Investor profile
Bluegrass Angels
Angel syndicate
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The mission of Bluegrass Angels is to invest in innovative Kentucky startup companies that have the ability to grow quickly into large available markets, thereby creating the possibility of strong financial returns, new jobs for the Kentucky economy, and a plausible exit strategy for their investors. BGA is a volunteer-led group of skilled and experienced business leaders who find, fund, and mentor innovative, high-tech Kentucky startups seeking long-term success and a financially viable exit strategy. BGA accepts applications only from companies located in Kentucky or willing to relocate, with a broad portfolio spanning healthcare, agritech, industrial chemicals, manufacturing, biotech, aviation, fintech, media, and IT. They look for scalable business models with protectable IP, a product past proof-of-concept, and a plausible exit within 5–8 years. Typical funding rounds range from $250,000–$1,500,000, with BGA's initial check starting at $100,000. BGA often syndicates at up to 10:1 for every BGA dollar invested, serving as the deal-lead for the broader Kentucky angel ecosystem.
Notable quotes
“The Bluegrass Angels Venture Fund IV, along with our funding partners, was proud to join the Cabinet for Economic Development and KY Innovation to hold this pitch competition. We were pleased to see applications from all across the commonwealth representing a wide variety of businesses led by a strong group of founding teams. The quality of pitches was quite high, making for some difficult decisions by the judges. We look forward to working with all of the winners to assist them in building their companies.”
“The Bluegrass Angels are proud to partner with Launch Blue and the other supporting organizations, who have provided strong support to the startup ecosystem in Kentucky for many years. Pitch competitions are always fun, and we look forward to finding, funding and mentoring these young companies from all over the Commonwealth.”
Team
Chris Young
Chair, Bluegrass Angels; Lead Manager, BGA Venture Funds III, IV & V
Joe Noonan
Investor / Leadership Team Member
Chris May
Investor / Leadership Team Member
Morgan Amsler
Investor
Ben Self
Investor
Recent investments
| Company | Round | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swell | Seed | $2m | 2025-02-21 |
| Nichefire | Seed | $3m | 2025-01-07 |
| Advanced Energy Materials | Seed | $1m | 2024-10-10 |
| Hummingbird Nano | Seed | — | — |
| Liberate Medical | Seed | — | — |
| Virtual Peaker | Seed | — | — |
| Hera BioLabs | Seed | — | — |
| Switcher Studio | Seed | — | — |
| PowerTech Water | Seed | — | — |
| Hippo Manager | Seed | — | — |
Frequent co-investors
| VC firm | Deals together |
|---|---|
| Keyhorse Capital | 2 |
| Commonwealth Seed Capital | 2 |
| Allos Ventures | 1 |
| IrishAngels | 1 |
| Rev1 Ventures | 1 |
| Defy Partners | 1 |
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