion speed, while also recording near-miss accident indicators. This data is transmitted to the MākuSmart platform, an online portal where safety and operational personnel can access predictive analytics related to workplace risks. By analyzing both employee-generated and automated reports, organizations can identify patterns and environmental factors that contribute to potential hazards, enabling proactive measures to reduce risks for their workforce.

FarmlandFinder

Seed Round in 2019
FarmlandFinder is a provider of an online marketplace intended to make the world's farmland information accessible. The company's marketplace connects farmers with the right farmland and offers information of upcoming land sales, sale price records, sale comparison tool, soil composition maps, enabling clients to reduce time spent on researching farmland real estate market as well as cost of selling, renting and acquiring farmland.

MākuSafe

Seed Round in 2019
MākuSafe Corp., founded in 2016 and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, specializes in wearable technology designed to enhance workplace safety. The company has developed a two-piece armband equipped with IoT sensors that collects environmental data, including location and motion speed, while also recording near-miss accident indicators. This data is transmitted to the MākuSmart platform, an online portal where safety and operational personnel can access predictive analytics related to workplace risks. By analyzing both employee-generated and automated reports, organizations can identify patterns and environmental factors that contribute to potential hazards, enabling proactive measures to reduce risks for their workforce.

Pitchly

Seed Round in 2018
Pitchly, Inc. is a technology company that offers a cloud-based content services platform designed for merger and acquisition professionals. Founded in 2014 and based in Des Moines, Iowa, Pitchly provides a platform that enables users to create and manage custom databases to efficiently organize and activate intellectual property. The platform allows non-technical users to generate data-rich real-time documents in PowerPoint and Word, significantly reducing the time and errors associated with traditional methods of document creation. By aggregating various digital data sources, such as Excel and Salesforce, into a single, normalized view, Pitchly enhances accessibility and usability of information. The service is particularly beneficial for investment banks, accounting and advisory firms, and law firms, as it streamlines the process of locating and integrating relevant data into professional documents and presentations. Additionally, users can create custom forms to ensure that teams access the most current information available.

Coviance

Series A in 2018
Coviance is a technology company that specializes in developing software solutions for credit unions and community banks. Its web-based platform enhances the lending process by providing loan officers and lending staff with tools to improve efficiency and speed. The software facilitates various aspects of the lending cycle, including compliance with the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, credit and fraud reporting, loan valuation, flood determination, and title searches. Additionally, Coviance offers services such as income verification, tax certifications, and nationwide closing and signing services, all designed to streamline workflows and reduce the time required for loan processing. Founded in 2015 and based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Coviance is focused on improving the overall borrowing experience for customers.

Higher Learning Technologies

Venture Round in 2017
Higher Learning Technologies specializes in using mobile technology to create better education solutions. HLT mission is to empower students by creating the most innovative, captivating, and successful, mobile education platform. Their vision is to transform the lives of students by giving them the knowledge and confidence they need to turn their dreams into reality. It was founded in 2012 and is based in Coralville, Iowa.

Dwolla

Venture Round in 2017
Dwolla, Inc. is a fintech company that specializes in developing application programming interface (API) solutions for electronic payments and bank transfers. Founded in 2010 and based in Des Moines, Iowa, Dwolla provides a platform that allows businesses of all sizes to collect, facilitate, and send payments efficiently. Its Access API enables users to link bank accounts and initiate transfers seamlessly, while the Dwolla Dashboard offers tools for managing customer information, viewing transactions, and analyzing business trends. Additionally, Dwolla Labs, a subsidiary associated with Veridian Credit Union, provides users with a low-fee method to access, move, and earn money through a pooled account system. This infrastructure simplifies the complex processes of accessing payment networks and navigating regulatory requirements for its clients across various industries.

VIDA

Series B in 2016
VIDA Diagnostics, Inc. specializes in clinical imaging software and analysis services, focusing on lung and respiratory care. The company's flagship products include LungPrint, an automated AI-powered tool that analyzes chest CT scans to assess lung physiology and functional tissue, and VIDA|precision, which provides detailed lung measurements for pulmonary clinicians. Additionally, VIDA|vision enables interactive examination of advanced quantitative imaging analysis results. The company offers comprehensive image analysis services for both academic and clinical trials, including study design, CT protocol development, and data analysis. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, with an office in Minneapolis, VIDA's software is FDA cleared and CE-marked, making it suitable for clinical use in multiple regions, including the US, European Economic Area, Canada, and Australia. Through its innovative solutions, VIDA aims to empower healthcare organizations and physicians to enhance patient outcomes, especially for those at risk of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and COVID-19.

Igor

Series B in 2016
Igor Inc. is a developer of a power-over-Ethernet lighting platform that provides intelligent control over LED lighting systems in various environments. The platform allows users to connect Igor-enabled LED light fixtures, motion sensors, and daylight sensors through standard Ethernet cables and network switches. It features an application interface that facilitates the wireless discovery of hardware on the network, the creation of virtual spaces for managing devices, and the assignment of specific lights, switches, and sensors to designated areas. This capability enables clients to achieve operational savings, easy configuration, and enhanced control over their lighting systems. Founded in 2013 and based in Johnston, Iowa, Igor Inc. partners with distributors, installers, contractors, and resellers to deliver its solutions.

Workgroups DaVinci

Series A in 2015
Workgroups DaVinci is the end-to-end productivity solution built specifically for today’s marketing and creative teams.

1CommMedical

Series A in 2015
1COMM Medical Inc. is a company devoted to providing physician and health care organizations turnkey solutions for medical device patient monitoring and billing services.

VIDA

Debt Financing in 2014
VIDA Diagnostics, Inc. specializes in clinical imaging software and analysis services, focusing on lung and respiratory care. The company's flagship products include LungPrint, an automated AI-powered tool that analyzes chest CT scans to assess lung physiology and functional tissue, and VIDA|precision, which provides detailed lung measurements for pulmonary clinicians. Additionally, VIDA|vision enables interactive examination of advanced quantitative imaging analysis results. The company offers comprehensive image analysis services for both academic and clinical trials, including study design, CT protocol development, and data analysis. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, with an office in Minneapolis, VIDA's software is FDA cleared and CE-marked, making it suitable for clinical use in multiple regions, including the US, European Economic Area, Canada, and Australia. Through its innovative solutions, VIDA aims to empower healthcare organizations and physicians to enhance patient outcomes, especially for those at risk of chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and COVID-19.

Igor

Series A in 2014
Igor Inc. is a developer of a power-over-Ethernet lighting platform that provides intelligent control over LED lighting systems in various environments. The platform allows users to connect Igor-enabled LED light fixtures, motion sensors, and daylight sensors through standard Ethernet cables and network switches. It features an application interface that facilitates the wireless discovery of hardware on the network, the creation of virtual spaces for managing devices, and the assignment of specific lights, switches, and sensors to designated areas. This capability enables clients to achieve operational savings, easy configuration, and enhanced control over their lighting systems. Founded in 2013 and based in Johnston, Iowa, Igor Inc. partners with distributors, installers, contractors, and resellers to deliver its solutions.