Who We Are

Based out of Southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. Render Capital invests in early-stage companies across the Midwest and South(avoiding NY/SF/Boston), spanning multiple industries to build a robust and diverse portfolio.

Render Captial is dedicated to investing in companies transforming legacy industries and archaic models by making emerging technologies accessible. These industries represent a substantial part of the Midwest and Southern economies, providing significant opportunities for growth and innovation. By supporting businesses that drive this democratization, we aim to generate strong returns while capitalizing on the potential of these vital regions.

What’s Going On

It is fascinating to observe the comparison of pre-money valuations for startups raising capital in California and New York relative to those in other states. Another notable trend over the past five years is the nearly consistent doubling of pre-money valuations across various regions and stages. Looking ahead, one might question whether pre-money valuations for seed-stage companies could reach the range of $24M to $34M by 2030.

• Interested in learning more about Angel Investing? Join us on October 3rd in Southern Indiana or virtually to learn more about how to be an angel investor! Click here to sign up!

• Venture Atlanta | Atlanta, October 8-9th 

• Startup Cincy Week | Cincinnati, October 7-10th 

What We’re Reading

1. After Slowing In 2023, US Median Round Size Again Growing: Median US rounds are getting larger with $1.3M being the median for seed in H1 2024. Round sizes for early-stage funding increased 10-35% in H1 2024 compared to 2023.

2. Why VC is a Ponozi Scheme Today, Why Most VCs are Bankers, and Why Incentives in VC are Broken: Nick Chirls from Asylum Ventures talks about why and how the industry is broken, VCs should have to pay back management fees to LPs if they underperform, and don’t be a crappy early-stage VC.

3. Multi-Product In Pictures: Looking back to explore when and how is the best path to expand product line vs. going deep and narrow on a single product line for software companies.

4. ICF Report Projects 9% Surge in US Electricity Demand by 2028: There’s about to be a power surge. US electricity demand is skyrocketing, with demand expected to increase by an average of 9% by 2028, according to new research from consulting firm ICF. Peak demand for electricity is projected to increase by an average of 5% during the same period; meanwhile, demand in the mid-Atlantic region, in particular, is estimated to increase 68% by 2050, compared to the country’s 57% average.

5. The Extinction of Venture Capital?: A generalization, VC has lost its true form due to spin-off funds from massive funds that create a flywheel for uniform thesis and perspectives leading to LPs doubling down on massive funds which result in many emerging funds finding it difficult to survive unless they fall into line to source companies that they believe those bigger funds will follow on later.

6. Venture Capital is Hard: The End of an Era: Misconception to VC, VCs are poorer and less sexy than most people, the majority of VC funds will never raise their next fund, and Darwinism is catching up to the VC hype.

7. LinkedIn Top Startups 2024: The 50 U.S. companies on the rise: LinkedIn's annual list of Top Startups, reveals the 50 emerging U.S. companies you should know now.

Recent Investments

Shappi empowers Latin American consumers to obtain delivery of their U.S. products in a faster, more affordable, and more reliable way by connecting them to Verified Travelers returning from the U.S. to their destination. Shappi eliminates the logistical nightmare and sky-high shipping costs that many people incur when ordering from abroad. Shappi is committed to making it easier to obtain products from other countries while allowing travelers to earn money as they travel.