Cultivation Capital
ActiveOverview
Cultivation Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2012, based in St. Louis, Missouri. It manages multiple funds targeting early-stage investments from Seed to Series B rounds, with initial check sizes of $100k to $3.5M, across sectors including life sciences, health tech, software, agriculture, food tech, geospatial tech, and cybersecurity. The firm invests in startups across 25+ states and countries, leading about half of its rounds, and supports portfolio companies through networks for scaling, recruiting, and partnerships.
History
Cultivation Capital was founded in 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri, by partners including Andy Dearing, Barry Sandweiss, Bill Schmidt, and others. It has raised and closed 12 funds by 2022, with four additional funds in market as of 2025, focusing on specialized areas like life sciences and agtech. The firm expanded its geographic reach to over 25 states and countries while maintaining a Midwest seed-stage emphasis.
Product Lines
| Product Line | Positioning | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences Fund | Early-stage life sciences and health tech investments | $100k - $3.5M |
| Software & IT Fund | Seed to Series B software and enterprise tech | $100k - $3.5M |
| Agriculture & Food Tech Fund | Agtech and food innovation startups | $100k - $3.5M |
| Geospatial Tech Fund | Geospatial technology early-stage ventures | $100k - $3.5M |
| Cybersecurity Fund | Cybersecurity technology investments | $100k - $3.5M |
Manufacturing
Not applicable; as a venture capital firm, Cultivation Capital does not manufacture products but provides equity financing to startups.
Notable Products
- Cultivation Capital Life Sciences Fund IV - Fund opened April 2025 targeting life sciences investments.
- Healthcare Innovation Fund - Closed October 2022, focused on healthcare innovations.
- Midwest Seed Fund - Supports seed-stage startups in the Midwest region.
- Agtech Fund - Invests in agriculture and food technology companies.
- Geospatial Fund - Targets geospatial technology startups.
Reputation
Cultivation Capital is regarded as a reliable early-stage VC firm with strong sector expertise in life sciences, agtech, and tech, particularly for Midwest startups. Professionals note its active fund management and broad geographic investments as strengths, though some critique limited public data on fund sizes and specific returns. It maintains a solid network for portfolio support.