Authored by Nathaniel Harding, Cortado Ventures Managing Partner
What happens when 30+ venture capital firms, hundreds of founders, and a coalition of policy, academic, and ecosystem leaders converge on Tulsa for three days? You get MidCon ‘25 — a summit that’s as practical as it is ambitious, laser-focused on what’s next in capital, culture, and company-building.
I was blown away by the hospitality and vibrancy of the venture ecosystem in Tulsa, drawing so many who are curious about this third wave of innovation. In a world of digital meets physical — where bits meet atoms — the Midcontinent is leading the way.
The idea for the Midcontinent Venture Capital Summit was born from a simple idea: how do we get the region’s best builders and backers in a room together to spur nascent innovation? The Midcontinent has many advantages and is a natural home to a certain type of tech entrepreneurship. So many founders who come from legacy industries are leaving their day jobs to start tech companies, and angels, VCs, and allocators are looking to the region as a “domestic emerging market.” Coming together in a meaningful way supercharges this trend.
This wasn’t just another tech conference. MidCon was a proving ground for ideas, a matchmaking arena for startups and investors, and a policy-forward forum advancing innovation between the coasts. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of what we learned, who showed up, and what’s next.
The Summit at a Glance
- Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 22–24, 2025
- 450+ founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders
- 30+ VC firms, hundreds of founders and tech workers
- 35+ public and private organizations
The summit offered something for each stakeholder. See below a breakdown for founders, investors, ecosystem builders, and talent managers.
For Founders: Build Smart, Scale Real
Investor-Friendly Software Solutions
Tammy Torkelson (Indigo Technology) and Matt Hickman (Plains Ventures) laid it out plainly: you’re not just building code — you’re building a business. Investors want three things: people, product, and profit. The Playbook breaks this down into hiring strategies, build-vs-buy decisions, and even what early-stage software budgets should look like (hint: MVPs from $5K–$20K, full custom dev $150K+).
A critical reminder: Free users don’t equal traction. Early paying customers — no matter how small — are the cheat code.
Overcoming Financial Trauma
Cherelle Cohens caught attention with one truth: financial baggage kills good companies. Her framework for shifting from scarcity to sustainability includes financial planning tools, trauma-informed self-audits, and strategic debt management. The insight here is personal — because that’s where founders often trip first.
For Investors: Better Diligence, Better Dealflow
Team Design is the New Due Diligence
ACT House’s Dominick Ard’is introduced the ACT framework (Architect, Creative, Techie) to assess team composition. It turns out startups with balanced teams across these archetypes raise more, grow faster, and burn out less. It’s time we stop betting on charisma and start betting on data-backed founder design.
Dealflow Roundtable
If you’re still relying on pitch decks and cold Airtables, you’re doing it wrong. The team from gener8tor shared how they curate dynamic, filtered, and investor-thesis-aligned dealflows that respect both sides’ time. The takeaway? Frictionless matchmaking powered by context — and a strong human network.
For Ecosystem Builders: Tulsa as a Blueprint
Building What’s Next
Devon Laney of Gradient showed us how place-based innovation can scale without Silicon Valley’s overhead. The metrics speak for themselves: $1.4B in 5-year impact, 3,800+ jobs created, 479 businesses supported. Tulsa’s Gradient model offers mid-sized cities a playbook of their own — one that blends capital, culture, and community.
Oklahoma’s Innovation Edge
Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell’s kickoff keynote was personal, proud, and packed with policy. From being #3 in GDP growth to launching space innovation partnerships, Oklahoma is playing offense. As he put it: “We’re not the next Austin or Nashville. We’re the Modern Frontier.”
The Human Edge: Brand, Talent, and Culture
Authentic Brands in an AI World
Robot House’s Brian Winkeler made one thing clear: authenticity isn’t aesthetic — it’s effort. From defining founder motivations to embedding story in design, this session was a masterclass in making people feel your mission.
Finding and Keeping Talent
HoganTaylor’s team laid out hiring roadmaps, retention levers, and why culture isn’t ping-pong — it’s behavior reinforced by systems. Sixty percent of startup failures trace back to people, not product. This session alone could save you a round of layoffs or a founder breakup.
Bonus Tracks: Where the Edges Got Sharp
- Level Up Your LinkedIn: Naoma Serna-Zahn and Kelsie Downs broke the platform down into a growth engine. If you’re not posting at least once a week, you’re invisible.
- Angel Investing Opportunity: Five panelists unpacked risk, returns, and why Midwestern angels don’t need to chase unicorns to win.
- The Great AI Rethink: Mike Noshay flipped the script: AI isn’t about tools — it’s about problems. Assistants save minutes; agents save companies.
