Cultivation Capital, established in 2012 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investing. It manages a family of funds, primarily focusing on seed to series B-stage investments in the United States. The firm concentrates on four key industries: life sciences and health tech, software and IT, agriculture tech, and geospatial tech. Cultivation Capital typically invests $500k to $3.5M in startups during their Seed or Series A phase, with the potential for follow-on investments.

Advantage Capital Partners is a United States–based venture capital firm established in 1992 that provides equity and debt investments to small and growth-stage companies, with a focus on underserved communities and state and local economic development. The firm targets sectors including information technology, manufacturing, business services, healthcare, life sciences, energy, agribusiness, and related industries, and also supports real estate development and affordable housing initiatives. It typically makes initial investments between 0.5 million and 10 million and can participate in larger rounds based on milestones; it often co-invests with other investors. Capital offerings include senior debt, mezzanine debt, subordinated loans, and government-guaranteed lending, with instruments such as preferred equity or convertible debt. Advantage Capital operates nationwide in the United States, maintaining offices in multiple cities and focusing on communities underserved by traditional risk capital to drive economic development and job growth.

Founded in 2005, Missouri Technology Corporation is a venture capital firm based in Jefferson City, Missouri. It invests in early-stage companies located within the state, focusing on industries such as life sciences, animal health, applied engineering, biomedical science, defense & homeland security, plant science, and technology.

Arch Grants is a nonprofit organization established in 2011 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, dedicated to fostering economic development and community revitalization. It offers $50,000 equity-free grants and pro bono support services to entrepreneurs who establish their early-stage businesses in the St. Louis area. Through its highly competitive Global Startup Competition, Arch Grants aims to attract and retain innovative entrepreneurs, thereby inspiring future employers and civic leaders. The competition operates year-round, with grants awarded biannually in spring and fall. Arch Grants focuses on funding scalable business models across various industries, targeting innovative technologies, products, and services that have the potential for national or international impact.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, established in the mid-1960s by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, is a prominent philanthropic organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, with assets of around $2 billion. The foundation's mission is to cultivate a society of economically independent individuals who actively engage in improving their communities. To achieve this vision, the Kauffman Foundation concentrates its efforts on two primary areas: education and entrepreneurship. These focus areas reflect Kauffman's belief in the interconnectedness of education and entrepreneurial spirit as essential components for fostering individual and community development.

BioGenerator is the venture development organization of BioSTL that supports bioscience startups in the St. Louis region. It provides pre-seed and seed investments, access to shared laboratory space with specialized equipment, and comprehensive management support to help form and grow bioscience companies. The organization often acts as a lead investor in early-stage deals and collaborates with local angel groups and venture funds to enable follow-on funding. Founded in 2003 and based in St. Louis, BioGenerator focuses on healthcare, plant sciences, medical devices, diagnostics, agriculture, and related bioscience sectors.

St. Louis Arch Angels is an angel investment group focused on providing seed, startup, and early-stage capital primarily within the St. Louis region. Established in January 2005 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, the group invests between $25,000 and $100,000 per individual transaction, with collective investments ranging from $250,000 to $750,000. The organization aims to support high-potential startups from the local ecosystem, thereby enhancing the region's capacity to finance innovation. St. Louis Arch Angels seeks to fill the funding gap often overlooked by institutional venture capital firms, retaining investments for up to eight years to foster the growth and success of their portfolio companies.

Serra Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Champaign, Illinois, founded in 1998, that invests in technology companies across the United States and in select international locations. It focuses on early-stage and growth-stage opportunities in information technology, deep technology, instrumentation, software as a service, devices, B2B, and agricultural technologies, with an emphasis on companies in the Midwest and West Coast regions.

Lewis & Clark Ventures, established in 2015, is a St. Louis-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage, high-potential B2B software, fintech, and digital health companies. Founded by former operators, the firm aims to be a trusted partner to entrepreneurs, supporting their growth and helping them achieve significance. They focus on innovative companies in the Midwest and other overlooked geographies, providing capital and expertise to drive scale and success.

iSelect Fund is a venture capital firm focused on investing in innovative companies addressing global challenges in food and health systems. Established in 2014, the firm primarily invests in early-stage ventures across agriculture, food tech, and healthcare sectors, with a preference for companies based in the Southeast, Midwest, and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

Founded in 2014, The Yield Lab is a global venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in AgriFood Tech. It invests in innovative technologies across crops, animal health, digital agriculture, logistics, and food ingredients, with initial investments ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million.

