As a city going through its growing stages, Wichita has attracted many angel investors to help entrepreneurs build new businesses and make them flourish by using the right guidance.

Thinking about who these investors might be? How do they fund startups?

Well, let’s not keep the suspense. There are hundreds of angel investors in Wichita. While most of these investors are interested in the technology and healthcare sector, many also want to invest in something different.

To save you time, we have prepared the list of the Top 5 Angel Investors in Wichita and some tips to connect with them.

Top 5 Angel Investors in Wichita

Before contacting any angel investor from the following list, gather additional information about that specific investor/network. Not only does this help you remain confident during screening tests, but it will also increase your chances of securing the funding.

Following is the list of some of Wichita's top individual angel investors/ Investment Groups and Venture Capital firms.

Koch Industries

Website: Koch Industries

Investor Type: Angel Investor

Invests In: Construction, Technology and networks.

Koch Industries, a famous name in the conglomerate sector, has also started to fund startups all across Kansas. The multinational conglomerate corporation was founded by Fred. C Koch in the early 1940s. Since then, they have faced multiple challenges and developed as one of the biggest industries in the world.

As angel investors, Koch Industries usually funds startups related to different sectors because of their extensive experience. During the screening tests, the investors ask various questions to the entrepreneurs, examining whether they have the potential to make it big.

Once a startup passes the screening test, Koch Industries ensures that the startup can become one of the biggest names in the future. This is evident from their past investments, as most of their portfolio companies have been successful.

The investment range of Koch Industries can range up to $20M if the startup shows potential. Within their short time, the network has already invested $17 Billion in many startups. Notable portfolio names are:

PLOT: A construction communications platform. 

Volumez: A startup working to alleviate bottlenecks in the cloud environment.

Gatik: A startup specializing in autonomous trucks called Gatik.

Techstars

Website: Techstars

Investor Type: Venture Capital

Invests In: Tech

After investing in more than 3,700 startups, Techstars is the biggest pre-seed accelerator in the world. The network also operates as a Venture Capital firm and funds startups related to tech with innovative ideas.

The network was founded in 2006 by Boulder Colorado, with a mission to boost the entrepreneurial landscape of Kansas. Ever since they have provided funding to thousands of startups that had the potential to impact the markets.

Aside from their normal funding, the famous 90-Day Accelerator Program hosted by Techstars has been a game changer for many startups. Even if a startup doesn’t get selected by Techstars, the entrepreneurs can prepare a good pitch deck and pitch to other angel investors.

As a Venture Capital Firm, Techstars funds startups that are related to Cleantech, health tech, Fintech, and Web3. Once a startup receives the funding, Techstars also guides it during the different startup changes through their various mentorship programs, as they have more than 5000 mentors.

The investment range of Techstars ranges from $700,000 to $5M. Among many of their investments, some successful names include;

DigitalOcean: DigitalOcean provides developers with cloud services that help to deploy and scale applications that run simultaneously on multiple computers.

Latch: Latch is a full-service building access system provider. 

Owlet Baby Care: Owlet Baby Care is a health technology company making smart sock baby monitors that track a baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels.

Nautic Partners

Website: Home - Nautic

Investor Type: Venture Capital 

Invests In: Food, Technology, Consumer Products and healthcare.

Founded in 1996, Nautic Partners is also among the famous angel investors of Wichita. The network usually focuses on startups related to healthcare and industry products all over America. After funding 140 startups, the investors are highly experienced and conduct strict screening tests. They only fund startups that can solve real-life problems by offering services or developing products.

Moreover, the investors at Nautic Partners also understand the different challenges startups face. This is why they have experienced mentors who host mentorship programs and workshops to help startups grow in their respective fields.

The investment range of Nautic Partners ranges from $200k to $2M. They have made many investments until now. Some of their portfolio companies include;

Prince Sports: An American sporting goods manufacturing company.

Fibertech: A company that offers storage and custom rotational molding needs.

Big Train Coffee: A leading brand in the coffee industry known for its unique coffee flavors and espresso mixes.

R2C Group: Now known as Rain, it is a direct-to-consumer agency.

Patricia Brasted

Investor Type: Individual Angel Investor

Invests In: Tech and Healthcare

Patricia Brasted is one of the few individual angel investors in Wichita. She started her startup funding phase in 1994 by founding a network called Wichita Technology Corporation. As the president and founding member, Brasted has funded 40 startups, and most of them succeeded. She has also been a managing member of Midwest Ventures and Wichita Technology Ventures. 

While funding startups, Patricia Brasted carefully evaluates various factors of the startups. She mainly funds startups related to the tech and healthcare sectors, with a prime focus on startups that have unique, problem-solving ideas.

Once a startup has been funded, Brasted provides them with the required guidance to be established as a brand. She hosts several mentorship and networking events annually to help startups grow and seek investment.

The investment range of Patricia Brasted depends on the startup's growth and related field. 

Mid America Angels

Website: Mid America Angels Capital Investment Network

Investor Type: Venture Capital

Invests In: Tech, Healthcare, Data Security and agriculture.

Mid-America Angels is another investment network that funds startups all across Kansas. The network was founded in 2006 by the famous George Hansen. 

As for the screening tests, Mid America Angels has a very strict funding criterion. Before investors start questioning, there is a 15-minute presentation phase during which you have to convince the investors about your startup. If the first phase goes well and your idea looks promising, the next 15 minutes (Phase 2) is where the investors ask several questions about your idea, startup stage, estimated ROI, etc. This questioning phase aims to ensure that Mid America Angels is funding the right startup.

Once the startup passes the screening test, the investors provide the funding and guide these startups in the best way. A whole mentorship team is dedicated to providing workshops and mentorship programs to portfolio and non-portfolio companies.

The investment range of Mid America Angles ranges from 150,000 up to $3M, depending on the startup’s potential. They have invested in several companies, some of them include;

Elias Animal Health: Based in Olathe, KS, Elias Animal Health is a medical biotechnology company advancing its immunotherapies for treating canine cancers.

Hilary’s Eat Well: The company produces plant-based foods packed with allergy-friendly veggies, grains, and beans.

EyeVerify: EyeVerify is a biometric authentication startup acquired by Alibaba’s Ant Financial payments affiliate for about $70 million.

Wrap Up

So, there you have the list of top angel investors in Wichita. However, before we wrap up, allow me to share some important tips about how you can connect with angel investors.

The most important tip that will help you connect with investors is attending networking events. Networking is often the first step in making meaningful connections. Secondly, ensure your pitch is concise and clear. Highlight the problem your startup solves and your growth potential.

Moreover, Before reaching out, thoroughly research investors to ensure their interests align with your industry and stage of development. Investors always appreciate entrepreneurs who have done their homework and have ample knowledge to answer maximum questions.

Finally, always try to secure introductions through mutual contacts or mentors. A warm introduction can significantly increase your chances of getting a meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions