Top 8 Kansas Fintech Startup Investors

As of 2023, the Fintech space has been estimated to generate more than $200 Billion with more than 30,000Fintech startups i n the world.

And surprisingly, Kansas is no different. The state has dozens of high-growth fintech startups such as PayIt, TrueAccord, and First Boulevard. Throughout the last 2 decades, nearly 20 international VC firms have extended their support to the startups in Kansas.

But, among all these big names, who is going to be the perfect investor for your fintech idea?

Well, let us make your job easier by presenting an accurate and well-researched list of the most active fintech investors in Kansas.

Table of content

• Get to Know The Top 8 Startup Investors Who Fund Fintech Startups in Kansas!
• Drive Capital
• Angel Capital Association
• Silverhawk Capital Partners
• Mid-America Angels
• John Fien
• Terry Kiwala
• Howard Smith
• Gerald Saltarelli
• Wrap-Up:

Get to Know The Top 8 Startup Investors Who Fund Fintech Startups in Kansas!

Drive Capital

• Contact: info@drivecapital.com
• Website: Drive Capital — Home
• Focused Sectors: Software, Fintech, Insurtech, Healthtech, Cleantech, Agtech, and Industrialization
• Funding Stages: Early and Seed
• Notable Investments: Root Insurance, Olive, Beam Dental, Branch, Duolingo
• Total Investments: 120

Drive Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2013 by Mark Kvamme and Chris Olsen. Headquartered in Ohio, the firm was established with a focus on investing in startups located in the Midwest of the United States.

When investing, Drive Capital focuses on backing visionary founders who are solving significant problems in large markets. They prefer to invest in early-stage companies, typically in Series A or B rounds, with a focus on disruptive technologies and innovative business models.

The investment range of Drive Capital can range up to $2M.

Angel Capital Association

• Contact: Contact ACA — Angel Capital Association
• Website: Home | ACA — Angel Capital Association
• Focused Sectors: Tech, Energy, and Healthcare
• Funding Stages: Early
• Present in: Kansas
• Notable Investments: Tortoise, Bungii, and TripleBlind

The Angel Capital Association (ACA) is the largest professional development organization for angel investors in North America. Their network consists of over 14,000 angel investors and they operate as batches throughout the different states of the US.

Likely, ACA’s Kansas Team is also actively investing in the state, and they fund around 10 startups every year. The investors from ACA are strictly focused on investing in the rising fintech businesses, which have the potential to at least quadruple the ROI within 24 months. .

The investment range of Angel Capital Association can range up to $250,000.

Silverhawk Capital Partners

• Contact: Contact — (silverhawkcapitalpartners.com)
• Website: Home — (silverhawkcapitalpartners.com)
• Focused Sectors: Tech, Energy, Healthcare, and Consumer Products
• Funding Stages: Early and Seed
• Notable Investments: Neptune Energy, Maxum Petroleum, and Xpress Natural Gas
• Total Investments: 80+

Silverhawk Capital Partners is a private equity firm that was founded in 2005 by Scott Rued and Rick Rees.

The firm likes to partner with founders who are experienced and have strong management teams. Silverhawk Capital Partners are mainly focused on investing in companies that have an enterprise value of over $50M and are already at the seed stage.

Since its inception, Silverhawk Capital Partners has invested in over 80 companies, with around 8 successful exits. The average check size is around $1M.

Mid-America Angels

• Contact: Contact Us- Capital Investment Network (midamericaangels.com)
• Website: Home- Mid America Angels Capital Investment Network
• Focused Sectors: Tech
• Funding Stages: Early and Seed
• Present in: Midwest
• Notable Investments: FitBark, WellSky, and ShotTracker
• Total Investments: 60+

Mid-America Angels is a prominent angel investment group founded in 2006. Ever since its inception, MAA has been focused on boosting tech-related startups by providing them with funds and guidance.

The investors from Mid-America Angels focus on early-stage companies that have a decent value proposition, a scalable business model, and a clear path to market. They are interested in startups that operate in industries where the Midwest has a competitive advantage, such as Fintech, agriculture, healthcare, and technology.