Prolog Ventures is a Missouri-based venture capital firm established in 2000 that backs early-stage and growth companies in life sciences, healthcare, and consumer wellness. It targets opportunities in traditional healthcare, nutrition, personal care, household care, and related information technology, as well as green technology and diagnostics, with emphasis on fast-moving consumer goods markets such as functional foods, dietary supplements, medical foods, and home care products. The firm focuses on companies with proprietary ingredients, formulations, and delivery technologies, and typically invests in North American opportunities.

Founded by Darcy Howe in 2016, KCRise Fund is a venture capital firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. It invests alongside other institutional investors in early-stage companies located in Kansas and the western half of Missouri. The fund focuses on sectors such as software, TMT, B2B products/services, energy, financial services, healthcare, and information technology.

Established in 2018, Lightchain Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. It specializes in investing in early-stage companies within the life sciences sector, with a focus on improving outcomes for cancer patients.

The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) is an independent non-profit private foundation located in Saint Louis, Missouri, established in 1950. The foundation is dedicated to advancing knowledge in science and technology, with a particular focus on human cognition and complex systems. It aims to empower individuals and institutions to address real-world challenges through research and innovation. By providing philanthropic support, JSMF seeks to invest in the acquisition of new knowledge and its responsible application, ensuring that scientific advancements contribute positively to society. The foundation actively explores and supports scholarly fields that promise to benefit future generations.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. It is dedicated to supporting research and education in science and engineering across a wide range of disciplines. The NSF provides significant non-dilutive funding, up to $1.5 million, to startups and small businesses through its America's Seed Fund initiative, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program mandated by Congress. With an operating budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF is committed to advancing fundamental research and education, thus fostering innovation and technological development in the United States.

SixThirty is a global venture capital fund specializing in early-stage investments in financial technology (FinTech), insurance technology (InsurTech), and cybersecurity startups. It invests globally, typically providing $0.1-$0.25 million in equity per company. SixThirty operates an 8-week business development program and aims to support 8-14 startups annually.

Techstars is a global platform that invests in and supports early-stage technology companies. Founded in 2006, it operates a mentorship-driven accelerator program, providing seed funding, intensive mentorship, and access to a network of investors and entrepreneurs. Techstars has programs in various locations worldwide, including Boston, Boulder, New York, Seattle, London, Chicago, and Austin. It invests $118,000 in each company, with $18,000 in seed funding and an optional $100,000 convertible debt note. Techstars also has industry-specific accelerator programs, such as Techstars Retail and Techstars Music, focusing on retail and music technology, respectively. Its portfolio includes over 1,000 companies with a combined market cap of $8.1 billion.

Dundee Venture Capital, established in 2010, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with additional offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Saint Louis. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage technology companies, focusing on B2B SaaS, e-commerce, fintech, and supply chain technology sectors. Dundee typically invests between $0.25 million to $1 million in initial rounds, with a potential follow-on investment, and seeks board positions or observer roles. The firm's investment focus is on underserved capital markets across the United States, with a typical exit timeline of six to eight years. Dundee Venture Capital does not invest in companies requiring government approval for operation, such as those in bio, pharma, or life sciences sectors.

Spire Inc. is a public utility holding company based in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in the purchase, distribution, and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the United States. The company operates primarily through two segments: Gas Utility and Gas Marketing. Its Gas Utility segment provides safe and reliable natural gas services to over 1.13 million customers in St. Louis, eastern Missouri, Kansas City, and western Missouri. The Gas Marketing segment involves the marketing of natural gas and offers energy services to both regulated and non-regulated customers. In addition to its core natural gas operations, Spire engages in the transportation of propane, compression of natural gas, risk management, and physical natural gas storage services. Founded in 1857, Spire Inc. was originally known as The Laclede Group, Inc. until it rebranded in April 2016.

Arsenal Capital Management is a venture capital investment firm based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Founded in 2012, the firm specializes in investing in growth companies, aiming to support their expansion and development. Through its investment strategies, Arsenal Capital Management seeks to identify and nurture businesses with significant potential for growth.

