We’re dedicated to fueling founders and accelerating the growth of innovation-driven companies. Explore the foundational principles that define our working relationships with entrepreneurs and discover the key elements that make for a successful partnership.
Founder Focused
Our commitment to innovative companies goes beyond capital infusion.
After all, we are not just investors – we were founders too.
Our programs are crafted to arm you with critical resources to help you save precious time and achieve great outcomes. Elevate’s relationship-driven approach with both entrepreneurs and investors fosters a collaborative ecosystem that thrives on mutual respect, growth, and success. Join us in an entrepreneurial journey where your aspirations are not just funded but nurtured.
Grit & Creativity
Three Core Pillars
Elevate Ventures intensely focuses on — Community, Capital, and Acceleration—each vital to the success of the founders we support. This approach fosters a collaborative ecosystem where entrepreneurs thrive, ideas are imagined, and outcomes are realized.
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Community
We are hyperfocused on supporting and growing our statewide innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem. Speed, collaboration and density are critically important to building intentional connectivity that propels success.
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Capital
We invest in high-potential, innovative, cross-sector companies with a total addressable market (TAM) of $500 million or more. We offer these companies the critical Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A capital needed to bring innovative ideas to life to drive high-paying jobs throughout Indiana. Elevate Ventures is committed to being an investor of choice for entrepreneurs statewide.
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Acceleration
Our commitment extends beyond investment. Elevate Ventures provides portfolio companies with mission-critical post-investment value-add services including partner network discounts, investment syndication, talent recruitment, financial hygiene, GTM best practices and more, to help them grow.
High-Growth, High-Potential, Cross-Sector, Innovation Driven
We partner with companies that are building disruptive innovation-driven companies and want to change the world. We look for meaningful innovation, specific pain points, large target markets, scalable models, and visionary leadership. Our focus is on supporting founders who are targeting a TAM of $500 million or more.
Funding Stage
We understand the unique challenges and opportunities that founders face. Whether you’re at the Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A stage, we provide more than capital—we offer strategic guidance and resources to build a strong, lasting relationship.
Cross Sector
We thrive on supporting founders across a wide variety of industries including Software, HardTech, Life Sciences, and Consumer Products. While innovation can happen anywhere, we don’t invest in Real Estate, Insurance, Oil & Gas Exploration, SME Businesses, and Professional Services.
Connect Here
ApplyElevate Origins
VIEW COURSESWe have built a collection of online entrepreneurship training courses for growth-minded individuals, founders, and startups.
Built by founders and investors, Elevate Origins provides a curriculum through the ideation process, provides tools to vet business models, and develops the material required to draft a pitch deck and successfully pitch to investors. This content has been crafted to support first-time entrepreneurs as well as those looking for at-your-own-pace refresher content. Our pitch decks have been used to raise Pre-Seed and Seed capital as well as added value to entrepreneurship curriculum in classrooms ranging from Purdue University to Indiana University.
ElevateME
We believe in on ramps to capital for all.
Elevate is investing in diverse, high-growth, high-potential entrepreneurs and companies throughout Indiana. To be eligible for funding, companies must be owned and controlled by Black, Brown, and women founders, in addition to other qualifying businesses based on geographic, demographic and/or socioeconomic factors.
National VC Investment Data in Diverse Founders
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2.6%IN MINORITY FOUNDED COMPANIESSource: Forbes
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2.3%IN FEMALE-FOUNDED COMPANIESSource: Harvard Business Review
Elevate Ventures VC Investment Data in Diverse Founders
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22%IN MINORITY-OWNED AND/OR LED BUSINESSSource: Elevate Portfolio Data
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21%IN FEMALE-OWNED AND/OR LED BUSINESSSource: Elevate Portfolio Data
We invest in cross-sector innovation-driven enterprises through our three core pillars of Community, Capital and Acceleration.
As the #1 seed and early-stage venture capital firm in the Great Lakes Region and Top 20 in the World, we are building a robust innovation ecosystem with companies, customers and mission-critical partners that fuel founders.