Evergy Ventures

Evergy Ventures is the wholly owned, non-regulated investment affiliate of Evergy, Inc., the publicly traded utility formed from the 2018 merger of Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy. It invests on behalf of the parent utility’s non-ratepayer capital, keeping a firewall between its venture and growth equity activities and Evergy’s regulated operations.

Deal flow arrives through founder and GP networks, the team’s relationships in the Midwest energy ecosystem, and referrals from the utility’s operational and engineering units. LP positions in Energy Impact Partners, KCRise Fund, The Westly Group, and Union provide an additional pipeline of co-investment and fund-referred opportunities.

The firm does not disclose a committed fund size. It deploys capital from Evergy, Inc.’s non-regulated balance sheet, which allows it to write equity checks without the traditional fundraising cycle constraints of a venture capital firm.

Its stated focus is growth equity — revenue-generating businesses primed for expansion. However, the portfolio spans early-stage companies as well; Brock Smith’s background includes managing 47 Seed and Series A investments during his tenure at Invest Nebraska Corporation, indicating a willingness to engage earlier when the technology aligns with utility needs.

The firm does not publish a formal exclusion list. Because its mandate ties to the future of the regulated electric grid, it has not invested in oil and gas upstream, pure-play fossil generation, or consumer internet companies outside the energy value chain.

Evergy Ventures serves as a strategic limited partner and sits inside EIP’s utility partner network. The relationship is a two-way information and co-investment channel: Evergy gains exposure to EIP’s deal flow and diligence, while EIP portfolio companies can leverage Evergy as a potential utility deployment partner in the Midwest.

The firm co-invests directly when a portfolio company fits its strategic mandate. Its dual structure — direct book plus LP stakes — is designed to facilitate co-investment alongside the funds it backs, though specific co-investment deals are not publicly itemized.