Mississippi's venture scene is small but growing. The state closed roughly $180M across 25 deals in 2025, mostly in healthcare IT, agtech, and logistics tech. Most capital comes from regional funds based in nearby states or Mississippi-based family offices that moved into venture. You won't find many purely Mississippi-focused VC funds, but you'll find investors who actively look at MS deals and understand the local market.
Quick list
Innovate Mississippi (Jackson): Backed Trilaboro at $1.2M seed in Mississippi's healthtech push
Innova Memphis (Memphis, TN - active in MS): Led Olive Branch logistics startup's $800K round
New Orleans Startup Fund (New Orleans, LA - invests in MS): Backed Hattiesburg SaaS company at $500K pre-seed
Tensility Venture Partners (Jackson): Early investor in C Spire's healthtech portfolio companies
Renasant Ventures (Tupelo): Funded local fintech startup at $1.5M seed
Mississippi Development Authority (Jackson): Strategic investment in manufacturing tech startup
Endeavor Health Partners (Jackson): $2M Series A in Meridian medical device company
Venture South (Greenville, SC - covers MS): Co-invested in Starkville agtech at $1.8M
Cadence Bank Ventures (Tupelo): Backed Oxford financial software startup
BancorpSouth Ventures (Tupelo): $1.2M in Mississippi logistics tech
Southern Bancorp Community Partners (Arkadelphia, AR - active in MS Delta): Funded Clarksdale agriculture tech
Alabama Innovation Fund (Birmingham, AL - invests in MS): Co-led Southaven manufacturing software round
Why Mississippi for fundraising
Mississippi isn't a traditional venture hub, but it has advantages. Your burn rate runs 60-70% lower than Austin or Nashville. Office space in Jackson costs $15-20/sq ft versus $45+ in Atlanta. Engineering talent from Ole Miss and Mississippi State costs $75-95K for senior devs versus $140K+ in coastal cities.
The downside is limited local capital. Most Mississippi rounds top out at $3M. If you need $10M+ Series A, you're pitching Atlanta, Nashville, or Birmingham funds. Mississippi investors prefer capital-efficient businesses over hypergrowth plays. They want to see a path to profitability within 24 months, not 5 years.
Healthcare IT and agtech get funded most easily here. Mississippi has deep domain expertise in both sectors. Manufacturing tech and logistics software also find interest due to the state's industrial base. Pure consumer plays struggle unless you've got proven traction. If you're operating as a mission-driven organization, explore how nonprofit teams use our platform to share sensitive updates securely.
Picking the right Mississippi investor
Local presence matters more in Mississippi than most markets. Investors here want quarterly in-person board meetings. Remote-only relationships don't work well. Jackson, Tupelo, and Oxford are the three main startup centers. If you're based in Hattiesburg or Meridian, expect to travel for investor meetings.
Portfolio companies are limited, so check if they've backed any Mississippi startups at all. Many regional funds list MS in their coverage area but have never closed a deal here. Look for funds that have actually written checks to Mississippi companies in the past 2 years.
Check sizes typically range from $250K to $2M for seed rounds. Series A rarely exceeds $5M unless you bring in out-of-state lead investors. Most Mississippi investors write $500K-1M checks and expect you to raise the rest from regional funds.
Local network is Mississippi's main advantage. Investors here can connect you to C Spire, Sanderson Farms executives, or university research partnerships. Those relationships matter if you're B2B or need enterprise pilots. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links before meetings. You'll see which investors actually review your materials versus those just taking coffee meetings.
Follow-on capacity is limited. Plan your Series A with Tennessee, Alabama, or Georgia funds. Few Mississippi investors can lead rounds above $3M. Keep your deck or data room under wraps with simple password protection that doesn’t slow you down.
How to find and approach Mississippi investors
Research local deals through Innovate Mississippi's newsletter and Mississippi Business Journal. Those sources track every meaningful round in the state. Most Mississippi deals don't make TechCrunch or Crunchbase right away.
Leverage local ecosystem through Innovate Mississippi in Jackson and the Mississippi State University Innovation Center in Starkville. Ole Miss also runs the Insight Park incubator. All three programs connect founders to local investors.
