VC & Angel Groups

With a focus on bringing the Triangle’s inclusive growth to the national stage, 2ndF aims to establish minority education programs, drive more growth in the tech sector, and invest in early-stage startups at both the angel and venture levels. The organization was founded in 2022 by Raleigh entrepreneur Bill Spruill, co-founder of the now-exited Global Data Consortium. Read more TechWire coverage here.

Based in Durham, Acorn Innovestments funds early-stage environmental and advanced materials startups. In addition to capital, the firm also provides business development services, financial and investment services, advising and consulting.

RTP-based Alexandria Venture Investments provides seed funding to novel drug discovery platforms, diagnostics, medical technologies and bioinformatics-driven healthcare solutions. The funding program started in 2019 when Alexandria absorbed its former AgTech Accelerator, transforming the concept into a new seed-stage VC platform and in-house incubator (Alexandria LaunchLabs). Funding opportunities are sourced from Alexandria LaunchLabs and Alexandria’s national network. More TechWire coverage here.

Raleigh-based Anchor Capital follows a liquid private equity strategy to invest in companies with long-term intrinsic value. The firm’s team includes former business executives from both private and public companies.

Alumshares is a platform that enables university alumni to invest in spinout companies from their alma mater. The Raleigh-based startup recently led a $1.6 million Series A funding round for Lindy Biosciences, a biotech company that started with technology licensed from Duke University. They’ve also partnered with NC State’s Wolfpack Investor Network for investments. More TechWire coverage here.

Led by Triangle investor Steven Lerner, Chapel Hill-based Blue Hill Group is a private equity investment firm that funds companies with promising tech solutions.

Durham venture capital firm Bootstrap Advisors invests in idea-stage startups that have low-tech, consumer-oriented products with high branding potential.

A Durham fund that primarily invests in seed and early-stage software and internet startups. BCVP has a reputation for its early leads in some of the region’s most fastest-growing startups, like Zift Solutions and Spiffy. More coverage here.

Durham-based Cato BioVentures is the venture capital arm of privately held Cato Holding. The firm focuses on biotech, pharmaceutical and therapeutic solutions, and invests in both public and private companies at all stages of development.

Charlotte Angel Fund invests in a range of early-stage startups across North Carolina, including many in the Triangle area. Typical investments reach around $50,000 per company, depending on the size of the investment round. The group focuses on tech startups that are addressing a large market. WRAL TechWire coverage here.

This Triangle-based seed fund is headed by local serial entrepreneur David Gardner. The group is made up of more than 90 advisors and mentors who are dedicated to funding promising startups, as well as supporting them with prototyping, vetting and discovering beta customers. In 2021, Cofounders Capital was named North Carolina’s most active venture fund by CB Insights. Click here to read more TechWire coverage.

Durham-based Colopy Ventures is a seed-stage investor that primarily focuses on startups who are building SaaS and cloud platforms. The firm is led by local entrepreneur Joe Colopy, former founder and CEO of Bronto Software (acquired by NetSuite and later Oracle).

Raleigh-based Contender Capital is a micro-venture capital firm run by longtime VC investor Joe Velk, formerly of the North Carolina Enterprise Fund and Intersouth Partners.

Raleigh-based Excelerate Health Ventures invests in seed or early-stage startups with healthcare software or tech-enabled healthcare services that improve quality of care, workflow efficiency and patient outcomes. The firm prefers startups with a B2B SaaS model.

Founded in 2019 by graduates of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Triangle-based VC firm Front Porch Venture Partners focuses on funding early-stage startups across the Southeast. The firm’s partners include many of the region’s top startup investors, such as Idea Fund Partners, Hatteras Venture Partners and Cofounders Capital. In 2022, its inaugural fund invested in 14 venture funds and 13 startups. Read more TechWire coverage here.

Founded in 2004 and based in Research Triangle Park, Golden Pine Ventures is a local investor that funds biotech and biomedical companies developed by leading researchers. The firm seeks scientist-founded companies with technical feasibility, favorable market prospects, multiple unique products/services, strong intellectual property and active participation from scientific founders.

Headquartered in Raleigh, GreenHawk Capital focuses on both early-stage and growth equity investments across a range of industries. The firm seeks companies with capital efficient business models and a strong competitive edge.

Based in Cary, Harbright Ventures invests in early-stage companies entering the software, services, technology, healthcare and industrial markets. Investments range from seed to Series A.

Hatteras Venture Partners is a local venture capital firm that typically invests in biopharma, diagnostics, healthcare IT and medtech startups based in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast. Many portfolio companies are affiliated with universities or research institutions. More TechWire coverage here.

IDEA Fund Partners is a local VC firm that focuses on seed and early-stage companies in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast, providing early investments from $100,000 to $750,000 per round. The firm will often revisit its portfolio startups as they develop, for even more investments in future rounds.

Inception Micro Angel Fund RTP is a collective of new and successful investors in the Research Triangle Park region from a diversity of disciplines. The fund supports seed-stage ventures primarily in the Triangle (but sometimes outside the region) with high growth potential.

