The Heartland Capital Network

The Heartland Capital Network bridges the funding gap between promising business and community ventures and the capital necessary to generate growth in the Central Illinois Region.  There are several components of the Heartland Capital Network:

 Tri County Venture Capital fund:  Established in 2003, the Tri County Venture Capital Fund was designed to meet the venture capital needs of the region.  The $2million fund consists of a consortium of public and private sources that invest collectively in various business ventures

Central Illinois Angels: A network of accredited investors who provide professional expertise and funding to early-stage opportunities in Central Illinois and beyond.  Central Illinois angels are not only investing their money in start-ups they are contributing their time and expertise to help new businesses grow.  This group of investors helps entrepreneurs through mentoring, the utilization of the angels’ networks, and business development assistance.

Heartland Venture Capital Network:  Over 200 venture capital firms from throughout the Midwest and beyond have been identified by The Heartland Partnership as potential investors in local projects.  The Heartland Venture Capital Network is comprised of these firms and various other equity investment bodies.

Heartland Finance Network:  uniting local representatives of the finance and banking industry to serve as initial contacts for potential users of traditional lender based financing.

Heartland Finance Programs:  Equity financing and traditional lending are not always the optimum solution for every venture.  The Heartland Partnership also administers or facilitates a series of grants and loans including local, city, county, state, and federal financing options in addition to SBA and IFA funding opportunities.

Heartland Community Development Corporation:  The CDC invests in various projects including community development, startup businesses and expansion/relocation projects. The ultimate goal of CDC is to strengthen Central Illinois communities by supporting sustainable enterprises and serving as an investor in various projects throughout the region.  The Heartland CDC is a consortium of local banks, businesses, and municipalities.   Previous projects have included O’Brien Stadium, the Ashley HomeStore and ZuChem.

For more information about the Heartland Capital Network, contact Kip McCoy at kmccoy@h-p.org