Capital Innovators is an accelerator firm established in 2010 and located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The firm operates an accelerator program that offers $50,000 in seed funding, along with project-based mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs. Over a 12-week period, participating startups receive valuable resources, networking opportunities, and potential follow-on funding that can range from $250,000 to $1 million. The program is designed to support early-stage companies by providing the necessary guidance and connections to foster growth and development in their respective markets.

Founded in 1956, Hermann Companies is a diversified investment firm based in Saint Louis, Missouri. They focus on venture-stage and middle-market companies operating across various sectors including technology, manufacturing, real estate, light manufacturing, packaging, distribution, business-to-business technology, and financial services technology.

Fulcrum Global Capital is a venture capital firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 2016, it focuses on investing in companies operating in agriculture, agtech, food production, food safety, food waste, and animal health.

Thompson Street Capital Partners, established in 2000 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, is a private equity firm specializing in middle market investments. The firm focuses on growth capital, recapitalizations, management buyouts, and industry consolidations, typically investing in companies with revenues between $20 million and $200 million and EBITDA between $1 million and $20 million. Thompson Street Capital Partners prefers to take majority positions in its portfolio companies, which are primarily in the manufacturing, distribution, and services sectors, with a particular interest in niche manufacturers and value-added distributors. The firm also considers minority positions in growth companies and add-on transactions for its portfolio companies. Thompson Street Capital Partners works closely with management teams to drive growth and operational improvements.

Five Elms Capital, established in 2007 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is a global growth equity firm specializing in investments in fast-growing B2B software businesses. The firm provides capital and resources to accelerate growth and solidify industry leadership. With over $2.4 billion in assets under management and a team of over 70 investment professionals, Five Elms has invested in more than 65 software platforms globally, demonstrating a deep domain expertise and extensive network in the software sector.

HBM Holdings is an investment and management company based in Saint Louis, Missouri, established in 2012. It acquires, supports and operates middle-market businesses in industrial products and services, with activity across sectors such as aerospace and defense, environmental, medical devices and instruments, packaging, mining and minerals, and other industrial industries.

Firebrand Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2016 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, with additional offices in Austin and Boulder. It concentrates on early-stage investments in software and technology startups, with a preference for companies in the United States and Canada and for opportunities arising in communities underserved by traditional venture capital. The firm supports early-stage companies as they scale, focusing on software and technology sectors.

Synchrony Bio is a venture capital firm established in 2018 and located in Saint Louis, Missouri. It focuses on early-stage investments in the biomedical, medical device, and life science sectors. The firm aims to mitigate risk while enhancing value and efficiency in the development of its portfolio companies. By concentrating on innovative ventures, Synchrony Bio seeks to contribute to advancements in healthcare and technology.

OCA Ventures, established in 1999 and headquartered in Chicago, is a private equity firm specializing in early-stage investments. The company focuses on equity investments in high-growth potential technology and scalable services businesses, with a particular emphasis on digital health, fintech, consumer software, and enterprise software sectors within the United States.

Norwest Mezzanine Partners, established in 2000, is a Minneapolis-based investment firm that provides junior capital solutions to middle market companies backed by private equity firms. It focuses on driving value and successful outcomes for all stakeholders by investing across various industries, including business services, consumer, healthcare, and industrials. The firm operates from offices in Minneapolis and West Palm Beach, and it has an affiliation with Norwest Equity Partners, a middle market equity investment firm with a history dating back to 1961.

Kingdom Capital is a venture capital and private equity firm established in 2016, located in Chesterfield, Missouri. The firm focuses on early and growth-stage investments in mature and established companies across various sectors, including healthcare, technology, media, and real estate. It emphasizes sectors such as artificial intelligence, data science, therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, healthcare IT, and life science tools. Kingdom Capital aims to create a values-driven ecosystem that connects its investors with impactful investment opportunities, fostering collaboration with philanthropic partners through its Kingdom Capital Foundation. This strategic integration enhances the flow of capital into the philanthropic community, supporting both financial and social returns.

