Funding, Capital, and Banking

Angel Investors and Seed Money

Several groups around the Triangle and beyond offer early seed money and other tools to help you get started. These include:

• Bootstrap Advisors: Specializes in very early-stage, pre-revenue companies, with a focus on tangible, low-tech products and branding opportunities.
• Cofounders Capital Lab: Provides free lab space and helps with prototyping, vetting, and securing beta customers, supported by a $12M seed fund.
• Inception Micro Angel Fund (IMAF): A member-managed fund supporting early-stage companies with a mix of new and experienced investors.
• NC IDEA: A private foundation supporting high-growth entrepreneurial endeavors in North Carolina through a collaborative community and capital formation.
• Piedmont Angel Network (PAN): Focuses on early-stage companies in life sciences, technology, software, and advanced materials.

Venture Capital Funds and Banks

Venture capital firms and banks offer funding and support from seed money to full development. Explore options by category.

General

• Bootstrap Advisors: Develops companies from pre-revenue ideas into profitable businesses.
• Carolina Seed Investors: Invests in pre-revenue startups with strategies to reduce risk and costs.
• Madison River Ventures: Invests in early-stage companies with a focus on extraordinary entrepreneurs.
• The Launch Place: Supports new and serial entrepreneurs with capital and support systems.

Financial Sector

• Mainstream Group Holdings: Specializes in fund administration for the financial services industry.

Healthcare Technology

• Mission BioCapital: Focuses on biotech innovators.
• Cato BioVentures: Partners with entrepreneurs and biotech companies for early to mid-stage investment.
• Echo Health Ventures: Invests in and grows healthcare companies.

Software

• Bull City Venture Partners: Invests in software and internet companies.

Sustainability, Innovation, and Social Justice

• 8 Rivers: Develops sustainable infrastructure and large-scale innovations.
• SJF Ventures: Invests in high-growth companies creating a healthier, smarter, and cleaner future

Venture Funds for Women and Minorities

• All Raise: Supports female founders and funders with access, guidance, and support.
• Black Girl Ventures Foundation: Provides Black and Brown women-identifying founders with community, capital, and capacity building.
• Founder Gym: Trains underrepresented founders on raising money for tech startups.
• New Voices Foundation: Invests in companies owned by women of color with capital, access, and resources.

Explore these resources to find the support you need to start, grow, and succeed in your business endeavors.