Grit Road Partners
Grit Road Partners is a Midwest-based venture capital firm that invests seed-stage capital in AgTech startups across the agriculture value chain through Fund I ($11.25M) and Fund II ($35M), serving Midwest entrepreneurs and connecting them to global markets via its AgTech Deal Flow Network and Purdue DIAL Ventures partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersOmaha, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Grit Road Partners does
Grit Road Partners is a privately held venture capital firm founded in 2021 and headquartered at 10730 Pacific St in Omaha, Nebraska. The firm specializes in early-stage AgTech investing with a Midwest focus, deploying capital through two seed funds: Fund I ($11.25M, closed 2023) and Fund II ($35M, founded 2025). Grit Road targets series seed-stage companies solving real producer problems across the entire agriculture value chain, including livestock, irrigation, sustainable and regenerative agriculture, grain management, insurance, animal sciences, land management, input supply management, labor management, finance operations, controlled environment agriculture, and meat processing.
The firm operates a relationship-driven go-to-market model built on a deep ag-specific bench comprising strategic partnerships with industrial agribusiness, individual producers, institutional ag-families, and land-grant universities. The team is led by Managing Partner Mike Jung (formerly CEO and President of Burlington Capital International with 18 years of agribusiness experience) and Partner Ben Williamson (formerly General Counsel at Invest Nebraska Corporation, where he led 200+ early-stage venture deals). The investment team is augmented by Dan Hoffman (CEO, Invest Nebraska Corporation), Tom Field PhD (Program Director, Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program), and Mary Blaney (CFO, Burlington Capital).
Grit Road generates revenue through traditional VC economics: management fees on committed capital from its two funds and potential carried interest from portfolio exits. The firm also manages the AgTech Deal Flow Network, a community of over 100 AgTech investors globally that shares deal flow and coordinates co-investment, and operates DIAL Ventures Fund II, a joint venture with Purdue DIAL Ventures that employs a venture studio model to commercialize applied agrifood research. Fund I built a portfolio of 20+ companies, and Fund II's announced investments include SWARM Engineering (which raised a $10M oversubscribed Series A in June 2026), aperture, Daro, and Spearhead BIO.
Grit Road Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grit Road Partners
- Legal name
- Grit Road Partners
- Website
- https://gritrd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Grit Road Partners is a Midwest-based venture capital firm that invests seed-stage capital in AgTech startups across the agriculture value chain through Fund I ($11.25M) and Fund II ($35M), serving Midwest entrepreneurs and connecting them to global markets via its AgTech Deal Flow Network and Purdue DIAL Ventures partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grit Road Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital / AgTech Private Equity
- NAICS
- Credit Unions (522130)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where Grit Road Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Omaha
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Grit Road Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Management Fees: Traditional VC management fee structure on committed capital from Fund I ($11.25M) and Fund II ($35M).
- Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from successful portfolio exits, typical VC return structure.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Grit Road Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Grit Road Partners is a Midwest-based venture capital firm that raises and deploys seed-stage capital into early-stage AgTech companies across the entire agricultural value chain. It manages Fund I ($11.25M, 2021) and Fund II ($35M, 2025), and co-manages DIAL Ventures Fund II with Purdue DIAL Ventures, providing capital, board involvement, and an ag-specific network to portfolio companies solving real producer problems in livestock, irrigation, sustainable agriculture, grain management, and related sectors.
Product overview
Grit Road Partners operates as a Midwest-based venture capital firm offering two distinct seed funds: Fund I ($11.25M, 2021) and Fund II ($35M, 2025). The firm also partners with Purdue University through DIAL Ventures Fund II, which employs a venture studio model to accelerate agrifood technologies from research to market. The investment strategy targets early-stage AgTech companies across the entire agricultural value chain, focusing on solutions that solve real producer problems. Fund I closed in 2023 with 1 AgTech sector and 3 states coverage, while Fund II aims to build the Midwest as the global AgTech hub with greater horsepower.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DIAL Ventures: A partnership between Purdue DIAL Ventures and Grit Road Partners, combining Purdue's world-class research ecosystem with deep industry expertise and entrepreneurial execution to accelerate agrifood technologies from applied research to market impact.
- Grit Road Fund I
- Grit Road Fund II
- DIAL Ventures Fund II
Products and services
- Grit Road Fund I $11.25M seed venture fund for early-stage Midwest AgTech startups, providing equity capital, board involvement, and access to the firm's producer and agribusiness network.
- Grit Road Fund II $35M seed venture fund for series seed-stage AgTech companies across the agricultural value chain, with broader capital base, global ambitions, and continued Midwest focus.
- DIAL Ventures Fund II Co-managed venture-studio fund with Purdue DIAL Ventures that pairs academic agrifood research with industry expertise and entrepreneurial execution to build companies from applied research.