Lewis & Clark AgriFood, founded in 2019 and based in Saint Louis, Missouri, is a growth-focused investment firm dedicated to advancing innovation in the food and agriculture sectors. The company is comprised of a team of seasoned investors, scientists, and industry operators who are committed to identifying and supporting companies that are positioned to scale their technologies and solutions nationally and globally. Lewis & Clark AgriFood primarily targets growth-stage enterprises within plant agriculture, food production, supply chain logistics, and animal health, emphasizing investments that create value for all stakeholders, from producers to consumers.

Stifel Financial is a full-service financial services firm headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. Through its subsidiaries, it provides securities brokerage, trading, investment banking, investment advisory, and related services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. It also operates Stifel Bank, delivering banking and lending solutions to individuals and small to medium-sized businesses, including residential mortgages, cash management, and payment services. The company serves diverse sectors such as healthcare, education, financial services, defense, and other commercial markets, helping clients design integrated financial strategies that cover wealth management, retirement, estate planning, risk management, and liquidity needs.

A venture capital and private equity firm founded in 2012, headquartered in Park City, Utah, with an office in Kansas City, Missouri. It focuses on early‑stage investments in technology and technology‑enabled startups, as well as retail, consumer goods, and health and wellness, primarily in the Mountain West, Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and California. The firm typically invests between $0.1 million and $1 million in seed and early rounds ranging from $0.75 million to $5 million, and takes director seats to help shape boards. It targets under‑capitalized markets and seeks to provide strategic guidance to its portfolio companies.

Post Holdings, Inc. is a consumer packaged goods company based in St. Louis, Missouri, with operations in the United States and internationally. Founded in 1895, the company focuses on manufacturing, marketing, and distributing a diverse range of food products across five segments: Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Foodservice, Refrigerated Retail, and BellRing Brands. The Post Consumer Brands segment is known for its branded and private label ready-to-eat and hot cereal products, while the Weetabix segment specializes in cereal-based foods and breakfast beverages. The Foodservice segment supplies egg and potato products, and the Refrigerated Retail segment offers a variety of refrigerated items, including side dishes and dairy products. Additionally, BellRing Brands markets ready-to-drink protein shakes and nutritional supplements. Post Holdings distributes its products through various channels, including grocery stores, mass merchandisers, foodservice providers, and online retailers, aiming to enrich the lives of customers by delivering quality food.

Sage Capital is a private equity firm based in St. Louis, Missouri, that provides long-term capital and strategic value to small and lower-middle market companies in North America. Founded in 2004, it concentrates on mezzanine, later-stage, buyouts, growth capital, and recapitalizations, using equity and equity-like instruments. The firm invests across industries with a focus on value-added manufacturers, service businesses, distributors, branded consumer products, and professional services, while avoiding startups and sectors such as commodity processing, construction services, trucking, real estate, and gaming. Sage Capital typically commits between $2 million and $10 million per company, targeting enterprises valued $5 million to $50 million and EBITDA of $2 million to $7 million, though larger deals are possible through co-investments. The firm pursues both majority and minority positions and seeks board seats in portfolio companies. Geographically, it concentrates on the Midwest, Great Lakes, Mid-South, and Central Southern United States, but evaluates opportunities across North America.

Greenway Family Office is a multi‑family office located in Brentwood, Missouri, founded in 2010. It offers affluent families comprehensive financial management, asset preservation, family governance, and legacy planning services. The firm’s executive management team oversees the assets it manages.

Green Peak Capital Partners is a private equity firm based in Clayton, Missouri, founded in 2019. The firm specializes in thematically focused investments in a variety of sectors, including additive manufacturing, battery testing and power conversion, infrastructure, food ingredients, credentialing, outsourced healthcare equipment services, and advanced materials. Green Peak Capital Partners aims to identify and invest in companies within these industries, particularly across Central America and Mexico, to drive growth and innovation.

Centene Corporation, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading managed healthcare company that provides a wide range of services to under-insured and uninsured individuals. With a presence in all 50 U.S. states, Centene serves over 26 million members, primarily through government-sponsored programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the individual exchanges. The company offers integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services, including Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, correctional, and behavioral health services. Centene is committed to leveraging technology and data to improve health outcomes, streamline operations, and drive the digital transformation of healthcare. The company is recognized for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has been named a top organization for diversity and a leading disability employer, among other accolades.

RiverVest Venture Partners is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage life science investments in the United States. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, it maintains offices in Cleveland and San Diego and pursues opportunities in biopharma and medical device sectors. The firm operates as a registered investment adviser.

