Oklahoma’s growing innovation and startup network has the opportunity to move nimbly, so we can generate impact more deeply and frequently than other markets. And, as an entrepreneur-led firm, we are able to better serve our portfolio companies with firsthand appreciation.
OKLAHOMA CITY (PRWEB) March 22, 2021
Cortado Ventures is pleased to announce it has reached the $20 million funding milestone for Fund I this month, landing twice the original goal in half the time. Due to the successful funding, Cortado Ventures has invested in category-defining and disruptive companies based in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and plans to continue to attract, invest in, and support best-in-class technology startups in the future.
Cortado Ventures, an entrepreneur-led fund, is managed by partners Nathaniel Harding, David Woods, and Mike Moradi, who bring expertise in venture capital, energy, entrepreneurship, economic and workforce development, manufacturing, executive leadership, biotech, nanotech and alternative investing. The fund invests in early stage companies in a variety of Oklahoma regional sectors by aggregating and managing investor capital, and helps startups grow through seed funding, collaboration, and mentorship. To date, Cortado has invested in nine companies and created about 50 new jobs in Oklahoma.
“We are thrilled and humbled by the booming success we have seen in our first nine months of operation at Cortado, where we can leverage our expertise to drive forward-facing investments in vital industries as we grow Oklahoma and the surrounding region as a prominent tech hub,” said Nathaniel Harding, Managing Partner of Cortado Ventures. “Oklahoma’s growing innovation and startup network has the opportunity to move nimbly, so we can generate impact more deeply and frequently than other markets. And, as an entrepreneur-led firm, we are able to better serve our portfolio companies with firsthand appreciation for the dedication they bring to building great companies.”
The Cortado partners launched the venture capital fund believing that legacy sectors in Oklahoma and the Midcontinent are overlooked, underfunded, and ripe for innovation and venture investment. Cortado also aims to build next-generation companies which will bring future-ready technology jobs to the region. The Cortado Ventures portfolio, which includes several women, people of color and immigrant CEOs, was founded to diversify the economy in Oklahoma and create a vibrant hub for technology in the Midwest.
Erika Lucas, Advisor of Cortado Ventures and Co-Founder of StitchCrew, said, “Cortado Ventures’ milestone announcement signals great success not only for this fund, but for the economy in Oklahoma and bordering states. The entrepreneurs and innovators here have demonstrated their high-growth, high-potential drive, creating remarkable opportunities for successful investment partnerships.”
Investors in Cortado’s fund include over 80 individuals, including Chuck Duginski, Chairman and CEO of Chaparral Energy, David Rainbolt, Executive Chairman of BancFirst, and Everett Dobson, Executive Chairman of Dobson Technologies. Cortado’s investor group includes a great network of leaders and innovators that leverage their diverse, deep industry experience to position our portfolio companies for accelerated growth.
“With the support of so many, Cortado has planted a flag for venture capital in the middle of the country. This funding milestone enables Cortado to fully realize our goal of attracting, investing in, and supporting best-in-class technology startups across our target sectors,” Harding said. “We look forward to continued investment into innovative, disruptive companies over the coming many months. Cortado’s milestone and ascendancy is a signal that Oklahoma is serious about building the future.”
Cortado Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm investing in ambitious, growth-driven companies to define a new generation of economic prosperity for Oklahoma and the immediate region.
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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Nathaniel Harding at (405) 698-1748, or email nharding@cortado.ventures.
