Invite-only angel investment fund · West Virginia
Cultivate courage. Connect communities. Fuel the future. (and you can swap the verbs around)
The fund
Founders undergo a lot of pain to find funding. The governance that follows can be unreasonably cumbersome. 304af exists to change both.
304af is an invite-only angel investment fund for accredited investors — individuals and entities — who collaborate on finding and investing in deals in West Virginia. We like investing in other places and other people too, but we are 304af.
Founders undergo a lot of pain to find funding. And then the governance process from investors can be unreasonably cumbersome. Many investors do not add much value beyond money. We are here to reduce friction and build an environment that actually helps founders succeed.
High-growth tech startup, Main Street business with a storefront, or industrial operation — we look forward to hearing from you. Start with the application, and we will come back to you with the next step in diligence.
Stats
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
Pitches and jobs are estimates planned for 304af fund #1.
Where we invest
We are sector-flexible and geography-committed. Hover or tap a panel to read the thesis.
We are on the lookout for Main Street businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities — entrepreneurs who are not just running a business but nurturing a legacy, offering unique, essential services that enrich the local West Virginia lifestyle and economy.
In the industrial sphere we invest in manufacturing innovators poised to redefine the sector. We prioritize ventures that demonstrate sustainable practices, cutting-edge production technologies, and the potential to move the regional economy through job creation and export growth.
Our vision for high-growth technology targets revolutionary startups at the front of digital transformation — founders pushing boundaries in AI, blockchain and other emerging technologies, with scalable solutions that promise not just to grow but to leapfrog West Virginia into global tech leadership.
Portfolio
Where the fund and its members have put money and time to work — across Main Street, industrial operations, high-growth technology and media.
Micro-scale sensors that give surgical instruments real-time guidance. A Carnegie Mellon spin-out; their first application is cochlear implantation, where millimetres decide the outcome.
advancedoptronics.comSoftware for the home inspection industry — scheduling, on-site capture, reporting and payment in one workflow — plus the largest network of independent inspectors in the country.
inspectiongo.comComputer vision that inspects every unit coming off a production line, catching defects in products too complex or variable for conventional automated inspection.
shelfmark.comA physics-informed machine learning platform that predicts how a manufactured surface will perform — seconds of analysis in place of weeks of trial and error. Spun out of the University of Pittsburgh.
surfacedesignsolutions.netAn AI tennis training partner: a ball machine that adapts placement, speed and spin to the player, with computer vision tracking performance shot by shot. Based in Seattle, founded by a West Virginian — the kind of connection that keeps bringing us deals from outside the state.
tensasports.comPulsed electrochemical machining — a non-contact, non-thermal process that cuts complex geometries into hardened metals without the stress or tool wear of conventional machining.
voxelinnovations.comDigital displays for bars and restaurants, putting promotions, menus and event listings in front of guests while they are still in the room.
pluginpromotions.comCraft cocktails and contemporary Appalachian cooking on High Street in downtown Morgantown.
Producers of Small Town Universe, a feature documentary about Green Bank, West Virginia — home of the world's most sensitive radio telescope and the only US town where wifi and mobile phones are banned.
rescuedmedia.comFounder application process
You will always know where you stand and what happens next.
One application through FundOps — the same system our members use for diligence, so nothing you send gets lost in an inbox.
Present to every member, not a screening committee. You get direct questions from the people who would actually write the check — and honest feedback either way.
A focused diligence process run by members with operating experience in your sector, followed by a term sheet written to be readable.
Start here
One application, through FundOps — the same system our members use for diligence, so nothing you send gets lost in an inbox.
Feedback
Governance
Decisions are made with all members voting, rather than by fund managers holding investment authority. No member is paid for their services to the fund. The Executive Committee is elected to keep 304af running smoothly.
Membership
Joining 304af LLC is a meaningful step toward the region’s business and economic future. Express your interest and we will be in touch.
Membership units are offered only to accredited investors. You will be asked to self-certify that you qualify.
Register your interestThis is an expression of interest, not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities. Any offering is made solely through a Private Placement Memorandum.
Contact
Membership, press, partnerships, or a question about the fund — one form, and it reaches the Executive Committee.
Founders should apply through FundOps rather than write here — the application is a different process.
