Investing in Capital and Confidence: Innovation Expo

Photo of Elizabeth Tweedale on stage talking at Innovation Expo in Sioux FallsInnovation Expo logo

Delivering the keynote at last week’s Innovation Expo in Sioux Falls, Coco Coders Founder and CEO Elizabeth Tweedale  - a West Des Moines native - reflected on her path spanning design, AI, education, and entrepreneurship, drawing a direct parallel between the capital raised to build tech startups and the early confidence invested in children. 

Reflecting on her journey growing Coco Coders to over 25,000 learners and $1.5M+ ARR, she expressed deep gratitude for her early and long-standing investors emphasizing that true partners provide both early-stage belief and aligned values beyond just writing a check.

Key Takeaways

  • Honoring Early Partners, Elizabeth expressed heartfelt gratitude to her early and long-standing partners at Homegrown Capital, pointing out that the right investors do far more than write a check - they validate vision before proof is fully complete and remain aligned partners through every phase of growth.

  • Choosing Investor Alignment as a Priority: Supported by the company’s existing investors, Elizabeth explained how the current funding round was being led internally by South Dakota First Capital and joined by Battle Born Ventures, InnoVenture Iowa, and Wonder Fund ND.  She emphasized the importance of building a partnership between an entrepreneur and their business alongside the investors who support them, where communication, follow-through, and vision alignment meant support moved beyond the initial check.

  • Capital & Confidence Parallel: Just as early-stage founders need investors to see potential before proof exists, communities must intentionally invest confidence and tools into young people before their ultimate capabilities are fully visible.

  • Midwestern Roots & "Responsible Ambition": Raised in West Des Moines with traditional Midwestern values, Elizabeth’s approach to venture capital pairs ambitious growth with a deep respect for capital and the people building the vision.

  • Lessons from Fundraising (Coco's Evolution):

    • Every dollar has a relationship attached to it. Friends & Family provided essential early oxygen, teaching her that every dollar requires transparent risk management and clear boundaries.

    • Venture Capital Choice: Selected venture funding to scale Coco's global impact, realizing that VC is an operating philosophy, not a trophy.

    • Evaluating Investors: Pitching over 100 VCs taught her to look beyond high valuations and ask "Who should help us build?" to find partners aligned with sustainable growth rather than premature spending.

The next South Dakota founder may be eight years old today…

A Vision for South Dakota's AI Future: South Dakota has the unique opportunity to scale its innovation ecosystem by investing in its people as early and deliberately as it invests in local companies. The ecosystem becomes powerful when each participant, whether it’s a founder, business owner, investor, or teacher, takes responsibility for one run and connects it to the next. Technology serves agriculture, health, finance, manufacturing, community services, and every other part of the regional economy. 

Thank you to the organisers of the Innovation Expo:Sioux Falls for creating such an inspiring event.

FounderElizabeth TweedalePress