Founded in 1999, Enhanced Capital Partners is a New York-based investment firm managing over $400 million. It specializes in equity and debt investments for small to mid-sized companies across various sectors, with a focus on healthcare technology systems and TMT industries.

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency in the United States that funds and supports research and education in science and engineering. It funds fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering and administers non-dilutive funding programs to aid early‑stage technology development, helping translate discoveries into commercially viable products and services. Through grants and fellowships, the NSF supports researchers, educators, and startups, contributing to innovation and U.S. competitiveness. The agency operates with a substantial budget to advance science, engineering, and STEM education nationwide.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is an insurance company headquartered in Richardson, Texas, that has been in operation since 1929. It specializes in providing health insurance services, along with property and casualty insurance products. As a subsidiary of the Health Care Service Corporation, BCBSTX is committed to delivering financially sound healthcare coverage to its members, focusing on the well-being and health needs of individuals and families across Texas. The company is dedicated to adapting its offerings to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare landscape.

Founded in 2012, LiveOak Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas. It focuses on technology and technology-driven services across Texas, typically investing at the seed stage and providing full lifecycle support.

The U.S. Department of Energy is a government agency established in 1977, located in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of the nation by tackling energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges. The Department focuses on promoting transformative scientific and technological solutions to address these issues, thereby supporting the country's energy needs and environmental sustainability.

Silverton Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2006 by Bill Wood and Morgan Flager, the firm provides capital and mentorship to technology startups across the United States, leveraging an operating-focused investment team. It backs companies in software, internet, cloud services, enterprise software, and other technology sectors, with a focus on opportunities in the Texas region. It operates as a registered investment adviser, reflecting its formal approach to early-stage investing.

Founded in 2009, Capital Factory is a venture capital firm and accelerator based in Austin, Texas. It invests in seed-stage to later-stage companies across software, media, and technology sectors, providing resources, mentorship, and coworking space.

Service Provider Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2014 and based in Colorado. The firm focuses on early-stage investments, notably seed-stage opportunities, and participates as a co-investor in Series A rounds led by institutional venture funds. Its portfolio interests span a broad range of technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, cybersecurity, e-commerce, education technology, fintech, hardware, information technology, robotics, health, and cannabis.

Founded in 2007, S3 Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas. It specializes in Series A to C investments, focusing on information technology, medical devices, enterprise software, SaaS, marketing, financial services, and sales sectors. The firm primarily invests in the Southwestern United States, with a focus on Texas and Austin. S3 Ventures typically considers equity transactions of $10 million to $20 million, aiming for exits through acquisition or IPO.

Alumni Ventures Group is a venture capital firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire, with offices across North America. It provides access to venture investing for individual accredited investors, particularly alumni networks, by offering diversified portfolios of venture opportunities and allowing members to invest alongside fellow alumni in ventures led by peers. The firm backs early-stage and later-stage opportunities across technology, consumer, healthcare, financial services, and other sectors, with a sector- and geography-agnostic approach. It typically invests between $10,000 and $3 million per deal and emphasizes the involvement of alumni connections and an institutional lead investor in opportunities. Alumni Ventures also offers focused funds to broaden participation, enabling accredited investors to access venture portfolios diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. The model aims to democratize access to venture capital while maintaining rigorous selection standards through alumni networks.

Next Coast Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas, founded in 2015. It backs early-stage technology companies, with a focus on Texas but pursuing selected opportunities in larger markets. The firm concentrates on information technology and related sectors such as retail, healthcare and e-commerce, providing early capital and hands-on company-building support. It leverages a strong industry network and a venture partner program to help portfolio companies scale, guided by macro trends and founders’ experience to identify attractive opportunities. Next Coast Ventures aims to back bold entrepreneurs building scalable businesses in large markets.

