Arkansas is known to be one of the most active startup hubs in the US. The city has faced a %144 increase in computer science graduates from 2012 to 2017. With the state being one of the least expensive states to live in, it is no wonder why all the entrepreneurs and investors have their eyes set on Arkansas.

Do you also want to secure funding for your startup but can’t find investors with similar interests?

Well, here is a list of the top 7 angel investors in Arkansas, along with some tips about how to pitch to investors.

Top 7 Angel Investors in Arkansas

Following is the list of some of the top angel investors and venture capital firms in Arkansas. While most of the firms and angels are located in Litte Rock, Fayetteville, and Rogers, there are still notable firms located in other cities. 

Stephens Group

Website: Stephens Group

Investor Type: Private Equity

Investment Interests: Banking, Healthcare and Tech.

Investment Stage: Early, Seed and Late

Founded in 1933 by W.R. Stephens and Jackson T. Stephens, Stephens Group is one of the biggest investment networks in Arkansas. Although they have previously operated as a banking company, Stephens Group has recently started to fund startups, most at the early and late stages.

Headquartered in Little Rock, Stephens Group usually funds startups through fundraisers or pitching competitions. With a team of 3 investors, Stephens Group usually invests in businesses that have chances of massive growth and present unique solutions.

Aside from funding, Stephens Group is also known for its fair attitude and active funding activities. The investment range of Stephens Group ranges from $5M to $75M. Some of their recent portfolio companies include:

TierPoint: TierPoint is a leading provider of secure, connected data centres and cloud solutions at the edge of the internet. They offer services such as colocation data centres, managed cloud, and recovery services. TierPoint has raised a total of $832M in funding3.

GoodLeap: Formerly known as Loanpal, GoodLeap is a finance technology company that provides financing options for the residential solar energy industry. In 2020, GoodLeap was responsible for 41% of the solar loan market in the U.S. GoodLeap has raised a total of $800M in funding.

StubHub: StubHub is an American ticket exchange and resale company. It provides services for sports tickets, concerts, theatre, and other live entertainment events. StubHub has raised a total of $59.2M in funding.

Chad Flower

LinkedIn: Chad Fowler - BlueYard Capital | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Tech, Food, Manufacturing and E-Commerce. 

Investment Stage: Seed

As a famous angel investor in Arkansas, Chad Flower also takes an interest in funding startups and boosting their growth. He has been funding startups for the past five years and has funded five companies at the seed stage.

During the screening tests, Chad Flower mainly invests in startups that can show profitability and have a unique idea. Previously, he has served as a Venture Partner at BlueYard Capital and also served as Chief Technology Officer at 6 Wunderkinder.

Some of his portfolio companies include:

Snaplet: Snaplet is a software development tool that provides developers with production-accurate data and ephemeral databases to code against. Snaplet has raised a total of $3.1M in funding.

Garden: The Garden Company Limited is a Hong Kong-based bakery and confectionery manufacturer. It was one of the first Chinese-owned businesses created to sell modern-style food products in the territory. 

Otto: Otto is a mail-order company and one of the world’s biggest e-commerce companies. Otto is primarily a retail e-commerce company, and as a shareholder, it also operates in e-commerce services.

VIC Technology Venture Development

Website: Home - VIC Tech

Investor Type: VC Firm

Investment Interests: Healthcare

Investment Stage: Early and Seed

VIC Technology Venture Development is a prominent venture capital firm that funds startups in Arkansas. The network was founded in 2000 by Calvin Goforth and has funded more than 100 startups. 

Ever since its inception VIC Technology Venture Development has always prioritized tech-related firms and provides funding through pitching competitions. From their portfolio, it is evident that the investors only prioritize startups that have in-depth analysis, competition understanding and massive growth potential. 

The investment range of VIC Technology Venture Development ranges from $50,000 to $800,000. Some of their recent portfolio companies include:

Biologics: BiologicsMD is a therapeutic development company that develops targeted therapies designed to treat hair loss and severe bone disorders. BiologicsMD has raised a total of $3.1M in funding1.

