Next Level Ventures
Venture capitalDes Moines · Seed–Late Stage · 16 people tracked
Also known as NEXT LEVEL VENTURES, LLC
Investment thesis
Next Level Ventures invests between $0.5 million and $5 million per company, backing businesses from seed through growth stage across a range of industries. The firm runs two flagship strategies: Curql Funds, which foster partnerships between fintech companies and credit unions, and Iowa Funds, which provide capital to technology companies across diverse sectors. Beyond providing capital, the firm takes an active role in supporting portfolio companies through financial, operational, and networking assistance. While delivering returns to investors is a core measure of success, the firm also emphasizes meaningful contribution, supporting both entrepreneurs and the organizations that incubate promising ideas.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 11, 2026.
Team · 16 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 37 of 62 portfolio companiesSaaS ×13Fintech ×12Enterprise Software ×11Healthtech ×7AgTech ×6AI & Machine Learning ×6Data & Infrastructure ×4Biotech ×3
HQs:United States×34
Investments · 62 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2024 · 12020 · 22019 · 12015 · 15 dated
HealthtechAnkeny, US
Lucas Anthony Bland(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Scott David Yegge(Director, Promoter)Teresa Ann Sieck(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Scott Andrew Wallace(Director, Promoter)Scott Pierson Hoekman(Director)
Board seatScott Hoekman· per SEC Form D · $2.5M raise · filed May 2015
Pitchly offers a data enablement platform with data pipeline, data workspace, and data productivity tools that automate data workflows to save time and improve performance for business teams.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSDes Moines, US
Ryan Gerhardy(Co-founder & CEO)Michael Brook(Co-founder & CPO)
BoardMatthew Paulson(Director)Wendy Batchelder(Director)
Board seatScott Hoekman· per SEC Form D
Ag Startup Engine is an investment and support organization that connects early-stage agricultural startups with investors and industry partners.
AgTechIowa, US
Joel Harris(Executive Director)Colin Hurd(Co-Director)Kevin Kimle(Co-Director)
Allure Security detects and removes digital impersonation threats targeting brands, including phishing sites, fake social profiles, and deepfakes, operating outside traditional network perimeters.
CybersecurityWellesley, US
Salvatore Stolfo(Executive Officer, Director)David J. Murphy, III(Director)Richard Grinnell(Director)Mark Jaffe(Executive Officer, Director)
Bankjoy is a digital banking platform that enables community banks and credit unions to deliver digital experiences comparable to large banks.
FintechTroy, US
Mike Duncan(Founder/CEO)in
BlastPoint provides software that transforms data into actionable intelligence for organizations, helping them drive growth while considering long-term impacts and protecting against unintended harms from data-driven decisions.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwarePittsburgh, US
Tomer Borenstein(Director, Executive Officer)Alison Alvarez(Founder)Tony CebzanovKelsey Hall(Director of Operations)
BoardDoug Neal(Director)Michael Perrin(Director)
Caribou is an auto refinancing platform that helps drivers reduce their car loan payments by connecting them with competitive rates from local and community lenders.
Fintech
Certintell delivers remote clinical support for chronic and behavioral health conditions to community pharmacies and health centers through telehealth, patient outreach, care coordination, and clinician collaboration.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaSWindsor Heights, US
Benjamin Lefever(Executive Officer, Director)Moshe Klestizick(Executive Officer)Thomas T. Hamilton(Director)Frederick Merritt(Director)
BoardBarry Adams(Director)Michael Morrison(Director)
Distynct offers the Barn Alarm, a device that gives farmers remote visibility of their farm operations without installing new wires or probes.
AgTechHardwareIoTAmes, US
Bradly J Brugman(Executive Officer, Director)BJ Brugman(Founder & CEO)
BoardJustin Van Wert(Director)Ben Williamson(Director)
Dryland Genetics develops improved varieties of proso millet, a drought-resistant grain crop designed to produce food sustainably with less water in increasingly arid climates.