MassChallenge is a global startup accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across various industries. Founded in 2009, it provides mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities through its programs worldwide.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas is a state agency established in 2007 and headquartered in Austin, Texas. Its primary mission is to invest in cancer prevention and academic research to accelerate innovation in the field and enhance access to evidence-based prevention programs. The institute awards grants for a broad range of cancer-related research and for the implementation of cancer prevention services by both public and private organizations within Texas. All research funded by the institute is conducted by Texas-based scientists, aligning with its goal of expanding the state’s research capabilities and fostering the creation of high-quality jobs.

Austin Ventures, founded in 1979 and based in Austin, Texas, is a venture capital firm focusing on early-stage and mid-market technology companies. It invests primarily in the United States with a focus on Texas, particularly the Austin area.

Corsa Ventures, established in 2011, is an Austin, Texas-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments. The company focuses on opportunities in Texas and the Southwest, investing in U.S.-based technology startups that leverage cloud, big data, mobile, and social technologies to disrupt traditional business models. Corsa's team brings deep operational experience and global networks, having led businesses from startup to Fortune 50 level.

Moonshots Capital is a venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas. It makes seed-stage investments in technology startups led by founders who are building products that re-imagine work and personal life in large and growing markets. The firm uses a disciplined investment process to identify companies with moonshot potential. It focuses on dual-use technology, fintech, consumer Internet, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. Moonshots Capital is a registered investment adviser and supports portfolio companies through early growth to scale.

Founded in 2005, Mercury Fund is a Houston-based venture capital firm with an additional office in Ann Arbor. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in technology-related companies across the United States midcontinent.

ATX Venture Partners is a venture capital firm based in Austin, Texas, founded in 2014. It backs early-stage technology companies in the United States, with a focus on Seed and Series A rounds. The firm targets B2B software, cloud technologies, APIs, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and related areas such as supply chain tech, insurtech, fintech, human resources technology, big data, advanced manufacturing, and marketplaces. It also considers opportunities in adjacent sectors and may participate in investments outside traditional early-stage fund structures. Through its differentiated portfolio approach, ATX Venture Partners supports companies that aim to disrupt industries and scale with software and digital platforms.

Right Side Capital Management is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage, pre-seed technology startups in underserved segments of the ecosystem. It invests in a high-volume, capital-efficient portfolio, typically funding rounds of 50,000 to 500,000 and making roughly 75 to 100 investments per year. The firm targets opportunities across the United States and internationally, including Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and Western Europe, prioritizing companies with scalable products and prudent capital use outside major metro hubs. Since its inception, it has built a broad portfolio across many states. It commits to a fast decision process, often delivering a yes or no within two weeks to help founders establish momentum.

Mercury is a purpose-built early-stage venture capital platform dedicated to supporting transformative software startups in communities across America, particularly in Middle America. The company identifies and partners with exceptional founders, offering both guidance to new entrepreneurs and resources to experienced innovators. With a focus on operationally-driven investment strategies, Mercury has generated over $9 billion in value, facilitating rapid and sustainable growth for its portfolio companies. Through its comprehensive growth partner network, Mercury aims to leverage local assets and talent, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation within the regions it serves.

The Houston Angel Network (HAN) is the oldest and most active angel network in Texas, recognized as a leading organization for early-stage investments in the United States. Since its establishment in 2001, HAN members have collectively invested over $61.7 million across 198 deals, with notable activity in 2014 when they invested $15.3 million in 66 deals. The network comprises accredited individual investors who are committed to supporting emerging companies through both capital and mentorship. In addition to individual members, HAN includes institutional members such as seed funds, accelerators, universities, and other entities that contribute to the innovation ecosystem. As a non-profit association, HAN does not impose fees on entrepreneurs, relying instead on membership dues and sponsorships for its revenue.