Established in 2022, Jemison Alexander is a Chapel Hill-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups that have at least one founder who identifies as female. With initial investments typically ranging from $250,000 to $500,000, the firm is open to companies of all sectors. However, it’s especially interested in ventures pursuing digital health, SaaS, enterprise, consumer, finance and climate solutions.

Chapel Hill-based investment management firm Julz Co invests in early-stage biotech and medical device companies with solutions serving therapeutics, diagnostics and digital health. Julz funds companies with experienced management teams and novel/proprietary products addressing vital market needs.

Jurassic Capital is a private equity firm that was created out of Colopy Ventures, led by Joe Colopy, former founder and CEO of Durham-based Bronto Software (acquired by NetSuite and later Oracle). Colopy started Jurassic Capital in October 2019 alongside former Bronto executive Kevin Mosley. The firm is focused on acquiring and investing in Southeast U.S.-based B2B SaaS startups with annual recurring revenue of $1 million to $5 million.

Launched in 2020, Chapel Hill-based Leeds Illuminate invests in growth-stage companies offering technology in early childhood, K-12, higher education and workforce development.

Durham-based Leyline Renewable Capital invests in development-stage renewable energy projects across the solar, wind power and battery storage markets. The fund has backed a few projects in North Carolina, including distributed generation and utility-scale solar energy developments. (Read more WRAL TechWire coverage here and here.)

LOUD Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on social impact. While it is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, LOUD Capital is building a presence in the Triangle. It opened an office in Raleigh in 2020 and plans to capitalize on the region’s potential.

Run by longtime business executives Steve Vanderwoude and Phil Vanderwoude, Madison River Ventures invests in e-commerce and SaaS startups based in the Triangle area. The firm seeks early-stage investments from $100,000.

Based in Raleigh, MDO Holdings is an investment and management firm focused on venture investments and commercial real estate. Several prominent Triangle-area startups are included in MDO Holdings’ portfolio.

Based in Durham, Modern Energy Group is an asset management firm that invests in startups with clean energy technologies. More TechWire coverage here.

Raleigh-headquartered NovaQuest Capital Management provides strategic capital to life science and health care companies with cutting-edge drugs, technologies and services. The group was founded in 2000 as an investment arm of Quintiles Transnational (now IQVIA).

Raleigh’s One Better Ventures advises and invests in consumer brands that make a positive impact on the world. The firm also offers services spanning business development and brand strategy, company culture, growth, globalization, and more.

Raleigh-based Oval Park Capital is a venture capital firm focused on technology and enterprise software startups in the Southeast. The firm particularly seeks early-stage startups with proprietary technologies aiming to solve costly problems in large, inefficient industries. More TechWire coverage here.

Pappas Capital, now running for 25+ years, is a Durham-based VC firm that invests exclusively in the life sciences sector. Its portfolio companies span areas of biotech, biopharmaceuticals, drug delivery and medical devices.

Founded in 2005, Raleigh-based private equity firm Plexus Capital invests in middle market, revenue-generating companies seeking capital for growth. The group typically targets companies with $10 million to $100 million in revenue, with occasional exceptions.

Durham-based Primordial launched in April 2023 to support pre-seed and seed-stage software ventures in the Triangle. The firm spun out of local VC investor Colopy Ventures, headed by serial tech entrepreneur Joe Colopy. Primordial targets business-to-business and business-to-consumer startups with recurring revenues under $500,000 per year. Less than a month after its creation, the firm announced two investments in local startups based in Durham and Raleigh.

Raleigh’s QHP Capital funds middle-market life science and pharma companies offering tech-enabled solutions to critical challenges in the medical field, such as reducing the cost of care, improving efficiency and minimizing unnecessary procedures. As of 2023, the firm has around $2.5 billion in assets under management. Read more coverage here.

The RD (Retinal Degeneration) Fund is the Raleigh-based venture arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a nonprofit in Maryland. Launched in 2018 with over $70 million under management, the fund mainly targets companies with products nearing or in the clinical testing stage. Its investments typically range from $2 million to $5 million. Read more TechWire coverage here.

Durham-based investment fund Resilient Ventures was formed in 2019 to provide funding and support for Black founders. In 2022 alone, the fund invested in 11 companies. Read more WRAL TechWire coverage here.

Formed in 2012 as an extension of UNC REX Healthcare‘s innovation initiatives, REX Health Ventures targets early-stage to mid-stage companies developing healthcare services, healthcare IT, medical devices and biopharma technology. The fund’s portfolio includes several high-growth companies based in the RTP area.

River Cities Capital Funds invests in growth-stage startups with healthcare and IT products. The firm targets companies generating over $5 million in revenue. The size of initial investments ranges from $5 million to $15 million. Though it’s headquartered in Cincinnati, River Cities has a big presence in the Triangle, with an office in Raleigh and numerous local startups on its portfolio. 

Durham investment firm River Wise Ventures aims to acquire Southeast-based companies with annual sales between $1.5 million and $20 million. Its focus is on startups in the Carolinas and Virginia.