Companies that use Grit Road Partners
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Grit Road Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Grit Road Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Purdue DIAL VenturesflagshipGrit Road Partners partnered with Purdue DIAL Ventures on the DIAL Ventures Fund II, combining Purdue's world-class research ecosystem with deep industry expertise and entrepreneurial execution. The venture studio model accelerates innovative agrifood technologies from applied research to market impact.
- AgTech Deal Flow NetworkcoreGrit Road Partners created and manages a community of like-minded AgTech investors to share deal flow, co-invest, and provide connectivity on AgTech events and ecosystem development. Currently over 100 members globally.
- The CombineminorThe Combine (Nebraska startup accelerator) is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- Nebraska Tech CollaborativeminorNebraska Tech Collaborative is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- KAAPA (Knollwood Agricultural Activities Protection Association)minorKAAPA is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- Nebraska Farm BureauminorNebraska Farm Bureau is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- Iowa CornminorIowa Corn is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- ScoularminorScoular is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- AgriVision EquipmentminorAgriVision Equipment is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- ValmontminorValmont is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- NelnetminorNelnet is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- Koley JessenminorKoley Jessen (law firm) is listed in the Existing Partnerships section of the Grit Road Partners website.
- Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship ProgramminorTom Field PhD, Program Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, serves on the Grit Road Partners Investment Team.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Grit Road Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Radicle Growth: Radicle Growth is an AgTech-focused accelerator and early-stage investor that backs seed and Series A companies in agriculture and food. Direct overlap with Grit Road as a co-investor in SWARM Engineering's Series A and as a sector-vertical AgTech specialist.
- Trailhead Capital: Trailhead Capital is an early-stage AgTech and regenerative agriculture investor. Direct peer as a sector-focused AgTech VC and SWARM Engineering co-investor alongside Grit Road.
- Middleland Capital: Middleland Capital is an early-stage venture investor focused on agriculture and food technologies. Direct peer as a sector-focused AgTech VC that co-invested with Grit Road in SWARM Engineering's Series A.
- Purdue DIAL Ventures: DIAL Ventures is Purdue University's AgTech venture studio and seed investor. Flagship partner of Grit Road via DIAL Ventures Fund II; operates a similar thesis targeting early-stage AgTech and is one of the most directly comparable firms in the Midwest.
- Open Prairie: Open Prairie is a Midwest-based private equity and venture firm with a dedicated AgTech and rural innovation strategy. Co-invested alongside Grit Road in SWARM Engineering and shares the Midwest AgTech thesis.
- Serra Ventures: Serra Ventures is an early-stage AgTech and technology venture firm based in the Midwest with strong land-grant university ties. Direct peer as a Midwest AgTech seed investor and SWARM Engineering co-investor.
Emerging players
- AgRogue Growth Partners: AgRogue Growth Partners is an emerging growth-stage AgTech investor that co-led SWARM Engineering's Series A. Overlaps with Grit Road on AgTech thesis but at a later stage than seed.
Broad incumbents
- Anterra Capital: Anterra Capital is a global AgTech and food venture and growth investor. Comparable as a sector-focused specialist at larger scale, representing a broader incumbent that competes for the same category-defining AgTech opportunities.
- S2G Investments: S2G is a sector-focused venture and growth fund dedicated to food and agriculture, investing across the value chain from seed to growth. Most comparable as the lead Series A investor in Grit Road's portfolio company SWARM Engineering, validating direct overlap in thesis and target companies.
Regional players
- Invest Nebraska Corporation: Invest Nebraska is a Nebraska-focused venture and equity investor. Partner Ben Williamson previously led 200+ deals there; comparable as a regional Midwest investor, though with broader industry scope than Grit Road's AgTech specialization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Grit Road Partners social profiles
Digital presenceGrit Road Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grit Road Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Grit Road Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grit Road Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments7 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Grit Road Partners
What does Grit Road Partners do?
Grit Road Partners is a Midwest-based venture capital firm that raises and deploys seed-stage capital into early-stage AgTech companies across the entire agricultural value chain. It manages Fund I ($11.25M, 2021) and Fund II ($35M, 2025), and co-manages DIAL Ventures Fund II with Purdue DIAL Ventures, providing capital, board involvement, and an ag-specific network to portfolio companies solving real producer problems in livestock, irrigation, sustainable agriculture, grain management, and related sectors.
Is Grit Road Partners a public or private company?
Grit Road Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Grit Road Partners founded?
Grit Road Partners was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Grit Road Partners based?
Grit Road Partners is headquartered in Omaha, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grit Road Partners make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are carried Interest.
Who are Grit Road Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Radicle Growth, Trailhead Capital, Middleland Capital, Purdue DIAL Ventures, Open Prairie and Serra Ventures. AgRogue Growth Partners is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Anterra Capital and S2G Investments. Invest Nebraska Corporation is listed as a regional player.
Does Grit Road Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grit Road Partners.
What industry is Grit Road Partners in?
Grit Road Partners's product category is Venture Capital / AgTech Private Equity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 522130 and its SIC code is 6799.