Founders Fund is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that backs science and technology companies across multiple stages, from seed to late-stage. It pursues transformative technologies and follows a founder-friendly investment approach that provides substantial support with minimal interference. The firm invests in ventures solving difficult problems across sectors such as aerospace and transportation, artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy, healthcare, biotechnology, cybersecurity, fintech, consumer internet, software, robotics, and related technology fields. It has backed notable companies early, including SpaceX, Palantir, and Facebook, reflecting a history of partnering with ambitious founders to scale breakthrough technologies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leads initiatives in food, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development. It aims to expand markets for agricultural products globally, foster alternative markets domestically, improve rural infrastructure, enhance food safety, promote nutrition education, and manage public lands collaboratively.

Goldman Sachs is a global financial services firm that provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and high-net-worth individuals. It advises on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and other corporate actions; underwrites public offerings and debt; and helps clients raise capital through various markets. The firm engages in market making and client execution across fixed income, currencies, commodities, and equities, and offers securities services including financing and lending to institutional clients. Its asset management and wealth advisory businesses manage assets and provide investment solutions for a broad client base, including institutions and individuals. Headquartered in New York, the company serves clients worldwide and operates across multiple business lines to support capital formation, risk management, and investment activities.

Advantage Capital Partners is a United States‑based venture capital firm that provides growth equity, debt, and mezzanine financing to small and mid‑market companies, with a focus on underserved communities and state and local economic development. The firm invests across sectors including manufacturing, technology, business services, life sciences, and energy, and also supports real estate development projects with equity and debt. It typically makes initial investments ranging roughly from half a million to ten million in companies with modest sales, and may participate in larger follow‑on rounds or co‑invest with other firms. It uses senior debt, mezzanine debt, subordinated loans, and government‑guaranteed lending, and often pursues equity positions through preferred shares or convertible notes. Advantage Capital operates nationwide in the United States, with roots in New Orleans and offices in multiple states, and has backed thousands of jobs and housing projects as part of its mission to expand inclusive economic growth.

Green Park & Golf Ventures is a Dallas-based venture capital firm providing early-stage, seed-stage and growth capital to healthcare and life sciences companies in the United States. It targets healthcare technology, medical devices, therapeutics, healthcare services and related manufacturing opportunities, with a focus on North Texas while pursuing opportunities nationwide. The firm supports portfolio companies with strategic guidance, capital and access to a broad professional network built from its leadership’s decades of healthcare experience. Led by experienced executives with a background in building and selling healthcare businesses, Green Park & Golf Ventures aims to help startups navigate development, regulatory and commercialization challenges and accelerate value creation.

Founded in 2011, Geekdom is a collaborative startup community based in San Antonio, Texas. It empowers entrepreneurs by providing resources and opportunities to cultivate ideas into viable businesses.

National Institutes of Health is a biomedical research agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, based in Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary U.S. government organization devoted to biomedical and health research, conducting science through the Intramural Research Program and funding external research through the Extramural Research Program. The NIH comprises 27 institutes and centers and supports about 1,200 principal investigators and more than 4,000 postdoctoral fellows across basic, translational, and clinical research. It has contributed to major advances such as vaccines and therapies and is dedicated to advancing knowledge and translating discoveries into improvements in public health. Established in 1887, NIH operates as a central hub for medical research in the United States.

Dos Rios Partners is a private equity firm founded in 2013, headquartered in Austin, Texas with an additional office in Dallas. The firm specializes in investing in proven, growing niche businesses across various sectors, focusing on companies based between the Rio Grande and Mississippi rivers. Dos Rios prefers investments of $5 million to $15 million in companies with EBITDA between $3 million and $12 million.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Sputnik ATX is a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage startups led by maker-founders. It provides not only capital but also training and experience to help these companies win and grow. The fund's portfolio spans various industries, including revolutionary podcasting analytics and cat care.

Founded in 2015, Dundon Capital Partners is a Dallas-based investment firm focused on private equity and credit investments across various industries. The firm partners with experienced management teams to support long-term company objectives.

8VC is a technology and life sciences investment firm that partners with founders to develop transformational technologies and create long-term value. Its activities span sectors such as healthcare, logistics, software, energy, manufacturing, enterprise IT, and life sciences, with a focus on supporting early-stage and growth opportunities in the United States and beyond.