RTP Angel Fund launched in August 2023 with $3 million raised from over 50 investors. Local VC and angel leaders associated with IDEA Fund Partners, RTP Capital and Triangle Angel Partners are involved in the fund. It targets early-stage companies seeking their first institutional backing, particularly focusing on those with the potential to deliver 10X returns. Rounds will range from $100,000 to $250,000, giving startups critical funding and additional mentorship as they scale their ventures to attract future investments. Read more TechWire coverage here.

A local seed and early-stage angel network that primarily supports tech-focused startups in North Carolina. Investments typically range from $100,000 to $500,000, and the group considers follow-on deals with startups that receive other investments from its members. The firm was recognized on The Angel Resource Institute’s list of the top 10 most active angel groups in 2016.

SJF Ventures is an impact investing VC firm headquartered in Durham. SJF typically invests $1 million to $10 million in companies focused on cleantech, sustainable agriculture, education and health, among other areas.

Founded in 2005 and based in Raleigh, Shah Capital is a sector-agnostic investing firm that centers around a “contrarian” investment philosophy with an emphasis on turnarounds and unique situations. The companies in its portfolio span a range of industries from pharmaceuticals to green energy.

SixThirty Ventures invests in early-stage startups across fintech, insurtech, privacy and digital health markets. The St. Louis-based venture capital firm has more than 75 startups and a dozen exits in its portfolio. In August 2022, the firm opened an operation in the Triangle led by Joe Darcy, a former principal at Durham-based IDEA Fund Partners.

Social Venture Circle is a Durham-based early-stage impact investing network that funds startups exploring ways to improve the environment, education and health.

This Danville, Virginia-headquartered organization expanded to Research Triangle Park a few years ago, offering local ventures access to pre-seed and seed capital. The organization also hosts an annual Big Launch Challenge, where startups pitch for a cash prize and capital opportunities.

Triangle Angel Partners (or TAP) is a group of local angel investors who are also (or have experience as) executives, PhDs, successful entrepreneurs and professional investors. TAP formed in 2011 and is actively considering new investment opportunities (as of December 2020).

Established in 2007, Chapel Hill-based TrueBridge Capital Partners provides both venture fund investing and direct investing for mid- to late-stage technology companies. They also publish an annual market analysis report covering venture capital industry trends.

The Triangle Tweener Fund is a sort of “index” targeting early-stage startups in the Triangle area. The fund mainly invests in companies featured on the Triangle Tweener List, an annual roundup of the region’s most promising tech startups compiled by local serial entrepreneur and investor Scot Wingo. The Tweener Fund launched in December 2021 with support from more than 20 Triangle-based entrepreneurs. By mid-2023, it had grown to 144 investors and deployed over $4.6 million into 72 local startups across 86 investments.

VentureSouth is an angel investor group based out of Greenville, South Carolina. The network of over 400 investors seeks to fund early-stage companies throughout the Southeast. VentureSouth typically invests between $250,000 to $1 million in startups with market-ready products and services.

South Carolina-based VentureSouth launched its first “rolling fund” in October 2021. The fund, called RollingSouth, targets early-stage tech startups across the Southeast. The team behind it has experience investing over $50 million into 82 companies through 190 investment rounds.

Launched in August 2019, Durham-based xElle Ventures is an angel network made up of women founders, executives and investors. The group has 15 founding members and a growing list of potential future members. xElle provides mentoring, marketing and loan financing to its portfolio companies.

Carolina Angel Network is an alumni base of 70,000 angel investors who are dedicated to linking UNC Chapel Hill’s entrepreneurial community with early-stage funding. The network facilitates financial transactions through a screening process, connecting student teams and companies with outside investor contacts and opportunities.

Carolina Research Ventures (or CRV) invests in seed to early-stage ventures founded by UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, trainees and staff. To date, CRV’s investments have ranged from $100,000 to $600,000, with reserves for follow-on investments. The fund is managed as a joint venture with Durham-based VC firm Hatteras Venture Partners.

Duke Capital Partners (previously known as the Duke Angel Network) funds student- and faculty-led startups, so long as the ventures have a founder, executive/board member or major investor who’s a student, alum, employee or parent. The group invests in early-stage companies, with its average contribution ranging from $500,000 to $2 million. As of November 2022, Duke Capital Partners’ portfolio features over 40 companies that went on to raise more than $900 million.

North Carolina Central University’s Eagle Angel Network was established in 2016 as a part of the Triangle Venture Alliance, a collaboration between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University and Duke University.

An arm of NC State University’s Office of Technology Commercialization and New Ventures, this fund provides up to $75,000 to short-term research projects that focus on commercial results.

Triangle Venture Alliance is a network of alumni angel groups that formed in partnership with Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State and NC Central University. The organization connects funding sources to startups founded by students, alumni, staff, faculty and families. As of 2021, the Triangle Venture Alliance has invested over $53 million into 73 portfolio companies since 2016.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Private Equity Fund is run by MBA and undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. The group was founded in 2007 and now manages more than $6 million in capital, with 46 portfolio companies, 23 exits and five dividend recapitalizations.

This group helps to provide seed and Series A equity capital to companies with some sort of NC State connection, whether it be a founder or executive who is a student, alumnus, faculty or staff member, or has licensed NCSU intellectual property. As of 2021, the group has invested $15 million since its founding in December 2016.