ASPEQ Heating Group LLC is a manufacturer of electric heating and thermal management equipment, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Established in 2008, the company designs and produces a comprehensive range of products including space heaters, immersion heaters, circulation heaters, infrared heaters, and various specialized heating elements. ASPEQ serves a diverse clientele across commercial, industrial, transportation, and marine sectors, offering custom solutions tailored to specific customer requirements through its brands, INDEECO, Heatrex, and AccuTherm. With a focus on flexibility and quality, ASPEQ operates two manufacturing facilities in Missouri and is involved in every aspect of the manufacturing process, ensuring premium service and value-added thermal management solutions for a wide array of applications.

Compass Group Equity Partners is a private equity firm based in Clayton, Missouri, established in 2015. The firm specializes in middle-market acquisitions, focusing on a variety of sectors including electronics, beverages, distribution, food products, business and consumer services, niche manufacturing, and the Internet of Things. With a commitment to investing in North American businesses, Compass Group Equity Partners operates as a Registered Investment Adviser, aiming to identify and support growth opportunities within its targeted industries.

BioSTL builds regional capacity and fosters collaborative efforts to advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and new company creation that capitalize on St. Louis’ world-class medical and plant biosciences. Through its work, BioSTL promotes economic growth and regional prosperity.

ReeceNichols Real Estate is a prominent real estate company affiliated with Berkshire Hathaway and a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc. Established in 1905, it has built a strong presence in Kansas and Missouri, employing over 2,500 REALTORS® across 29 branch offices and more than 28 franchise locations. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, including HomeServices Lending, Kansas City Title, HomeServices Insurance, and Reece Commercial Real Estate, catering to diverse real estate needs in the region.

TGP Investments, established in 1998 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is a merchant banking firm specializing in middle-market private equity investments. The firm, led by an experienced investment team, manages TGP Capital Partners, a private equity fund with $56.5 million under management. TGP Investments focuses on providing growth capital or facilitating liquidity events for well-managed, profitable, and growing companies in the manufacturing and business services sectors, with revenues typically ranging from $15 million to $150 million. The firm considers both control and minority equity investments, partnering with proven management teams, and usually invests between $5 million to $14 million per portfolio company.

Equity Bancshares, Inc. serves as the bank holding company for Equity Bank, a commercial bank based in Wichita, Kansas. Founded in 2002, the bank offers a comprehensive range of financial services primarily targeting businesses, business owners, and individuals. It accepts various deposits, including demand, savings, money market, and time deposits. The bank's loan offerings encompass commercial loans, real estate-backed financing, working capital loans, and various consumer loans, catering to a diverse clientele that includes national and regional companies, restaurant franchisees, hoteliers, and agribusinesses. Additionally, Equity Bank provides a suite of online and mobile banking solutions, debit card services, and treasury management options. As of December 31, 2019, the bank operated 52 full-service branches across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, making it a significant player in the regional banking landscape.

Founded in 1913, UMB Financial is a comprehensive banking and financial services firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. It offers commercial banking, personal banking with wealth management services, and institutional banking encompassing asset servicing, corporate trust solutions, investment banking, and healthcare services.

C3 Capital Partners, LP is a private equity firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, with additional offices in Dallas, Texas. Established in 1994, the firm specializes in investing in small to middle-market companies across various sectors, including energy, healthcare, specialty chemicals, consumer products, and business services. C3 Capital focuses on growth capital, buyouts, industry consolidation, and recapitalization transactions, typically investing between $2 million and $15 million in companies with sales ranging from $10 million to $210 million and EBITDA between $1 million and $20 million. The firm prefers to take board representation but does not seek controlling stakes in its investments. C3 Capital has a history of investing over $300 million in 63 small businesses and is led by experienced principals with extensive backgrounds in private equity and management across several industries.

First Busey is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries provide retail and commercial banking services, remittance processing, and a range of financial products across banking centers in Illinois, Missouri, Florida, and Indiana. The company operates through three segments: Banking, FirsTech, and Wealth Management. The Banking segment accounts for the majority of revenue, reflecting focus on traditional lending and deposit activities. Through its divisions, First Busey delivers consumer and business banking, payment processing, and advisory services for individuals and small to mid-size enterprises.