Top Ohio SaaS Startup Investors

Ohio is considered one of the leading software hubs in the US. The state has 4 notable software unicorns including 80 Acres Farms, Branch, Olive, and Root, securing billions of dollars worth of funding in the last 5 years. 

But, how do you secure funding if your early-stage SaaS startup isn’t a famous thing or doesn’t have a huge product-selling record?

Well, that’s what this article is for. To ease your search, we have prepared a list of the top startup investors in Ohio, composed of individual angel investors, VC, and PE firms. 

Let’s get things kicking!

Get To Know The Top 7 Startup Investors in Ohio Who Invest in SaaS Startups

Bessemer Venture Partners

• Website: Home - Bessemer Venture Partners
• Focused Sectors: Tech, Advanced Materials, Agriculture, Internet, Biotechnology, Food and Beverage, Organic Food, Dental, Health Care, Network Security, Information Services, Information Technology, Software, Telecommunications, EdTech, Education, Higher Education, Training, Vocational Education, Banking, Financial Services
• Funding Stages: Early - Late
• Present In: Global, with a strong presence in the United States, Europe, and Asia
• Notable Investments: Blue Apron, LinkedIn, Skype, Spotify, and Shopify
• Total Investments: 1,700+

Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) is one of the longest-standing venture capital firms, founded in 1911 by Henry Phipps. Initially formed to manage family investments, Bessemer evolved into a leading VC firm. 

Bessemer Venture Partners invest in early to growth-stage startups with a proven product-market fit, showing potential for market leadership. 

Other than the investment activities, BVP also hosts several prominent events for founders and investors, such as the Seed Summit and Cloud 100. The investment range can go up to $100 Million.

Index Ventures

• Website: Index Ventures
• Focused Sectors:  Health Care, Women Founded, Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Compliance, Cyber Security, Enterprise Software, Risk Management, SaaS, Security, Cloud Data Services, Hospital, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Employment, Management Consulting, Service Internet, Industry, Software, Information Services, Personal Finance, Information Technology, Real-Time, Sales, Big Data
• Funding Stages: Early to Late
• Present In:  London, San Francisco, and New York
• Notable Investments: Notion, Discord, Patreon, Wise, Trustpilot
• Total Investments: 1,200+

Index Ventures, a globally recognized venture capital firm, invests in both Europe and the United States by backing disruptive companies across various sectors. With offices in London, San Francisco, and New York, Index Ventures has funded over a thousand startups since their inception in 1996.

When investing in startups, Index Ventures focuses on investing in companies that have strong founding teams and the potential to disrupt entire markets. Rather than focusing solely on technological innovation, they are interested in businesses that find creative ways to transform industries.

The investment range of Index Ventures can range up to $50M.

Rev1 Ventures

• Website: Venture Capital Funding & Development Studio - Columbus, Ohio | Rev1 Ventures
• Focused Sectors: Tech, Healthcare, Internet, Fintech, Data Security, Data Management, Digital Businesses
• Funding Stages: Early and Late
• Present In: US
• Notable Investments: Redi.Health, Healthy Roster, and Updox
• Total Investments: 190+

Rev1 Ventures, based in Columbus, is a venture development studio that focuses on helping startups scale by offering capital and development services. Rev1 invests in early-stage companies, specifically in sectors like SaaS and advanced materials. 

They’ve invested in over a hundred companies, creating an impact of $5.4 billion in startup capital, revenue, and exits. Rev1 collaborates with over 60 partners across corporate, community, and state sectors, including Ohio Third Frontier. 

Their Entrepreneur Toolkit and Rev1 Labs incubator space offer expert mentorship to startups throughout different stages. ​ The investment range of Rev1 Ventures can go up to several million dollars, depending upon the startup’s estimated ROI and idea market.

Susan Williamson

• Focused Sectors:  Advanced Materials, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Food and Beverage, Organic Food, Dental, Health Care, Network Security, Information Services, Information Technology, Software, Telecommunications, EdTech, Education, Higher Education, Training, Vocational Education, Banking, Crowdfunding, Financial Services
• Present In: Ohio
• Notable Investments: NexTech Partners, Heavy Equipment Colleges of America, Cap City Dental Lab.

