Jackson has shown a promising startup scene and continues to become a tech hub. The city is home to 153,000 people and is the most populous city in Mississippi.

In the previous five years, there have been various startup events hosted by Microsoft TechSpark, The Bean Bath and Innovate Mississippi. Similarly, several venture capital firms and angel investors want to boost startup growth by providing the required funding and guidance.

Thinking about how you can find and connect with these investors?

Well, let's wait no longer and jump to the list of the top 4 angel investors in Jackson and ways to connect with them.

Top 4 Angel Investors in Jackson

Following is the list of top-ranked angel investors and venture capital firms that fund startups in Jackson.

Sequoia Capital

Website: Home | Sequoia Capital

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech

Investment Stage: Early, Late and Seed

Sequoia Capital is one of the biggest venture capital firms that funds startups worldwide. After funding startups in various other cities, the network has also established its presence in Mississippi. It was founded by the entrepreneur Don Valentine in 1972 and had been focusing on growth-based ventures ever since.

They fund deserving ventures through fundraisers, pitching competitions and startup events. The network consists of around 100 investors, all focused on finding a startup with massive growth potential and problem-solving ideas.

As for their mentorship programs, they have announced Sequoia Open Source Fellowship, which pairs technical women across its portfolio companies and Sequoia Spark Fellowship for female entrepreneurs.

Sequoia Capital's investment range can range up to $10M, depending on the startup type. Some of their recent famous investments are:

Airbnb: A marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations. Airbnb provides a new and secure way to travel, providing a more personalized experience. Sequoia Capital invested in Airbnb's seed round.

Stripe: A technology company that builds economic infrastructure for the Internet. Stripe enables businesses to accept payments and manage their businesses online.

DoorDash: An on-demand food delivery service that connects people with the best in their cities. DoorDash empowers local businesses and generates new ways for people to earn.

Zoom: A remote conferencing services company that provides a reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars.

Grits Capital

Website: Grits Capital | Growth Capital for MS

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Healthcare, Online Video Streaming, and Consumer Products.

Investment Stage: Early and Seed

Grits Capital is an angel investment network founded by the famous entrepreneurs Mark McCreery and Alan Lange. The network was founded in 2012 and has funded 30 startups, most at the early stage. With headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi, the firm seeks to invest in growth-related ventures that can sustain double-digit growth.

When funding startups, Grits Capital follows a very careful approach, including several screening tests. They conduct pitching competitions and fund startups that can at least generate 4-5x ROI within 36 months of the initial investment.

Once Grits Capital has funded the startups, they also provide them with the required guidance. The network consists of around ten experienced mentors and conducts mentorship programs, guiding their portfolio companies.

The investment range of Grits Capital ranges from $250,000 to $10M, with most of their previous fundings being around $4M. Notable investments in their portfolio are:

Zeel: Zeel is a rapidly growing global wellness brand that created Massage On Demand. It was the first company to bring same-day, in-home massages to its customers, with over 11,000 licensed massage therapists.

Aloe Care: Aloe Care Health provides a voice-activated medical alert and communication system for older adults and caregivers. It's the world's first comprehensive solution to address important issues in supporting independent older adults. Aloe Care Health has raised $5M in funding.

TRIPP: TRIPP is a digital psychedelic platform that promotes emotional well-being and transformative states. The platform leverages mindfulness structures, targeted sound frequencies, visuals, and interactions administered through virtual reality. TRIPP has raised $11.2M in its latest funding round.

StreamMetrics: StreamMetrics was a measurement and data analytics company that measured audiences across streaming channels and platforms, focusing on live-stream and esports viewership. Tradeswell acquired it in October 2020.

The Mississippi Angel Network

Website: Mississippi Angel Investor Network • Innovate Mississippi

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Fintech, Healthcare, Real Estate and Software. 

Investment Stage: Early and Seed

The Mississippi Angel Network was administered by Innovate Mississippi in 2001. It is a venture capital firm headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Since its inception, the network has funded around 50 startups and consists of 10 investors.

During the screening tests, Mississippi Angel Network conducts rigorous pitching competitions and allows around 120 companies to pitch to investors. The investors only focus on Mississippi-based startups that have innovative startups that can solve real-time problems.

As an early-stage venture fund, the network also arranges networking events and mentorship programs. The investment range of Mississippi Angel Network ranges from $250,000 to $800,000. Some of their famous investments are:

The Skin Consult: The Skin Consult is an online skincare platform designed to offer personalized skin solutions through a curated and vetted platform. It enables med spas, dermatologists, and facial plastic surgeons to sell skin care services. The company was founded in 2020 and has raised a total of $507.5K in funding over three rounds.

PVS Financial Coaching & Services: Also known as Prospective Vision Solutions, this institute provides financial literacy education. The company raised $17.5K in a seed round on July 28, 2022.

WonderWindow: WonderWindow is a construction firm that manufactures high-performance windows, providing net-zero energy savings. They have raised a total of $134K in funding over five rounds.

Navagis: Navagis is a platform developer for creating maps designed for decision-makers and operators. Founded in 2008, Navagis raised $1.5M in a debt round on January 26.

VentureSouth

Website: Home - VentureSouth

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech, Consumer Products and Healthcare. 

Investment Stage: Seed

VentureSouth is also one of the famous venture capitalists founded by Matt Dunbar, Charlie Banks and Paul Clark in 2014. Since its inception, the network has funded over 100 companies at the seed stage. The investor panel consists of 10 experienced investors who invest in the startups with the highest growth potential.

Similarly, VentureSouth organizes monthly screening tests where angels hear pitches from the strongest companies. These pitches typically last 12-15 minutes, followed by about 15 minutes of Q&A.

During the selection stage, the firm only invests in companies that are based in the Southeastern United States and led by a talented and resourceful management team. They also value startups that have initial revenues or are at the market entry stage with demonstrated customer demand and a business model that can scale quickly.

Aside from investments, VentureSouth also has an experienced network of mentors to guide their portfolio companies at different startup stages.

VentureSouth's investment range ranges from $250,000 to $1M. Some of their notable investments include:

Bublish: A platform that provides authors with technology and services to publish, promote, and track their work. They offer tools for social media marketing, book creation, and analytics.

Gradient Health: A healthcare technology company that uses artificial intelligence to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostics in the healthcare industry.

KWIPPED: An online marketplace offering rental, leasing, and lease-to-own options for a wide range of commercial equipment.

Plantd: A company specializing in building materials, particularly engineered plant-based materials that are durable and environmentally friendly.

How To Connect With Angel Investors?

Even when you find the perfect match for investment, it might be confusing to find the best way to connect with the specific investor.

Generally, the best way to connect with angel investors is by meeting them through networking events or pitch competitions. This can be done by:

Attending Startup Events

When attending a startup event, always have a business card that describes your business and the services/products your startup offers. You can always meet with such investors and get their opinions about your startup and understand what kind of business they would love to invest in.

Later on, during pitching competitions, entrepreneurs can utilize this information and answer the questions of investors in the best way.

Referrals

Living in the business community, entrepreneurs make new connections every day. If the investor from a VC firm is somehow connected to you or your friend, don't forget to utilize this connection and introduce your startup.

Although it might be difficult to connect with your investors, understanding their preferences before screening tests is a great way to secure an investment.

Wrap Up

So, there you have the list of top angel investors in Jackson.

While some investors are based inside Jackson, it is important to understand that many VC firms fund Jackson-based startups as their exterior funding campaigns.

Regardless of the firm's location, always remain confident during the screening test and show the investors why your startup is a profitable investment.

Good Luck!

Frequently Asked Questions