The Riverside Company is a global private equity firm founded in 1988 and headquartered in New York. It makes both control and non-control investments in growing businesses valued up to US$400 million, seeking to partner with owners who wish to remain involved to help drive growth. The firm focuses on sectors such as business services, consumer brands, education and training, franchising, healthcare, software and information technology, and manufacturing. Riverside has completed hundreds of transactions and maintains an international portfolio of more than 80 companies across regions including the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Arcadius Capital Partners, established in 2014, is a Calgary-based private equity firm with an additional office in Houston. The company specializes in mid-market investments, focusing on the upstream oil and gas sector in the United States and Canada.

Founded in 2004, Pine Street Capital Partners is a Massachusetts-based independent firm that provides financing solutions to lower mid-market companies. They invest with experienced management teams in established businesses, offering mezzanine and equity capital for strategic acquisitions, private equity-sponsored buyouts, management buyouts, recapitalizations, and shareholder dividends.

Bain Capital is a Boston-based multi-asset alternative investment firm that sources, funds, and manages investments across private equity, venture capital, credit, and public equity. Founded in 1984, it operates globally with specialized units focused on growth and buyout investments, life sciences, and impact-oriented opportunities. The firm backs companies across sectors including healthcare and life sciences, technology, software and data services, financial services, consumer, manufacturing, and industrials, spanning from early-stage ventures to growth equity and large-scale acquisitions. It emphasizes value creation through strategic support and partnerships, leveraging deep operating experience and a global network. Its life sciences arm targets pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostic companies; the Double Impact unit pursues market-rate returns alongside measurable social and environmental benefits; Bain Capital Ventures backs technology-enabled businesses from seed to growth across enterprise software, infrastructure, and services. The firm maintains offices in Boston and major markets worldwide, aiming to deliver competitive returns while supporting innovation and economic development.

New Enterprise Associates is a venture capital firm founded in 1977 and based in Menlo Park, California, with offices in the United States, India and China. It makes investments across technology and healthcare startups at multiple stages, from seed to growth, including software, cloud, data, internet services, fintech, AI, e-commerce, and enterprise technology, as well as healthcare information technology, life sciences, medical devices, and biopharma. It also considers energy technology and infrastructure opportunities, such as solar, batteries and smart grids. The firm pursues a global approach, with activity in the United States, Asia and other regions, and supports companies through rounds of financing ranging from small to sizable investments as they scale. NEA focuses on building portfolios in software, IT services, consumer technology, and healthcare technology, backing ambitious entrepreneurs across sectors and geographies.

Texas HALO Fund is a Houston-based venture capital firm founded in 2012 that specializes in early-stage investments in healthcare and information technology companies. The firm seeks opportunities with strong management teams and potential for scalable growth, sourcing deals from multiple channels and investing across geographic markets to support portfolio companies and generate returns for investors.

HPS Investment Partners is a global investment firm focused on non-investment grade credit. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in New York, it operates with offices worldwide. The firm originated as a unit of Highbridge Capital Management, a subsidiary of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and was acquired by its principals in 2016, with J.P. Morgan retaining the hedge fund strategies. HPS manages a broad set of capital-structure strategies, including syndicated leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, privately negotiated senior secured debt, mezzanine financing, asset-based leasing, and private equity, serving clients across industries such as insurance, healthcare, media, retail, logistics, and marine.

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Houston, Post Oak Energy Capital is a private equity firm specializing in energy investments across North America. The firm focuses on mid-market acquisitions, growth capital, and recapitalizations within the oil and gas sector.

