Investor profile

Bluegrass Angels logo

Bluegrass Angels

Angel syndicate

KentuckyUnited StatesHealthtechBio/PharmaAI/MLFintechClimateDeep TechEnterpriseOther

See how your deck fits this investor's thesis, stage, and ticket size.

Analyse your fit

Investment thesis

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.

Chris Young · The Lane Report – KY270 Competition Press Release · 2020-10

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.

Chris Young · Launch Blue KY-270 Press Release · 2020

Team

Chris Young

Chair, Bluegrass Angels; Lead Manager, BGA Venture Funds III, IV & V

HealthtechBio/PharmaConsumerDeep Tech

Joe Noonan

Investor / Leadership Team Member

EnterpriseFintechMarketplacesConsumer

Chris May

Investor / Leadership Team Member

FintechB2B SaaSEnterprise

Morgan Amsler

Investor

HealthtechBio/Pharma

Ben Self

Investor

Recent investments

CompanyRoundSizeDate
SwellSeed$2m2025-02-21
NichefireSeed$3m2025-01-07
Advanced Energy MaterialsSeed$1m2024-10-10
Hummingbird NanoSeed
Liberate MedicalSeed
Virtual PeakerSeed
Hera BioLabsSeed
Switcher StudioSeed
PowerTech WaterSeed
Hippo ManagerSeed

Frequent co-investors

Fit check

Is Bluegrass Angels a match for your startup?

Upload your deck and get an instant AI-powered fit analysis — see exactly how your startup aligns with this investor's thesis, stage focus, and ticket size.

Analyse your fit