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First Leaf Capital, based in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, is led by Managing Partner Mark Aardsma. The firm engages in early-stage investments, loans to small businesses, and micro-private-equity transactions. It operates with capital from the Mark Aardsma family office and the FLC II institutional fund.
First Leaf Capital invests $1K to $5M in pre-seed to Series A startups, primarily in SaaS, healthcare, biotech, consumer, and agtech sectors. The firm emphasizes companies located in Central Illinois and the Midwest, particularly those with hard-to-imitate technology and significant societal contributions. They avoid sectors like drug development and consumer-facing retail.
Notable portfolio companies include GeoH, which offers scheduling and billing software for home-health-care agencies; Ferritiva, developing an at-home saliva test for low iron levels; and Neurava, creating a wearable device for monitoring epilepsy patients. Other companies in their portfolio include Mesh++, Eclipse, and Photonicare.
Mark Aardsma is the Managing Partner, with a focus on early-stage investments and a background in supporting startups through various funding stages.
Email your pitch deck to office@firstleafcapital.com for consideration.
Yes, First Leaf Capital often leads investment rounds, particularly in early-stage companies where they can provide significant support.
The firm is open to follow-on investments, especially for companies that demonstrate strong growth and alignment with their investment thesis.
First Leaf Capital operates with capital from the Mark Aardsma family office and the FLC II institutional fund, though specific fund sizes are not disclosed.
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