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321 | Invest Blue: How Raechele Smalls and Eric Hartman are Building a Mission-Driven Angel Community for Kentucky Startups

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Manage episode 500973947 series 2240483
Content provided by Middle Tech. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Middle Tech or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

In this episode, we sit down with Raechele Smalls, Director of Invest Blue, and Eric Hartman, Senior Associate Director at UK Innovate, to explore how Invest Blue is building a mission-driven community of angel investors dedicated to backing Kentucky startups. Through a founder-friendly syndicate model, Invest Blue is making early-stage investing more accessible—connecting small checks with big ideas to fuel innovation across the Commonwealth.

Expect to learn why the real barrier to capital isn’t money but know-how and networks, how Invest Blue is helping first-time investors deploy smart capital alongside experienced operators, what role the University of Kentucky plays in commercializing deep tech and attracting follow-on funding, and how this syndicate is creating a pipeline of future fund managers, super angels, and ecosystem builders—all rooted in Kentucky.

🎙 Hosted by Logan Jones

Chapters:02:31 – Addressing the Capital Allocation Problem05:11 – Rochelle's Journey in Venture Capital12:55 – Eric's Background and Role at UK Innovate17:43 – The Mission and Vision of Invest Blue22:22 – UK's Involvement and Ecosystem Impact26:56 – Crowdsourcing Talent for Kentucky Startups27:26 – Criteria for Founders and Investors at Invest Blue31:00 – The Role of Accredited Investors38:09 – Collaborating with Other Investment Groups41:45 – The Macro Impact of Angel Investing48:07 – How to Get Involved with Invest Blue

Middle Tech is proudly supported by:

KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com

Awesome Inc → awesomeinc.org

Don't miss Awesome Inc's September 5 Across → ⁠⁠Free Ticket for Middle Tech listeners

  continue reading

494 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 500973947 series 2240483
Content provided by Middle Tech. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Middle Tech or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

In this episode, we sit down with Raechele Smalls, Director of Invest Blue, and Eric Hartman, Senior Associate Director at UK Innovate, to explore how Invest Blue is building a mission-driven community of angel investors dedicated to backing Kentucky startups. Through a founder-friendly syndicate model, Invest Blue is making early-stage investing more accessible—connecting small checks with big ideas to fuel innovation across the Commonwealth.

Expect to learn why the real barrier to capital isn’t money but know-how and networks, how Invest Blue is helping first-time investors deploy smart capital alongside experienced operators, what role the University of Kentucky plays in commercializing deep tech and attracting follow-on funding, and how this syndicate is creating a pipeline of future fund managers, super angels, and ecosystem builders—all rooted in Kentucky.

🎙 Hosted by Logan Jones

Chapters:02:31 – Addressing the Capital Allocation Problem05:11 – Rochelle's Journey in Venture Capital12:55 – Eric's Background and Role at UK Innovate17:43 – The Mission and Vision of Invest Blue22:22 – UK's Involvement and Ecosystem Impact26:56 – Crowdsourcing Talent for Kentucky Startups27:26 – Criteria for Founders and Investors at Invest Blue31:00 – The Role of Accredited Investors38:09 – Collaborating with Other Investment Groups41:45 – The Macro Impact of Angel Investing48:07 – How to Get Involved with Invest Blue

Middle Tech is proudly supported by:

KY Innovation → kyinnovation.com

Awesome Inc → awesomeinc.org

Don't miss Awesome Inc's September 5 Across → ⁠⁠Free Ticket for Middle Tech listeners

  continue reading

494 episodes

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