AgTechClimate TechFoodTechAmes, US
DUANE HARRIS(Director)JAMES SCHNABLE(Director)ROGER UNDERWOOD(Director)PATRICK SCHNABLE(Executive Officer, Director)TOM HOEGEMEYER(Director)JEFF TAYLOR(Director)
Dwolla provides a modern API platform that enables businesses to connect to US payment networks and facilitate fast bank transfers.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSDes Moines, US
Ben Milne(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardCraig Ibsen(Director)Jonathon Triest(Director)Albert Wenger(Director)
Equipifi provides flexible payment infrastructure that enables banks and credit unions to offer real-time purchasing power to their customers under their own brand.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSScottsdale, US
Bryce Deeney(Founder)Colleen Shannon(Executive Officer)
BoardGregg Scoresby(Director)Mary Keegan(Director)Jeff Liesendahl(Director)Lou Alexander(Director)
Des Moines, US
Steven Brockshus(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardAmanda Donohue-Hansen(Director)
Genvax Technologies develops mRNA and nanoparticle-based vaccines for livestock, focusing on custom, herd-specific formulations that aim to improve speed and precision compared to conventional vaccine platforms.
AgTechBiotechHealthtechAmes, US
Joel Harris(Co-founder)inDr. Hank Harris(Co-founder)DL Hank Harris(Director)Scott Holmstrom(Director)
Greenlight offers a debit card and mobile app for children that enables parents to set spending limits, automate chores and allowance management, and monitor transactions in real-time.
ConsumerFintechAtlanta, US
Gross-Wen Technologies (GWT) develops the patented RAB algae-based system to treat municipal and industrial wastewater, recovering nutrients from the water and recycling the nutrient-rich algae into slow-release fertilizer.
AgTechBiotechCircular EconomyCleantechClimate TechSlater, US
Martin Gross(Executive Officer, Director)David Furbush(Executive Officer, Director)Zhiyou Wen(Executive Officer, Director)Darren Jarboe(Director)Max Gangestad(Chief Operating Officer)Dr. Martin Gross(Founder and CEO)
Mastery is an adaptive learning platform that prepares students for professional licensing exams such as the NCLEX and dental board exams through expertly-written questions and personalized study paths.
EdTechHealthtechCoralville, US
Jeff Benjamin(Director)Benjamin O'Connor(Executive Officer, Director)Richard Ferguson(Director)Bruce Lehrman(Director)Al Ruffalo(Director)Joseph Whitters(Director)
Hummingbirds is a creator platform that connects food and beverage brands with creators across 60+ cities for retail campaigns in grocery stores.
Creator EconomyMarketing TechMarketplacesRetail TechSaaSDes Moines, US
Emily Steele(Co-Founder & CEO)Charise Flynn(Co-Founder & COO)
Brings connected, intelligent solutions to the built environment to drive building automation and energy efficiency
Johnston, US
Sean McMurray(Director)Jim Fogt(Director)Dwight Stewart(Chief Technology Officer)Steven L'Heureux(Chief Executive Officer)
BoardScott Hoekman(Director)
iotaMotion develops robotic systems for cochlear implant surgery, assisting otolaryngologists in achieving precision beyond human capability.
HealthtechMedical DevicesRoboticsSt. Paul, US
Marlan Hansen, MD(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Lobinsky(Executive Officer, Director)Marlan Hansen(Executive Officer, Director)Christopher Kaufmann(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardWayne Wallace(Director)Michael Crook(Director)
MakuSafe develops wearable technology aimed at improving workplace safety and productivity.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareIoTSaaSWest Des Moines, US
Gabriel Glynn(Executive Officer, Director)Todd Sutphen(Executive Officer)Mark Frederick(Executive Officer)Tom West(Executive Officer)Bryon Snethen(Director)
BoardHank Norem(Director)
Maxwell provides software solutions for mortgage lenders, including point-of-sale, loan fulfillment, and due diligence tools designed for small to midsize community lenders.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechPropTechSaaSDenver, US
Evan Einhorn(President & Founder)John Paasonen(Co-founder & CEO)Rutul Dave(Co-Founder / CTO)
BiotechSt. Joseph, US
Joel Harris(Director)Kevin Fields(Director)Jennifer Filbey(Executive Officer, Director)John Howard(Director)
MSUITE provides software for MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) contractors to standardize and automate fabrication workflows across BIM design, shop production, and field installation.
