A statewide initiative from Codefi
A statewide initiative from Codefi
The best ideas shouldn't have to leave Missouri to get funded.
The best ideas shouldn't have to leave Missouri to get funded.
The earliest, riskiest capital — the first money that turns a good idea into a company — is the hardest to find in mid-market and rural Missouri. Access to Capital closes that gap with a first-of-its-kind model that lets Missourians invest in Missouri, and keeps our best companies growing where they started.
The earliest, riskiest capital — the first money that turns a good idea into a company — is the hardest to find in mid-market and rural Missouri. Access to Capital closes that gap with a first-of-its-kind model that lets Missourians invest in Missouri, and keeps our best companies growing where they started.
Innovate SOMO Funds | Southern Missouri | Venture philanthropy
Innovate SOMO Funds | Southern Missouri | Venture philanthropy
THE PROBLEM
The hardest money to raise is the first.
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that exists in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder in a smaller community, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't down the street — it's somewhere else. Pre-seed and seed funding has been identified as the single biggest gap in Missouri's startup ecosystem.
"The funding that would turn our idea into a company isn't down the street — it's in another city."
"We had traction and still couldn't find a first check anywhere nearby."
Here's the thing
The first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere — and in a region without dense investor networks, they barely exist. The gap isn't ideas or ambition. It's the first dollars.
THE PROBLEM
The hardest money to raise is the first.
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that exists in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder in a smaller community, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't down the street — it's somewhere else. Pre-seed and seed funding has been identified as the single biggest gap in Missouri's startup ecosystem.
"The funding that would turn our idea into a company isn't down the street — it's in another city."
"We had traction and still couldn't find a first check anywhere nearby."
Here's the thing
The first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere — and in a region without dense investor networks, they barely exist. The gap isn't ideas or ambition. It's the first dollars.
THE PROBLEM
The hardest money to raise is the first.
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that exists in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder in a smaller community, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't down the street — it's somewhere else. Pre-seed and seed funding has been identified as the single biggest gap in Missouri's startup ecosystem.
"The funding that would turn our idea into a company isn't down the street — it's in another city."
"We had traction and still couldn't find a first check anywhere nearby."
Here's the thing
The first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere — and in a region without dense investor networks, they barely exist. The gap isn't ideas or ambition. It's the first dollars.
WHY NOW
The companies are ready.
Now they need capital.
For a decade, Codefi built the pipeline that turns ideas into fundable companies — coaching, validation, and now AI-powered development through Traction Studio AI. That pipeline is producing a steady flow of investment-ready companies across the region.
Which means the missing piece is no longer the companies. It's the capital to back them.
Talent, connection, and new ventures all lead to the same question: is there capital to fund what Missouri can now build? Access to Capital answers it.
WHY NOW
The companies are ready.
Now they need capital.
For a decade, Codefi built the pipeline that turns ideas into fundable companies — coaching, validation, and now AI-powered development through Traction Studio AI. That pipeline is producing a steady flow of investment-ready companies across the region.
Which means the missing piece is no longer the companies. It's the capital to back them.
Talent, connection, and new ventures all lead to the same question: is there capital to fund what Missouri can now build? Access to Capital answers it.
WHY NOW
The companies are ready.
Now they need capital.
For a decade, Codefi built the pipeline that turns ideas into fundable companies — coaching, validation, and now AI-powered development through Traction Studio AI. That pipeline is producing a steady flow of investment-ready companies across the region.
Which means the missing piece is no longer the companies. It's the capital to back them.
Talent, connection, and new ventures all lead to the same question: is there capital to fund what Missouri can now build? Access to Capital answers it.
How it Works - Venture philanthropy
How it Works - Venture philanthropy
Philanthropy that makes investment possible.
Access to Capital works through Innovate SOMO Funds — a first-of-its-kind model that pairs charitable giving with private investment. A charitable fund, supported by tax-deductible contributions from Missourians who want to grow their local economy, co-invests alongside a private investment fund in the same early-stage companies. The charitable capital helps absorb the earliest risk — which makes private investment possible at the stage where funding is scarcest and most needed.
It also opens the door wider. Because there's a charitable path, you don't have to be a professional investor to take part — any Missourian can help build local companies through a tax-deductible contribution. And the companies don't just get money: they get the development and support of Codefi's pipeline, so they reach the traction that lets them attract the larger venture capital in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and beyond. We fund the first step — and help companies climb to the next.
THE PROGRAMS
Two halves of closing the gap.
Closing the capital gap takes two things: the capital itself, and the investors who supply it. Access to Capital builds both.
The Capital
Innovate SOMO Funds
You don't have to build venture capability in-house. Bring the problem and the expertise; we bring the studio, the AI platform, and the team to carry it to traction — and build a new company on the strength you already have.
