The Ames Seed Capital Fund was originally incorporated in 1987 as Ames Seed Capital Fund, Inc. and then became Ames Seed Capital, LLC in 1999 ("ASCF" or "Fund"). ASCF is a pool of investment funds contributed by private sources (entities and individuals) for the purpose of providing equity financing for business start-ups and/or expansions in Ames, Story City, Nevada, Huxley and related Story County areas. The Fund is an Iowa company created to implement a program of the Ames Economic Development Commission ("AEDC") and initially established by the AEDC to fund start-up companies that were locating in the Iowa State University (ISU) Research Park. ASCF is managed by an elected volunteer Board of Managers.
The Fund's goals are the following:
- Proved a profit return to the investor on invested capital.
- Assist start-up and early stage companies with another financing or investment source.
- Create and retain jobs in the central Iowa region.
- Create a positive economic impact to the Ames and central Iowa area.