Keyhorse Capital, an initiative of Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), Kentucky’s leading innovation support organization, has announced that its current quarterly investment cycle is open through June 30, with $750,000 available to invest in eligible companies.
The windows for each 2022 quarterly investment cycle are:
- January 1 - March 31
- April 1 - June 30
- July 1 - September 30
- October 1 - December 31
Through Kentucky Enterprise Fund, Keyhorse Capital has been investing in the future of Kentucky since 2002, leveraging over $38 million to support 175 Kentucky companies and managing over 600 Kentucky investment transactions.
The fund makes early-stage venture capital investments in high-growth startups and entrepreneurs based in or interested in relocating to Kentucky. Companies must be in the process of building an innovative, technology-enabled product, process, or service; have developed a prototype, be seeking product-market fit, or entering an early growth stage of development; and present a well-articulated market opportunity with some level of customer validation and a strong founding team.
In the first investment cycle of 2022, Keyhorse Capital announced $730,000 of investments in companies that included:
- FreshFry: Developer of novel cooking oil filtration platform created to offer a safe and easier way to replenish and extend frying oil life
- GoodMaps: Indoor digital mapping platform improving the accessibility, safety, and productivity of indoor spaces
- OmniLIfe: Provider of a secured messaging application designed to make the organ procurement process more efficient
- OrgVitals: A culture management platform that collects, correlates, and visualizes employee and culture analytics to reveal equity, business ROI, and predict employee health
- Ujoin: Advocacy and social/public policy awareness and marketing software
- XpressRun: Last-mile delivery and e-commerce integration platform
Keyhorse Capital, KSTC, and the Kentucky Enterprise Fund have partnered with KY Innovation, a part of the Cabinet for Economic Development, to create the easy-to-navigate quarterly investment process for the state’s most promising startup companies. Together, they launched an improved public application process and statewide communication strategy to increase access and the number of investment opportunities. KEF has seen an overall 250% increase in award applications and reviews.
To learn more and apply for funding, visit: https://www.keyhorse.vc/
About Keyhorse Capital
Keyhorse Capital is a seed-stage venture capital firm focused on supporting a thriving community of entrepreneurs willing to go the distance to build and grow innovative companies. Their flagship fund, Kentucky Enterprise Fund (KEF), is focused on investing in early-stage companies based in Kentucky. Keyhorse Capital has provided financing to 375 companies over 20 years and has $40 million in assets under management. Their active portfolio of 75 companies has created more than 800 jobs and counting. Learn more at keyhorse.vc.
About KSTC
KSTC is a private, statewide non-profit corporation committed to advancing science, technology, and innovative economic development founded on Kentucky know-how. KSTC seeks to improve the capacity of people, companies, and organizations to build an innovation-driven economy in Kentucky. Learn more at kstc.org.
About KY Innovation
KY Innovation is an initiative of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development which targets resources to support startups, traditional small businesses and innovation-driven entrepreneurs across the business life-span with the aim of dramatically improving Kentucky’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and significantly increasing the number of new company startups annually. Learn more at kyinnovation.com.
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