Build relationships first at Mississippi New Venture Conference each fall. That's where most Mississippi investors scout deals. Don't cold email - get a warm intro from an accelerator director or portfolio founder.
Share your pitch deck through Ellty with tracking enabled. Mississippi investors typically take 5-7 days to review decks, slower than Nashville or Atlanta. You'll know who's actually interested versus being polite.
Attend local events like 1 Million Cups Jackson, Innovate Mississippi pitch events, and Mississippi Economic Council gatherings. Deals happen through repeated exposure, not one meeting.
Connect with portfolio founders through LinkedIn. Mississippi's startup community is small enough that everyone knows each other. Portfolio founders will tell you which investors actually support companies versus those who just invest and disappear.
Organize due diligence in an Ellty data room before first meetings. Mississippi investors expect clean financials and clear incorporation documents. Many prefer Delaware C-corps over Mississippi LLCs.
Understand local pace - Mississippi deals close in 90-120 days on average. That's slower than major hubs but reflects thorough diligence. Investors here won't rush term sheets. They'll reference check heavily and want 3-4 meetings before committing.
Mississippi-specific considerations
Mississippi investors overwhelmingly prefer B2B over consumer. Healthcare IT gets the easiest funding due to strong local hospital systems and medical device presence. Agtech and agriculture software benefit from Mississippi's farming economy and university research.
Expect longer sales cycles than coastal markets. Mississippi investors want to see customer traction before investing, not just a waitlist or LOIs. Profitability expectations run higher - most funds here won't back businesses burning $500K+ monthly without clear unit economics. Competition for deals is lower, but so is available capital. You'll often need to combine a Mississippi lead with regional co-investors to close meaningful rounds.
12 top investors in Mississippi
1. Innovate Mississippi
The state's primary venture development organization and most active early-stage investor in Mississippi startups.
- Recent Deals: Trilaboro $1.2M seed (2025), multiple healthcare IT investments across Jackson metro
- LinkedIn: Jim Coll
- Sector Focus: healthcare IT, software, agtech, advanced manufacturing
- Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, early-stage
- Office Location: Jackson, MS
- Website: innovate.ms
2. Tensility Venture Partners
Jackson-based venture firm focused on healthcare technology and B2B software companies in the Southeast.
- Recent Deals: Multiple C Spire healthtech portfolio investments, Mississippi medical software startups
- LinkedIn: Hayes Batson
- Sector Focus: healthcare IT, B2B SaaS, medical devices
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A
- Office Location: Jackson, MS
- Website: tensilityvc.com
3. Renasant Ventures
Tupelo-based investment arm of Renasant Bank, backing fintech and business software across the Southeast.
- Recent Deals: Mississippi fintech seed round $1.5M (2025), regional banking software investments
- LinkedIn: Renasant Bank
- Sector Focus: fintech, banking software, B2B SaaS
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A
- Office Location: Tupelo, MS
- Website: renasant.com
4. Innova Memphis
Memphis-based fund that actively invests in northern Mississippi startups, particularly logistics and healthcare tech.
- Recent Deals: Olive Branch logistics startup $800K (2025), DeSoto County healthtech investments
- LinkedIn: Eric Mathews
- Sector Focus: logistics tech, healthcare IT, supply chain software
- Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
- Office Location: Memphis, TN (covers MS)
- Website: innovamemphis.com
5. New Orleans Startup Fund
Louisiana-based fund that regularly backs Mississippi Gulf Coast and southern MS startups.
- Recent Deals: Hattiesburg SaaS company $500K pre-seed (2025), Gulf Coast tech investments
- LinkedIn: Tim Williamson
- Sector Focus: SaaS, coastal tech, tourism tech
- Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
- Office Location: New Orleans, LA (invests in MS)
- Website: neworleansstartupfund.com
6. Endeavor Health Partners
Jackson-based healthcare investment firm focused on medical devices and health IT across the Southeast.
- Recent Deals: Meridian medical device company $2M Series A (2025), Mississippi healthtech investments
- LinkedIn: Endeavor Health Partners
- Sector Focus: medical devices, healthcare IT, diagnostics
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A, growth
- Office Location: Jackson, MS
- Website: endeavorhealthpartners.com
7. Venture South
Southeast-focused fund based in South Carolina that actively sources deals across Mississippi.