Quake Capital, established in 2016, is a venture capital firm and startup accelerator with a global presence. It invests in seed-stage ventures across diverse industries, with a focus on consumer-facing technologies leveraging 5G. Quake Capital operates accelerator programs in key tech hubs like Austin, Los Angeles, and New York City, recruiting teams from around the world. It also has a presence in Europe, collaborating with prominent partners such as Deutsche Telekom and RTL in Cologne, Germany. The firm's Los Angeles office, situated in the heart of the city's thriving tech scene, specializes in media and entertainment startups. Quake Capital's unique access to top universities and collegiate entrepreneurs, cultivated over two decades, sets it apart in the venture capital landscape.

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas with an additional office in Houston, Turnbridge Capital is a private equity firm specializing in management buyouts, corporate spinouts, leveraged build-ups, strategic growth capital infusions, and shareholder recapitalizations. The firm primarily invests in middle market companies across various industries, including energy and infrastructure, industrial manufacturing and services, and transportation and distribution, with a focus on the southwest region of the United States. Turnbridge Capital seeks to invest between $10 million and $75 million in companies with enterprise values ranging from $50 million to $250 million, typically holding investments for three to seven years while seeking majority ownership.

Rockies Venture Club is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization and angel network focused on economic development through funding and supporting early-stage startups. Founded in 1985 and based in Denver, it educates and connects state, local and national economic development organizations, universities, federal labs, startup organizations, corporate partners, venture capital, angel investors, and entrepreneurs to strengthen startup ecosystems. The club hosts events such as the Angel Capital Summit and Colorado Capital Conferences and maintains a community of more than 150 angel investors active across industries from pre-seed to Series A, with activity spanning North America.

Founded in 2000, General Catalyst is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage and growth equity investments. It focuses on accelerating ideas, careers, and companies towards success by providing ongoing momentum and mentorship based on deep experience.

Moneta Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Folsom, California, founded in 2014. It invests primarily in technology and healthcare companies, with a focus on enterprise software and services. The firm typically provides the first institutional check to its portfolio companies and aims to support them through Series B rounds and beyond, emphasizing operational value in addition to capital. Moneta maintains a distributed investment team across the West Coast and Texas, enabling regional sourcing and hands-on involvement. The firm operates as a registered investment adviser, reflecting its formal investment oversight and fiduciary responsibilities. Moneta seeks to help startups scale by providing strategic guidance and networks to accelerate growth.

Founded in 2018, Ecliptic Capital is a venture capital firm headquartered in Austin, Texas. It invests early in disruptive companies across various sectors, with a focus on Texas-based businesses operating in technology and adjacent markets.

Revolution is a Washington, D.C.–based venture capital firm founded in 2005 by Steve Case, with an additional office in San Francisco. It backs technology-enabled startups that disrupt traditional industries and supports both early-stage and growth-stage companies, often taking leadership roles in financings and serving on boards. The firm operates a family of funds, including Revolution Ventures and Revolution Growth, and seeks opportunities across sectors such as consumer internet, software and services, media, financial services, healthcare, and other technology-enabled businesses. It emphasizes geography, aiming to back high-potential ventures in regions beyond traditional hubs by pairing capital with hands-on involvement and broad entrepreneurial networks.

Caring for Denver Foundation is a new nonprofit formed and supported by overwhelming voter approval to use tax income to fund programs addressing mental health and drug misuse prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and harm reduction in the City and County of Denver.

Texas Capital Bank is a commercial bank headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It provides financial services to businesses and individual clients across the state, including commercial and private banking, wealth management, online and personal banking, treasury and liquidity management, and mortgage financing. The bank serves industries such as real estate, energy, and healthcare, and offers lending, leasing, equipment finance, and asset-based and term loans through its business services division. With a focus on personalized service and streamlined decision-making, the bank aims to support client growth and financial needs for Texas-based companies and their leaders.

Founded in Austin, Texas in 1999, Superior HealthPlan is a managed healthcare organization dedicated to improving overall health through personalized and affordable care. It serves nearly 2 million Texans, offering nine unique products, including Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare, and foster care benefits. With over 3,000 employees, the company provides healthcare programs across all Texas counties.