Construction TechSaaSCedar Rapids, US
DAVE BROWN(Director)KEN BROWN(Director)BRITTON LANGDON(Executive Officer, Director)
Mason, US
Michael Oppy(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardIsaac Saldana(Director)Ryan Gorney(Director)Martin Walker(Director)Alice Ann Schwartz(Director)
Miami Beach, US
Alexander Lopatine(Executive Officer)Harry J Flood(Executive Officer, Director)Cian Cotter(Director)Peter Sobiloff(Director)Scott W Killoh(Executive Officer, Director)David J Wright(LLC Manager)
Provision IAM is a cloud-based identity and access management platform designed specifically for community banks and credit unions to automate user access provisioning, policy enforcement, and compliance tracking.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareFintech
RenoFi is a fintech platform that enables credit unions to offer home equity loans and HELOCs based on after-renovation property values to homeowners financing renovation and construction projects.
FintechPropTechPhiladelphia, US
Justin Goldman(Co-Founder & CEO)inRobert Shedd(Executive Officer, Director)Lee Miller(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardSamanttabhiram Das(Director)Brendan Dickinson(Director)
Roboflow provides tools for developers to build and deploy computer vision applications, including image annotation, model benchmarking, and dataset management.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareSan Francisco, US
Joseph Nelson(Founder)inBrad Dwyer(Founder)in
BoardDavid Sacks(Director)Crystal Huang(Director)
Tractor Zoom operates equipment marketplace and valuation platforms (Tractor Zoom Pro and Anvil Pro) that provide real-time price data, market intelligence, and sales workflow tools for agricultural and heavy equipment.
AgTechData & InfrastructureMarketplacesWest Des Moines, US
Kyle McMahon(Founder / CEO)Zac Sandvig(Chief Financial Officer)Mike Meyerring(Chief Revenue Officer)
BoardKen Woody(Director)Douglas Hohner(Director)Tim McMahon(Director)
Rows marked “SEC filing” are inferred from directors named on the company's SEC Form D — public regulatory data, not a portfolio list published by the firm.
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesPatientFi · intelligence360.news · Jul 23, 2026
Makusafe_ · intelligence360.news · Jul 22, 2026
Caribou · thecounty.me · Jul 16, 2026
Greenlight · cuinsight.com · Jul 15, 2026
Hummingbirds · finance.yahoo.com · Jun 22, 2026
equipifi · fintechfutures.com · May 15, 2026
Bankjoy · fintech.global · Oct 14, 2025
Clutch · aimgroup.com · Feb 24, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Next Level Ventures invest at?
- Next Level Ventures invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth, Late Stage stages.
- What is Next Level Ventures's typical check size?
- Next Level Ventures typically writes checks of $500K – $5M.
- What sectors does Next Level Ventures focus on?
- Next Level Ventures focuses on AgTech, AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Data & Infrastructure, E-commerce, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Healthtech, HR Tech, Media & Entertainment, Medical Devices, SaaS, Sector Agnostic, Wellness & Fitness.
- Where is Next Level Ventures located?
- Next Level Ventures is headquartered in Des Moines, US.
- Does Next Level Ventures lead rounds?
- Next Level Ventures typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Images
Co-investors · 10
Primetime Partners is an early-stage venture capital fund that incubates and invests in companies transforming the quality of living for older adults, focused on the longevity economy.
Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm known for backing bold, contrarian bets in world-class teams that can reshape entire industries.
DST Global is a global internet-focused investment firm that backs fast-growing, high-value internet companies. It does not solicit or accept retail investors.
Fusion Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm backing startups with technical or data advantages in healthcare, enterprise AI, and industrial technology.
Portage is a global fintech and financial services investment platform that partners with companies across all stages, providing flexible capital alongside a network of investors, commercial partners, advisors and value creation experts.
Brewer Lane Ventures is an early-stage venture firm backing founders reinventing financial services, insurance, and healthcare, including how consumers and companies engage with these services and how risk is assessed and managed.
M25 is an early-stage venture firm based in Chicago that invests exclusively in tech startups headquartered in the U.S. Midwest. Since 2015 it has become the region's most active investor, using an analytical scorecard approach to screening startups.
Sure Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm that backs mission-driven, rapidly growing technology companies at their earliest stages.
Rebalance Capital Ventures invests in FinTech and WorkforceTech startups. The firm focuses on early-stage companies that advance economic mobility.
Firms observed investing alongside Next Level Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Next Level Ventures's recorded portfolio.
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