The Investors
Investor Education
A thriving startup ecosystem needs informed investors. Our programs equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing — keeping more capital working in Missouri. Two programs: Ready to Invest (a self-paced course for investors) and New Era of Philanthropic Capital (a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations).
THE PROGRAMS
Two halves of closing the gap.
Closing the capital gap takes two things: the capital itself, and the investors who supply it. Access to Capital builds both.
The Capital
Innovate SOMO Funds
You don't have to build venture capability in-house. Bring the problem and the expertise; we bring the studio, the AI platform, and the team to carry it to traction — and build a new company on the strength you already have.
The Investors
Investor Education
A thriving startup ecosystem needs informed investors. Our programs equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing — keeping more capital working in Missouri. Two programs: Ready to Invest (a self-paced course for investors) and New Era of Philanthropic Capital (a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations).
THE PROGRAMS
Two halves of closing the gap.
Closing the capital gap takes two things: the capital itself, and the investors who supply it. Access to Capital builds both.
The Capital
Innovate SOMO Funds
You don't have to build venture capability in-house. Bring the problem and the expertise; we bring the studio, the AI platform, and the team to carry it to traction — and build a new company on the strength you already have.
The Investors
Investor Education
A thriving startup ecosystem needs informed investors. Our programs equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing — keeping more capital working in Missouri. Two programs: Ready to Invest (a self-paced course for investors) and New Era of Philanthropic Capital (a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations).
GET INVOLVED
Two ways in.
For investors & community contributors
Back the companies your community is building.
Help build Missouri's economy from the ground up — by investing in or contributing to the companies being built in our own communities. Whether you're an experienced investor or a Missourian who simply wants to back local companies, there's a way to take part. Start a conversation and we'll walk you through how it works — or start by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
For founders
Early capital, plus real development support.
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, Access to Capital is early capital paired with real development support — and a path toward the larger funding beyond. Start where you are, and grow toward what's next.
GET INVOLVED
Two ways in.
For investors & community contributors
Back the companies your community is building.
Help build Missouri's economy from the ground up — by investing in or contributing to the companies being built in our own communities. Whether you're an experienced investor or a Missourian who simply wants to back local companies, there's a way to take part. Start a conversation and we'll walk you through how it works — or start by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
For founders
Early capital, plus real development support.
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, Access to Capital is early capital paired with real development support — and a path toward the larger funding beyond. Start where you are, and grow toward what's next.
GET INVOLVED
Two ways in.
For investors & community contributors
Back the companies your community is building.
Help build Missouri's economy from the ground up — by investing in or contributing to the companies being built in our own communities. Whether you're an experienced investor or a Missourian who simply wants to back local companies, there's a way to take part. Start a conversation and we'll walk you through how it works — or start by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
For founders
Early capital, plus real development support.
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, Access to Capital is early capital paired with real development support — and a path toward the larger funding beyond. Start where you are, and grow toward what's next.
Part of Something Bigger
The capital that completes the picture.
Access to Capital is the last piece of a bigger effort. Codefi builds the talent, connects the communities, and helps create the ventures — and this is the capital that funds what all of that produces.
Build a great company in Missouri, and there should be Missouri capital ready to back it.
Part of Something Bigger
The capital that completes the picture.
Access to Capital is the last piece of a bigger effort. Codefi builds the talent, connects the communities, and helps create the ventures — and this is the capital that funds what all of that produces.
Build a great company in Missouri, and there should be Missouri capital ready to back it.
Part of Something Bigger
The capital that completes the picture.
Access to Capital is the last piece of a bigger effort. Codefi builds the talent, connects the communities, and helps create the ventures — and this is the capital that funds what all of that produces.
Build a great company in Missouri, and there should be Missouri capital ready to back it.
Build the next Missouri company where the strength already is.
The next generation of high-growth companies doesn't have to be built somewhere else. With Missouri's industries and the right mechanism, it can be built right here.
Build the next Missouri company where the strength already is.
The next generation of high-growth companies doesn't have to be built somewhere else. With Missouri's industries and the right mechanism, it can be built right here.
Build the next Missouri company where the strength already is.
The next generation of high-growth companies doesn't have to be built somewhere else. With Missouri's industries and the right mechanism, it can be built right here.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
What is Access to Capital?
A statewide initiative that closes Missouri's pre-seed and seed funding gap — identified as the single biggest gap in the state's startup ecosystem — through a first-of-its-kind model that lets Missourians invest in the companies being built in their own communities, so those companies can grow where they started instead of leaving the state for funding.
02
Why is early-stage funding so hard to find in Missouri?
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that does exist in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder outside those metros, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't nearby — and the first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere, especially without dense local investor networks.
03
What is Innovate SOMO Funds?