Susan Williamson is an angel investor and the Managing Partner at Evolution Capital Partners, where she plays a key role in driving revenue growth and transforming early-stage companies into professionally managed enterprises.

Before joining Evolution Capital Partners in 2018, she held leadership positions such as Chief Revenue Officer at Pierry Software and President of C.TRAC Inc., where she significantly scaled these businesses.

Susan primarily invests in small to mid-sized companies. The investment range of Susan Williamson lies between $50,000 to $200,000.

Tim Gosline

• Focused Sectors:  Communications Infrastructure, Information Services, Information Technology, Landscaping, Commercial, Consulting, Resorts, Restaurants, Software, Training, Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, Organic Food, Electronics, Product Design, Wearables, Apps, CRM, Gamification, Health Care, mHealth, Human Resources, SaaS, Commercial Real Estate, Enterprise Software, Marketing Automation
• Present In: 
• Notable Investments: The Marena Group, Clintar Commercial Outdoor Services, Connexient, Compana, Transporeon

Tim Gosline is a partner at The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm that focuses on the lower end of the middle market. As an investor, Gasoline focuses on funding startups at the earliest stages and helping the founders operate as international leaders.

Likewise, Time Gasoline only invests in startups that can at least generate 3-5x ROI within the first 24 months of funding and are dealing in the core SaaS markets such as improving cloud infrastructure inefficiencies. 

The investment range of Tim Gasoline lies between $100,000 and $500,000. 

Ryan Richards

• Focused Sectors: Communications Infrastructure, Information Services, Information Technology, Landscaping, Commercial, Consulting, Resorts, Restaurants, Software, Training, Food and Beverage, Manufacturing, Organic Food, Electronics, Product Design, Wearables, Apps, CRM, Gamification, Health Care, mHealth, Human Resources, SaaS, Commercial Real Estate, Enterprise Software, Marketing Automation
• Present In: Columbus and Cleveland
• Notable Investments: North American Dental Group, Performance Systems Integration (PSI), The Marena Group, Clintar Commercial Outdoor Services, Connexient, Compana.

A seasoned angel investor with a strong background in private equity, Ryan Richards brings a wealth of expertise to his investments in tech-driven sectors like SaaS, health tech, and fintech. Richards has been an active investor since 2010, particularly interested in companies at pre-seed to Series A stages.

When investing in startups, he looks for companies that display strong leadership, scalable business models, and clear paths to profitability.

The investment range of Ryan Richards is between $100,000 to $500,000 depending on the company's growth potential.

Ashley Alber

• Focused Sectors: Health Care, Medical, Medical Device, Women Founded, Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Compliance, Cyber Security, Enterprise Software, Risk Management, SaaS, Security, Cloud Data Services, Hospital, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Employment, Management Consulting, Service Industry, Software, Information Services, Personal Finance, Information Technology, Real Time, Sales, Big Data, Business Information Systems, Data Integration, Data Visualization, Apps, Financial Services, FinTech, Payments
• Present In: Ohio
• Notable Investments: Wireless Environment, Casentric, LLC, Vasolux Microsystems, BoxCast, Echogen Power Systems, Enforcer eCoaching, Milo Biotechnology, MAR Systems, ExpenseBot, ABSMaterials, Thermalin, MedPilot, SoLo Funds, OnShift, SironRX Therapeutics, Catacel, SpearFysh, Point2

Ashley Alber is an individual angel investor with a specific interest in seed and early-stage companies.

Alber has a track record of funding startups, favoring companies with experienced leadership and innovative potential. He often engages in multiple meetings before finalizing an investment, as he prefers to thoroughly assess the founders' vision and execution capabilities. 

His investment range typically falls between $250,000 and $1M, supporting early-stage startups to scale.

Wrap-Up:

In short, Ohio is home to hundreds of angel investors and VC firms. 

From the amazing software ecosystem of Columbus to the thriving industries in cities like Houston and Cincinnati, the opportunities for startups are abundant. 

If you're seeking seed funding or looking to scale, Ohio’s investors are ready to support your business and help you achieve your goals.