The opening reception of MidCon ’25 set the tone for an ambitious, future-focused summit. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols IV welcomed attendees with a personal reflection on what makes Tulsa uniquely suited for innovation. In Tulsa, he shared, you’re never more than a phone call away from decision-makers — it’s a city where relationships drive results, and where people invest both time and capital to lift each other up. As Tulsa’s first African-American mayor, Nichols also acknowledged the city’s complex history, including the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, and the continued efforts to build a more inclusive, opportunity-rich community. Following his remarks, Josh Pherigo of Silicon Valley Bank provided an overview of the current venture capital landscape. While overall venture funding remains down — still roughly half its recent peak — and Series A rounds are taking longer to close, there are signs of life: the IPO market is beginning to thaw, and fundraising is slowly ticking up. Notably, the Midcontinent region has outperformed national trends, with strong momentum in frontier tech — particularly in energy, infrastructure, and deep tech. Malachi Blankenship of Tulsa Innovation Labs then shared how the city is doubling down on strategic partnerships with corporations and startups to accelerate product-market fit. TIL’s work, including its contributions to Tulsa’s EDA tech hub designation, is advancing clusters in energy, aerial mobility, and cybersecurity. The evening culminated with Jim Cantrell, a founding member of SpaceX, whose behind-the-scenes stories about the early days with Elon Musk captivated the crowd. His long-range vision for space technology over the next century emphasized the same spirit of bold ambition that first defined America’s space race. One of the most powerful moments came from Jim Bridenstine, who reminded us that Tulsa’s original oil barons weren’t just energy pioneers — they were early aerospace backers, recognizing the economic and strategic value of flight. That same frontier spirit is alive today, now fueling a new era of space innovation in the heartland.
The Big Themes from MidCon ‘25
1. Practical Venture Building
From “Building Investor-Friendly Software” to “Establishing an Investment-Grade Business,” sessions focused on execution — not hype. Founders walked away with actionable tactics across tech development, hiring, fundraising, and financial ops.
Cost Ranges for Early Software Development
2. The Angel Opportunity
The Angel Investing panel debunked myths that Midwestern startups must chase billion-dollar exits. Panelists stressed quality over quantity, building relationships, and investing with conviction even in down markets.
3. Authenticity Over Automation
In a world awash in AI and automation, brand-building sessions like “How to Build an Authentic Brand” and “Level Up Your LinkedIn” urged founders to double down on story and soul. The best pitch decks in Tulsa weren’t just polished — they were personal.
4. Team Design as Due Diligence
ACT House presented compelling data showing that startups with balanced teams (Architect, Creative, Techie) outperformed peers in funding, survival, and job creation.
ACT Team Structure Outcomes
5. Unlocking Innovation Capital
Jennifer McGrail of OCAST walked founders through a layered map of local, state, and federal funding — including Oklahoma’s competitive grant programs, SBIR/STTR, and SSBCI.
Top Resources Mentioned
The Future is Midcontinent
Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell underscored why Oklahoma is poised to lead the next wave of American innovation — across aerospace, energy, and emerging tech.
Oklahoma By the Numbers
- Net Migration Rank, #8 nationally
- Wind Energy Production, #3 in the U.S.
- Aerospace Economic Impact, $44B+ annually
- STEM Degree Growth (10 years), 47%
- CareerTech Participation, 500,000+ students
- Job Creation Rank, top 10 nationally
Final Thoughts: Building What’s Next
MidCon ’25 closed with a clear message: the Midcontinent is leading growth in venture capital and tech innovation. Over three days in Tulsa, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders shared practical insights, formed new partnerships, and laid the groundwork for real progress. From deep tech to capital strategy, the conversations were focused and forward-looking. The summit didn’t just highlight what’s happening — it helped accelerate it. The energy, alignment, and momentum coming out of MidCon ’25 will shape what’s next for startups and venture capital in the region.
If you missed MidCon ’25, the good news is the momentum hasn’t stopped. The insights, introductions, and investment theses are still reverberating across the country — and setting the stage for what’s next. Join us next year, September 2026, for our next Midcontinent Venture Capital Summit. Better yet, pitch your city to be the next host! Collaborate with us. Email Simone at ssparks@cortado.ventures.
Thank You
A huge thank you to Simone Sparks, Cortado Ventures Marketing, Communications and Event Manager, and MVCS Director, for her outstanding expertise in planning and executing the MidCon Summit. Her talent for envisioning the week of events and creating an unforgettable experience is evident, and her professionalism lifts all around her. Thank you to our sponsors for making it possible, and our volunteers for working every element of the Summit to ensure everything went smoothly. I especially appreciate our friends at Gradient and Devon Laney for rolling out the red carpet in Tulsa, and Atento Capital and Michael Basch for partnering to bring scores of VCs and founders as part of GridX — a wildly successful program to connect deep tech companies with Tulsa. Finally, thank you to Alex Lobodiak for creating insightful notes from the entire summit culminating in a Summit Playbook, enabling us to track the experience and share with others.
Interested in bringing this energy to your city or network?
Contact: Simone Sparks — ssparks@cortado.ventures