Venture Club of Indiana

What Venture Club of Indiana does

Venture Club of Indiana (VCI) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Indianapolis. It is Indiana's first and only Venture Club, and its stated purpose is to convene venture capital investors, limited partners, angel investors, and founders so they can make introductions, share expertise, and source deals that advance Indiana's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Its core products are: (i) the annual Innovation Showcase, a curated pitch competition now in its 18th year that has featured 377 Indiana startups and channeled roughly $749,000 of sponsor dollars into winning companies; (ii) a membership program that grants investors access to monthly educational panels, networking events, and the showcase; (iii) a newsletter and content publishing function (blog and email); and (iv) a six-tier Innovation Showcase sponsorship program (Copper $1,000, Titanium $3,000, Silver $5,000, Gold $10,000, Platinum $15,000, and Presenting Sponsor $20,000), typically structured as multi-year contracts. The Wild Apricot platform handles membership administration; the organization operates no proprietary technology product.

VCI generates revenue from three streams: recurring investor/LP/angel membership dues, six-tier corporate event sponsorship for the Innovation Showcase, and annual corporate sponsorships from Indiana venture firms, banks, law firms, accounting firms, universities, and state economic development organizations. Customer segments are horizontal by persona — primary segments are VC investors and LPs, with angel investors and Indiana-based startup founders as secondary segments. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and disclosed no funding rounds; revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

Venture Club of Indiana

Legal name

Venture Club of Indiana

Website

https://ventureclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Venture Club of Indiana is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership organization founded in 1984 that connects Indiana venture capital investors, LPs, angel investors, and founders through monthly events and its annual Innovation Showcase pitch competition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital Community & Networking Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE), Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)

Keywords

• Venture capital network
• Investor networking
• Startup pitch competition
• Angel investor community
• Innovation showcase events

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for venture capital investors, LPs, and angel investors to join the network and access events
2. Event Sponsorship: Sponsorship tiers for the Innovation Showcase event ranging from $1,000 (Copper) to $20,000 (Presenting Sponsor), with varying benefits including event passes, VIP access, and marketing recognition
3. Annual Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships from organizations like Butler University, Armory Square, 50South Capital, Kelley MBA, Elevate Ventures, and others supporting the Indiana investor ecosystem

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

A non-profit membership organization that connects venture capital investors, limited partners (LPs), angel investors, and Indiana-based founders through annual memberships, monthly educational panels, networking events, and the signature Innovation Showcase — an annual pitch competition featuring 20 nominated Indiana startups. The organization is funded through membership fees and tiered corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Venture Club of Indiana is a non-profit membership organization offering a suite of programs to connect investors with Indiana startups. The core offerings include the annual Innovation Showcase (a curated startup pitch competition featuring 20 Indiana-based companies), monthly educational panels and networking events, membership program for investors and founders, and newsletter communications. Sponsorship packages at multiple tiers provide marketing and access opportunities. The organization operates as Indiana's first and only Venture Club since 1984, serving as a catalyst for connecting investors across the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual paid membership for venture capital investors, LPs, angel investors, and founders, providing access to monthly events, networking, deal sourcing introductions, and the Innovation Showcase pitch competition.
• Educational and Networking Events Monthly in-person panels and networking gatherings for members that facilitate introductions, expertise sharing, and deal sourcing among venture capital investors and founders in Indiana.
• Innovation Showcase Signature annual pitch competition where 20 nominated Indiana-based startups, ranging from emerging to later-stage scaled companies, pitch to venture capital investors, LPs, and angel investors from across the Midwest.
• Innovation Showcase Sponsorship Packages Tiered corporate sponsorship for the annual Innovation Showcase, ranging from Copper ($1,000) to Presenting Sponsor ($20,000), with benefits including event passes, VIP reception access, booth space, marketing recognition, and judge roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• $749,000 raised in sponsorship dollars invested in winning startups
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 316 Product DevelopmentminorOthersChris Frantz met Jim Culhan at VCI event, leading to a contract for automated robotic units. An ecosystem resource for VCI members.
• Applied Research Institute (ARI)minorOthersProvides Innovation Voucher program for VCI members. Chris Frantz was awarded two Innovation Vouchers through a VCI event connection.
• Purdue University Technical Assistance Program (TAP)minorOthersTechnical assistance provider. Chris Frantz connected with John Drach at Purdue TAP through VCI for Tap40 project.
• MBCB AttorneysminorOthersLegal counsel. Hamish Cohen serves as legal counsel for Chris Frantz, referred through VCI member Dennis Schell at Innovation Law.
• Business Growth ConsultantsminorOthersBrittany Mann assists VCI member Chris Frantz with grants and tax credits, and introduced him to a potential investor.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TechPoint: Indiana's statewide tech growth initiative and innovation hub. Comparable because it is a non-profit ecosystem-building organization operating in the same Indiana venture/startup community, with overlapping board leadership (Chelsea Linder serves as VCI Vice President and VP at TechPoint).
• High Alpha: Indianapolis-based venture studio and investment firm. Comparable as an Indiana-based capital-and-community builder that connects operators, investors, and founders through cohort programs analogous to VCI's Showcase.
• gener8tor: Wisconsin-headquartered but Indiana-active accelerator and venture firm that runs investor-facing pitch competitions and startup programming. Directly comparable because it operates accelerator cohorts and Showcase-style events in the same Midwest VC ecosystem VCI serves.
• Elevate Ventures: Indiana-focused venture development organization providing capital and programming to Indiana startups. Operates in the same investor/startup intersection as VCI and is a direct sponsor of VCI's Showcase.
• IU Ventures / IU Angel Network: Indiana University's venture organization running the IU Angel Network and Innovation Showcase-style programming. Comparable as an Indiana investor network providing deal flow and pitch events to the same founders and LPs VCI serves.
• Launch Fishers: Indiana-based startup incubator and entrepreneur center running pitch events, programming, and an investor network. Comparable as a regional non-profit ecosystem builder with a membership-style engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• National Venture Capital Association (NVCA): The U.S. trade association for the venture capital industry, representing VC firms nationally. Comparable as a non-profit membership organization advocating for and convening venture investors, but operates at national scope rather than VCI's regional Indiana focus.
• Angel Capital Association (ACA): U.S. professional association for angel investor groups. Comparable as a non-profit membership organization supporting and convening early-stage investors, but operating at a national, multi-chapter level rather than a single regional club.

Regional players

• Capital Factory: Austin, Texas-based startup hub, accelerator, and investor network hosting signature pitch events (Texas Startup Showdown style). Comparable as a regional membership/community organization that connects investors and founders, but serves Texas rather than Indiana.
• 1871: Chicago-based technology hub and non-profit that convenes startups, investors, and corporates. Comparable as a Midwest non-profit innovation hub with membership programming, though serving the broader Chicago ecosystem rather than Indiana specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ventureclubindy
• Facebookfacebook.com/VentureClubofIndiana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/venture-club-of-indiana-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Venture Club of Indiana