Role
The angel investors, venture capitalists, and fund managers backing Louisville's startup ecosystem.
Founder & Managing Director · Access Ventures
Founder & Managing Director of Access Ventures. Founded Render Capital. Impact investor focused on neighborhood economies and equitable opportunity in Louisville. Chair of Village Capital and Greater Louisville Inc.
President & Founder · Chrysalis Ventures
Veteran Louisville investor and son of Humana co-founder. Founded Chrysalis Ventures, a Louisville-based growth-stage venture capital firm.
Angel Investor & Startup Advisor ·
Angel investor and startup advisor who has worked with over 100 startups as an advisor, board member, or investor since 2011. Former executive at Efficient Networks through its IPO and $1.5B sale to Siemens. Mentor for over 20 accelerator cohorts in Louisville.
Principal · CompaniesWood
Early-stage investor and corporate board director based in Louisville. Former CFO and Vice Chairman of Brown-Forman. Principal at CompaniesWood, advising and investing in startups. Serves on the boards of Leggett & Platt, PPL Corporation, and the American Printing House for the Blind.
Managing Partner · Keyhorse Capital
Managing Partner at Keyhorse Capital and Executive Director of Venture Development at Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation. Founded Pivyt and co-founded Pilgrim IT. Over two decades in IT, angel and venture capital investing, and Louisville community development.
Angel Investor · Unbridled Ventures
Louisville-based angel investor with over $1M personally invested in startups. Connected with Unbridled Ventures, investing in Seed and Series A rounds. Successful exits include Hosting.com and Poseida (PSTX). Background as CEO, CFO, and CPA with expertise in cloud, SaaS, and digital advertising.
President · Regent Investment Management
Serial entrepreneur and investor in Louisville since 1991. Founded MFG Solutions and Alta Capital. President of Regent Investment Management and Chair of the Investment Committee for the Enterprise Angels Community Fund.
Senior Partner & CEO · Solyco Capital / FluidLogic
Senior Partner at Solyco Capital and CEO of FluidLogic. Decorated U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel turned tech executive. Chose Louisville for Solyco's newest office, investing in the city's growth potential.
Managing Director · Render Capital
Managing Director at Render Capital and COO of Access Ventures. West Point engineer, Bronze Star military veteran, and former CEO of LEAP. Helped launch Bunker Labs Louisville for military-connected entrepreneurs.
Founder & Managing Partner · Poplar Ventures
Founder and Managing Partner of Poplar Ventures, backing B2B SaaS companies in middle America. Over three decades of corporate development and venture capital experience. Endeavor mentor and investor in successful exits including SkuVault.
Head of Platform · Keyhorse Capital
Head of Platform at Keyhorse Capital, providing capital and support to entrepreneurs building novel solutions. Former Business Services Economic Development Manager at Louisville Forward. Bellarmine University graduate.
VP of Investor Relations · Venture First
EY Entrepreneur of the Year with 25+ years leading fast-growth companies. VP of Investor Relations at Venture First. General Partner of multiple funds including Sequel Fund and Strike Ventures. UofL College of Business lecturer and business coach.
General Partner · OCA Ventures
General Partner at OCA Ventures and Co-Founder/Chairman of XLerateHealth, Louisville's healthcare accelerator. Former Senior Managing Director at Chrysalis Ventures. Mentored 100+ startups over 30+ years. Stanford, LSE, and Harvard graduate; Fulbright and Marshall Scholar.
Global Lead, Policy Operations & Strategy · Google
Global Lead at Google and former Director of Corporate Development and Venture Capital at Humana. Based in Louisville with deep experience in venture capital, corporate development, and startup investment.
Founder & Principal · Thornton Capital
Founder of Thornton Capital, a Louisville-based family office focused on venture capital, real estate, and private equity. Former CEO and President of Thorntons, a 200-unit convenience store chain sold to BP/ArcLight in 2019. Board Chair of Endeavor Louisville.
Senior Advisor · Madison Dearborn Partners
Louisville-based Senior Advisor at Madison Dearborn Partners on the Business & Government Software team. Board member at Churchill Downs, Endeavor Louisville, and James Graham Brown Foundation. Previously at Bain Capital, McKinsey, and Goldman Sachs.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner · RSLP Ventures / Wabi Capital
Louisville-based serial entrepreneur and prolific private investor with stakes in nearly 100 companies. Co-founder of RSLP Ventures (pre-seed/seed VC) and Wabi Capital. Former founder/president of Smith Manus surety brokerage (sold to Acrisure). Board Chairman of Endeavor Louisville. Donated $2.5M to create the Brook T. Smith Accelerator at Clemson University.
Managing Partner · Porter Sablan Capital
Co-founder and Managing Partner of Porter Sablan Capital, a private investment firm helping founder-led companies grow. Over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience with a background in public accounting and transaction advisory.
Venture Capital Investor · Keyhorse Capital
VC investor at Keyhorse Capital, combining hands-on startup experience with early-stage investing to back founders driving growth and innovation in Kentucky.
Partner · Bluegrass Alpha Partners
Partner at Bluegrass Alpha Partners. Previously CEO of Dealer Trade Network. MBA in Finance & Strategic Management from Purdue University, degrees from Bellarmine University.
Angel Investor & Board Member · Venture First
Active angel investor since 2000 with investments in 22 startups and multiple successful exits including Zirmed, Telapoint, and Vita-Stat. Former senior manager at IBM. Board member at Venture First.
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