Investor profile
Next Level Ventures
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Next Level Ventures is an Iowa-based strategic investment firm founded in 2014, managing over $700 million in assets across five funds and a portfolio of more than 45 companies. The firm operates two primary strategies: the Curql Fund — the largest credit union-backed strategic investment fund in the United States — which connects fintech companies with a nationwide network of progressive credit unions to accelerate market access and adoption; and the Iowa Funds, which invest in early- and growth-stage technology startups across agtech, healthtech, fintech, datatech, and IoT sectors throughout the Midwest. Typical investments range from $0.5 million to $5 million per company, spanning seed through growth stages. Beyond capital, NLV takes an active role in portfolio company success — serving on boards, providing financial, operational, and networking support — with the belief that true success comes from making a meaningful contribution to entrepreneurs and the broader innovation ecosystem.
Notable quotes
“Whereas a few years ago a fintech company may have had a $20 million pre-money valuation, today the same company's valuation before investments would be around $100 million.”
“Curql's strategy targets anything in fintech that can support one of its members, and that means almost everything except neobanks.”
“Next Level Ventures has a long history supporting Iowa entrepreneurs and startups, and we're thankful to our initial investors who believe in our mission to foster innovation across the state.”
Recent investments
| Company | Round | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genvax Technologies | Seed | — | 2025-02-18 |
| IotaMotion | Series A | $12m | 2023-01-01 |
| Dwolla | Growth | — | — |
| Posh Technologies | Series B | $45m | — |
| DefenseStorm | Growth | — | — |
| Bankjoy | Growth | — | — |
| Equipifi | Growth | — | — |
| Illuma Labs | Growth | — | — |
| TractorZoom | Growth | — | — |
| OpenLoop Health | Growth | — | — |
Frequent co-investors
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