Celia Science: Celia Science brings rapid, accurate blood cell assays out of the lab and into the clinic. Their label-free technology is suitable for point-of-care settings and enables high-quality visualization and accurate quantitative measurement of all blood cell types.

Tyson Ventures

Website: Tyson Ventures: Our Food Venture Capital Firm 

Investor Type: VC Firm

Investment Interests: Food and Biotech

Investment Stage: Seed and Late. 

Tyson Ventures is a venture arm of Tyson Foods and is headquartered in Springdale. The network was founded in 2016 and has funded a total of 25 companies. 

The investors focus on startups that are related to biotech and have sustainable ideas. They also prioritize food-related startups that solve problems, such as quick delivery services or better food items.

Aside from their investment activities, Tyson Ventures hosts an annual pitch event, Tyson Demo Day, where sustainability entrepreneurs and startups are invited to pitch innovative solutions for a more sustainable food system. 

The investment range of Tyson Ventures ranges from $500,000 - $300 Million.

Clear Labs: Clear Labs is a food safety testing company that uses a robotic platform to detect pathogens like Salmone. The technology shortens the turnaround times of current methods to 24 hours from three to five days.

Future Meat: Future Meat is a biotechnology company that aims to transform global meat production through the distributive manufacturing of fat and muscle cells.

MycoTechnology: MycoTechnology utilizes fungi-based food-processing platforms to transform the flavour and value of agricultural products. 

Ark Angel Alliance

Website: Ark Angel Alliance

Investor Type: Investment Group

Investment Interests: Biotech and Healthcare 

Investment Stage: Early and Seed

Founded in 2020, Ark Angel Alliance is a network of some of the most popular angels in the state. The network was founded with a single goal, and that was to boost the startup community by providing capital and raising fundraisers. This is one of the key reasons why Ark Angel Alliance doesn't host a lot of extra startup events. 

The investment range of Arl Angel Alliance can range upto $500,000. Some of their recent portfolio companies include:

SFC Fluidics: SFC Fluidics Inc. is a medical device company with a mission to advance healthcare through its enabling microfluidic technologies. SFC Fluidics has raised a total of $1.6M in funding over four rounds.

MAIA Biotechnology: MAIA Biotechnology, Inc. is a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on the development of first-in-class drugs. MAIA Biotechnology has raised a total of $21.6M in funding over 4 rounds.

Loloft: Loloft is an industrial coworking company offering flexible micro-warehouse spaces. Loloft has raised a total of $1M in funding over 2 rounds.

Warren Stephens

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Banking and Tech.

Investment Stage: Seed

Although he is the CEO of Stephens Group, Warren Stephens still invests in startups on an individual basis. During his investment, Warren Stephens focuses on startups that are related to banking and have a profitable idea with long-term goals.

Similarly, Warren Stephens funds startups through accelerators or additional events. He likes to identify the startup potential, talk to the owners and invest accordingly. The investment range of Warren Stephens depends on the company, as he usually invests around 1M. Until now, Warren Stephens has invested in 30 companies and will continue to expand his portfolio in 2024.

Ravi Mehta

LinkedIn: Ravi Mehta - Outpace | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Tech

Investment Stage: Seed

As a prominent investor, Ravi Mehta also takes an interest in funding Arkansas-based startups. He has previously served as the managing director at Reforge and GCM Grosvenor. Thanks to his experience, Ravi Mehta has diverse knowledge about entrepreneurship and also guides his portfolio companies.

The investment range of Ravi Mehta is not disclosed as he often invests through startup events or participates in fundraisers. Some of his recent investments are:

Freshworks Inc.: Freshworks provides innovative customer engagement software for businesses of all sizes, making it easy for teams to acquire, close, and keep their customers for life.

DoorDash Inc.: DoorDash is a technology company that connects customers with their favourite local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states.

Carvana Co.: Carvana is an online platform that allows customers to research, finance, and buy used cars. The company also provides vehicle trade-ins and sells accident coverage plans.

Wrap Up

So, there you have the list of some of the top-ranked investors in Arkansas. When pitching to investors, it is recommended to research their investment interests and prepare a great pitch deck by following some good online examples.

Good Luck!

Frequently Asked Questions