The investment range of Mid-America Angels can go up to $3M.

John Fien

• Contact: John Fien | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors: Tech
• Present In: Kansas
• Notable Investments: BacklotCars, PayIt, C2FO

John Fien is one of the biggest and most active startup investors in Kansas.

Fein prefers to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with a strong focus on technology-driven startups that are solving real-world problems. He is particularly interested in sectors such as fintech, SaaS (Software as a Service), and health tech.

As for his startup selection, John Fien mostly selects startups through social platforms, startup accelerators, and incubators. The average check size can go up to $500,000.

Terry Kiwala

• Reach Out: Terry Kiwala, CFA | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors: Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Computer, Robotics, SaaS, Banking, Financial Services, FinTech, Biotechnology, Health Care, Health Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Consumer, Consumer Electronics, Electronics, Cloud Computing, Restaurants, Cyber Security
• Present In: Illinois
• Notable Investments: Movero Technology, CSA Medical, Wimba, HandymanOnline.com, REALTECH AG, Scale Computing, bTrade.com, ViralGains, NETdelivery, Extraprise, SynergySuite, Netchex Online

Terry Kiwala is a seasoned angel investor with a strong background in business and finance. He has been actively investing in startups since the early 2000s and has a strong focus for innovation.

When making investments, Kiwala prefers to invest in early-stage startups, typically during the seed and Series A rounds. Most of his investments are in technology-driven companies, especially those in fintech, healthcare technology, and enterprise software.

Moreover, Terry Kiwala has a portfolio of more than 20 personal investments and has also had many successful exits.

The average check size from Terry Kiwala is around $200,000.

Howard Smith

• Focused Sectors: Fintech, E-Commerce, Internet, Women Founded, Women-Led, Artificial Intelligence, Crowdsourcing, Employment, Human Resources, Recruiting, Apps
• Present In: Illinois
• Notable Investments: Movero Technology, CSA Medical, Wimba, HandymanOnline.com, REALTECH AG, Scale Computing, bTrade.com, ViralGains, NETdelivery, Extraprise, SynergySuite, Netchex Online

With over two decades of experience in the startup ecosystem, Howard Smith is one of the most active investors in Kansas. Smith has a strong preference for startups that operate in the technology, renewable energy, and life sciences sectors, where he sees significant potential for innovation and market disruption.

Smith’s background is rooted in engineering and finance. He has worked with many financial institutions as a manager and also as an investor at three VC firms.

Howard Smith usually makes his startup investments through online platforms and startup events. His approach to investing is hands-on, and is known for being deeply involved in the development and growth of the companies he backs.

The investment range of Howard Smith can range up to $300,000.

Gerald Saltarelli

• Reach Out: Gerald Saltarelli | LinkedIn
• Focused Sectors: Infrastructure, Insurance, Telecommunications, Virtual Reality, Wireless, Architecture, Financial Services, FinTech, Wealth Management, Biometrics, Security, Marketing, Music, Health Care, Information Technology
• Present In: Illinois
• Notable Investments: AOptix Technologies, CultureWorx, AirClic, PlayNetwork, Alteer, Envestnet, EpicEdge, Viadux, Partnerware, Motivation Online, SWELL, Vertical Bridge Holdings

Gerald Saltarelli is also a well-regarded angel investor with a strong track record of supporting innovative startups.

Throughout the last decade, Gerald has made more than 20 investments in the fintech space, with most of the investments in Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, California, and Kansas.

As an experienced investor, Gerald Saltarelli invests in businesses that offer groundbreaking solutions to pressing global challenges. He also utilizes his experience and guides the portfolio companies when things go in the wrong direction.

The investment range of Gerald Saltarelli can range up to $500,000.

Wrap-Up:

All in all, there is no doubt that Kansas has turned out to become a hotbed for fintech businesses. And the case is quite similar with investors as well.

Starting from regular angel investors to famous VC /PE firms, there is a lot of external support for Kansas-based businesses. The only challenge that remains is to utilize this support in the right way.

So, as we are done with the list, we would advise you to conduct strong research and always give a solid presentation while pitching to these investors.

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Earlier the article was published here.