The U.S. Midcontinent is home to hard-to-disrupt industries, and hardy founders who can take on the challenge.
Listen to podcast episodes
Applying Systems-Thinking to Maximize Community Impact with Lynn McBee
Some communities have a universally respected and beloved behind-the-scenes leader with a Midas Touch for all things impact. If you have lived in Dallas for long, you know that person is Lynn McBee. Tune in to learn how this biochemist Superwoman simultaneously built...
College is Perfect Time to Found Your first Startup with Trevor Gicheru
While college years are associated with in-classroom learning and extracurricular partying, Trevor Gicheru proves it is also the perfect time to start your first startup. Startups require an immense amount of time and community support, but the fire-house learnings...
How to be Yourself with Investors with Kevin Moore
Most people go through their everyday lives trapped behind their own lens of the world. This lack of empathy is especially palpable when VCs are raising money from LPs and when founders are raising money from VCs, where the temptation to oversell to pick up a check as...
Bringing Canadian Founder Energy to Oklahoma VC with Matt Waraich
Moving from Vancouver, British Columbia to Oklahoma City, OK is rare enough, let alone for venture capital. According to Matt Waraich, the geographic arbitrage thesis of non-coastal venture firms is resonating in coastal markets more than Oklahomans realize. Tune in...
Dedicating Your Life to Social Impact with Ed Long
New research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) demonstrates an overwhelming negative correlation between the severity/frequency of childhood trauma and lifetime well-being outcomes. Ed Long overcame childhood trauma to pursue a Master's of Public Administration...
How Mike Beckham Sough Competition and Won Big on Amazon
Tech exit to selling "commoditized" water bottles on Amazon? Mike Beckham must be crazy! After 9 years of rapid growth with his company Simple Modern, Mike has proved his doubters wrong by leaning into competition to eliminate market risk. Tune in to hear how Mike...
The region offers unique potential for smart, technical investors who understand what it takes to succeed here and can connect innovators and industry, like Cortado.

Santa Fe, NM
deep tech
Denver, CO
energy and mobility
Kansas City, MO
manufacturing
Bentonville, AR
supply chain and logistics
Oklahoma City, OK
Cortado HQ
energy, mobility, healthcare
Dallas, TX
enterprise SaaS, healthcare
Houston, TX
energy
St. Louis, MO
enterprise SaaS

Strong Industrial Base
The region is home to major critical industries and has a foundation of legacy businesses, advanced infrastructure, and strong supply chains, creating an ideal environment for innovation.

Experienced Founder Pool
An abundance of technically skilled and operationally seasoned founders are building companies in the region.

Proximity to Customers
With many key customers situated in the region, businesses benefit from easier access to their target markets, fostering stronger relationships and quicker feedback loops.

Cost Advantages
Lower costs of doing business and living make it an attractive location for startups.

Capital Efficiency
Businesses can often achieve higher capital efficiency, maximizing ROI.

Complementary Public Funding
A strong public funding presence including “Build Back Better” Tech Hubs make the region ripe for innovation.

Location
600 N Robinson, Suite 600,
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
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