JumpStart Ventures

JumpStart Ventures is a Cleveland, Ohio-based venture capital firm and the investing arm of JumpStart Inc., a nonprofit economic development organization. Founded in 2011, the firm manages more than $200 million across four distinct funds: the Evergreen Fund, Focus Fund, Healthcare Collaboration Fund, and NEXT Fund — providing a continuum of capital from pre-seed through seed and Series A stages. JumpStart Ventures is led by Managing Partner Hardik Desai and has invested in more than 180 high-potential early-stage startups throughout Ohio and the Midwest, delivering top-quartile returns in early-stage B2B SaaS and healthcare. The NEXT Fund III held its first close at $24.55 million toward a $50 million target in March 2025, supported by SSBCI Ohio and 21-plus LPs, with plans to back approximately 15 new startups. JumpStart leads rounds across its portfolio. The firm's most notable exit is CoverMyMeds, an early-stage investment that was acquired by McKesson for more than $1.4 billion — nine years after the initial investment. The firm has recorded more than 30 total exits through acquisitions, including Able Software, Wireless Environment, CardioInsight, Vizzle, and OnShift. Current portfolio companies include Abre (education technology), Centerline Biomedical (medical devices), OnStation (construction tech), Cleveland Diagnostics (cancer diagnostics), Orthobrain (orthodontics AI), and Axuall (healthcare workforce credentialing). Focus sectors span enterprise software, data analytics, biomedical technology, insurtech, fintech, and life sciences. JumpStart Ventures targets companies with greater than $1 billion addressable markets, unique or disruptive solutions, and capital-efficient models. The nonprofit parentage of JumpStart Inc. gives the firm a distinctive economic development mission — supporting Ohio and Midwest entrepreneurs who are often overlooked by coastal investors, while generating the financial returns needed to sustain the broader organization's work.