The vehicle behind Access to Capital's venture philanthropy model — pairing charitable giving with private investment. A charitable fund, supported by tax-deductible contributions from Missourians, co-invests alongside a private investment fund in the same early-stage companies, helping absorb the earliest risk so private investment becomes possible at the stage where funding is scarcest.
04
Do I have to be a professional investor to take part?
No. Because there's a charitable path, any Missourian can help build local companies through a tax-deductible contribution — you don't have to be an accredited or professional investor to take part.
05
What is Investor Education?
Two programs that equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing: Ready to Invest, a self-paced course for investors, and New Era of Philanthropic Capital, a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations.
06
How does this help companies beyond the first check?
Companies backed through Access to Capital also get the development and support of Codefi's pipeline, helping them reach the traction needed to attract larger venture capital in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and beyond.
07
How do I get involved as an investor or contributor?
Start a conversation and the team will walk you through how it works, or begin by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
08
How do I get involved as a founder?
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, start a conversation about early capital paired with real development support, and a path toward larger funding beyond.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
What is Access to Capital?
A statewide initiative that closes Missouri's pre-seed and seed funding gap — identified as the single biggest gap in the state's startup ecosystem — through a first-of-its-kind model that lets Missourians invest in the companies being built in their own communities, so those companies can grow where they started instead of leaving the state for funding.
02
Why is early-stage funding so hard to find in Missouri?
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that does exist in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder outside those metros, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't nearby — and the first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere, especially without dense local investor networks.
03
What is Innovate SOMO Funds?
The vehicle behind Access to Capital's venture philanthropy model — pairing charitable giving with private investment. A charitable fund, supported by tax-deductible contributions from Missourians, co-invests alongside a private investment fund in the same early-stage companies, helping absorb the earliest risk so private investment becomes possible at the stage where funding is scarcest.
04
Do I have to be a professional investor to take part?
No. Because there's a charitable path, any Missourian can help build local companies through a tax-deductible contribution — you don't have to be an accredited or professional investor to take part.
05
What is Investor Education?
Two programs that equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing: Ready to Invest, a self-paced course for investors, and New Era of Philanthropic Capital, a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations.
06
How does this help companies beyond the first check?
Companies backed through Access to Capital also get the development and support of Codefi's pipeline, helping them reach the traction needed to attract larger venture capital in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and beyond.
07
How do I get involved as an investor or contributor?
Start a conversation and the team will walk you through how it works, or begin by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
08
How do I get involved as a founder?
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, start a conversation about early capital paired with real development support, and a path toward larger funding beyond.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Here's everything you need to know before getting started.
01
What is Access to Capital?
A statewide initiative that closes Missouri's pre-seed and seed funding gap — identified as the single biggest gap in the state's startup ecosystem — through a first-of-its-kind model that lets Missourians invest in the companies being built in their own communities, so those companies can grow where they started instead of leaving the state for funding.
02
Why is early-stage funding so hard to find in Missouri?
Most venture capital in America flows to a handful of coastal cities, and the capital that does exist in Missouri clusters in its largest metros. For a founder outside those metros, the funding that turns a validated idea into a company isn't nearby — and the first dollars into a company are the riskiest and hardest to raise anywhere, especially without dense local investor networks.
03
What is Innovate SOMO Funds?
The vehicle behind Access to Capital's venture philanthropy model — pairing charitable giving with private investment. A charitable fund, supported by tax-deductible contributions from Missourians, co-invests alongside a private investment fund in the same early-stage companies, helping absorb the earliest risk so private investment becomes possible at the stage where funding is scarcest.
04
Do I have to be a professional investor to take part?
No. Because there's a charitable path, any Missourian can help build local companies through a tax-deductible contribution — you don't have to be an accredited or professional investor to take part.
05
What is Investor Education?
Two programs that equip accredited investors and philanthropists to participate confidently in venture and angel investing: Ready to Invest, a self-paced course for investors, and New Era of Philanthropic Capital, a webinar series on the venture philanthropy model for donors and foundations.
06
How does this help companies beyond the first check?
Companies backed through Access to Capital also get the development and support of Codefi's pipeline, helping them reach the traction needed to attract larger venture capital in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and beyond.
07
How do I get involved as an investor or contributor?
Start a conversation and the team will walk you through how it works, or begin by learning the fundamentals through Investor Education.
08
How do I get involved as a founder?
If you're building a company in southern Missouri, start a conversation about early capital paired with real development support, and a path toward larger funding beyond.
Let’s Build Better
Things Together.
Founders, developers, and leaders building with AI. Get updates on new programs, tools, and opportunities.
Let’s Build Better
Things Together.
Founders, developers, and leaders building with AI. Get updates on new programs, tools, and opportunities.
Let’s Build Better
Things Together.
Founders, developers, and leaders building with AI. Get updates on new programs, tools, and opportunities.