Investing in the Earliest Stage of Kansas Innovation
The CORE Ventures Impact Fund is CORE’s early-stage investment vehicle designed to help Kansas founders take their first meaningful step toward building scalable, job-creating tech companies. We invest $15,000 into select graduates of the CORE Pre-Accelerator using a founder-friendly SAFE with a $150,000 valuation cap.
Kansas lacks early “first-money-in” capital. This is the most critical missing piece in the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem — and it is the exact point at which we invest.
Why Early-Stage Investment Matters
Most high-potential founders never move beyond the idea phase because they lack access to small, early investments that help them validate their idea, build their first prototype, or conduct deeper customer discovery.
By investing at this stage, CORE helps lay the foundation for companies that may ultimately become future primary employers that retain and attract talent to Kansas.
Eligibility Through the CORE Pre-Accelerator
Investment Approach
Selected graduates receive:
$15,000 investment
SAFE at a $150,000 valuation cap
Target of up to ~10% equity
Ongoing advisory access through CORE’s founder support network
Not all graduates are selected. The Investment Committee reviews each graduate using a consistent, evidence-based evaluation process focused on customer insight.