- Recent Deals: Starkville agtech $1.8M co-investment (2025), Mississippi B2B software rounds
- LinkedIn: Chris Heivly
- Sector Focus: B2B SaaS, agtech, advanced manufacturing
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A
- Office Location: Greenville, SC (covers MS)
- Website: venturesouth.vc
8. Cadence Bank Ventures
Tupelo-based investment arm backing fintech and business software across Mississippi and the Southeast.
- Recent Deals: Oxford financial software startup (2025), regional fintech investments
- LinkedIn: Cadence Bank
- Sector Focus: fintech, banking tech, B2B software
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A
- Office Location: Tupelo, MS
- Website: cadencebank.com
9. BancorpSouth Ventures
Mississippi-based bank venture arm focused on fintech, logistics, and business software.
- Recent Deals: Mississippi logistics tech $1.2M (2025), regional fintech startups
- LinkedIn: BancorpSouth
- Sector Focus: fintech, logistics tech, supply chain software
- Stage Focus: seed, early growth
- Office Location: Tupelo, MS
- Website: cadencebank.com
10. Southern Bancorp Community Partners
Arkansas-based community development fund that invests in Mississippi Delta startups and underserved markets.
- Recent Deals: Clarksdale agriculture tech (2025), Delta region economic development investments
- LinkedIn: Southern Bancorp
- Sector Focus: agtech, agriculture software, rural tech
- Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed
- Office Location: Arkadelphia, AR (active in MS Delta)
- Website: southernpartners.org
11. Alabama Innovation Fund
Birmingham-based fund that regularly invests in northern Mississippi and cross-border deals.
- Recent Deals: Southaven manufacturing software co-lead (2025), north MS tech investments
- LinkedIn: Alabama Innovation Fund
- Sector Focus: manufacturing tech, B2B SaaS, logistics
- Stage Focus: seed, Series A
- Office Location: Birmingham, AL (invests in MS)
- Website: alabamainnovationfund.com
12. Mississippi Development Authority
State economic development agency that makes strategic investments in high-growth Mississippi companies.
- Recent Deals: Manufacturing tech startup strategic investment (2025), job creation investments
- LinkedIn: Mississippi Development Authority
- Sector Focus: manufacturing, advanced materials, job creation sectors
- Stage Focus: growth, expansion
- Office Location: Jackson, MS
- Website: mississippi.org
Start tracking your Mississippi investor outreach
These 12 investors closed deals in Mississippi during 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out to local funds and regional investors, set up proper tracking.
Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each Mississippi investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your financials. Mississippi-based founders often find local investors skip market size projections but focus heavily on unit economics, team backgrounds, and customer traction.
When Mississippi investors ask for more materials during diligence, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your cap table, financial model, customer contracts, and incorporation documents in one secure place with view analytics.
Common questions
Do I need to be based in Mississippi to raise from Mississippi investors?
Not required, but it helps significantly. Most Mississippi investors prefer companies with physical operations in the state or plans to hire locally. Remote companies can raise here but face more skepticism.
How does Mississippi compare to Nashville or Atlanta for fundraising?
Mississippi has less capital available but also less competition. Nashville and Atlanta have 10x more active funds but 20x more startups pitching. Mississippi works if you're capital-efficient and don't need $10M+ rounds.
What's the average seed round size in Mississippi?
$750K to $2M for seed rounds. Pre-seed typically runs $250K-500K. Series A rarely exceeds $5M unless you bring in out-of-state lead investors.
Should I raise locally or go straight to Atlanta/Nashville?
Raise locally if you're pre-revenue or under $500K ARR. Mississippi investors will back you earlier than major hubs. Once you hit $1M+ ARR, you'll likely need regional funds for Series A.
Do Mississippi investors expect in-person meetings?
Yes, almost always. Video calls work for initial conversations, but expect to travel to Jackson, Tupelo, or Oxford for serious discussions. Quarterly board meetings are typically in-person.
What industries get funded most in Mississippi?
Healthcare IT, agtech, and manufacturing tech lead. Logistics software and B2B SaaS also find interest. Consumer products and pure mobile apps struggle without significant traction.
