Investments in St. Louis startups grow sixfold

A report by the St. Louis Regional Chamber indicates St. Louis-area startups last year raised more than $380 million, a sum six times greater the 2012 tally.

By all accounts, a healthy investment infrastructure has taken shape, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

Of the approximately 75 companies that received equity investments in 2013, at least 33 raised $1 million, a greater number of startups than the last two years combined and a signal that St. Louis is beginning to mature into serious venture capital stages, according to the business journal. Further, the chamber report says, “a ‘startup bulge’ at the earliest stages of funding has created a long list of companies that will be seeking seed rounds of capital within 18 months of their pre-seed investment.”

The newly released annual investment figures factor in all equity investments – and not debt financing or self-financed deals – throughout the St. Louis region. The business journal report noted the tally is a bit skewed by a sizable capital investment by Answers.com to acquire ForeSee in December.

Business journal sources said more than 50 new startups came onto the scene in 2013, and 37 of them were technology startups.

Read more from the St. Louis Business Journal.