Most entrepreneurs can visualize their success – it's already in sight. They also know it's a long and difficult journey, sometimes taking more than just a little help from their friends. That's where we come in, helping to bring that vision into sharper focus, providing key insights that unlock a founder's potential and push their business forward. Often, these insights may seem small, but their impact can be transformational.
We know what it means to start small. T-Serve grew out of the story of how just nine lines of code helped transform a fledgling startup into a leading player in higher education software. That experience taught us that small, thoughtful decisions can unlock outsized impact – and that founders need more than just capital; they need a sounding board offering unbiased input based on real world experience.
We believe founders deserve investors who listen first, challenge thoughtfully, and measure success by the quality and impact of the businesses built, not just a big ROI. We're not a fund, we're a family, investing our capital with patience and purpose in entrepreneurs we trust and admire for their drive to build something special.
Dedicated to supporting local founders, T-Serve Capital is a boutique, family-run investment firm rooted in Kansas City formed by Dan and Patrick Toughey (pronounced TOO-ee).
Our backgrounds bring real-world startup, product, and go-to-market strategy insights beyond what "typical" capital offers – because we've been there before. Unlike most traditional VC firms, we've sat in your seat. Dan Toughey co-founded and built TouchNet from the ground up, learning firsthand what it takes to succeed, scale, and exit.
As a boutique, family-run investment office, we invest our own capital with an intentional approach to our portfolio, so every founder gets real partnership and tailored support. We answer only to ourselves, not outside LPs or rigid fund structures, so our approach is personal, patient, and highly selective. This means founders get genuine partnership, flexible support, and the time needed to build lasting businesses – never pressure to fit someone else's timeline.
We're rooted in Kansas City and deeply committed to strengthening the local innovation ecosystem. Our investments are designed to help founders thrive on their own terms and to give back to the community we know and love.
Principal | Advisor
Dan is the Co-founder and retired president of TouchNet Information Systems, Inc., now a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Payments, Inc. (NYSE: GPN).
Principal | Investor
Patrick leads T-Serve Capital's investment efforts, partnering closely with founders to operationalize marketing and turn great ideas into scalable businesses.
Are you a Kansas City founder building something special? We'd love to hear from you. Reach out to start a conversation about how we can help bring your vision into sharper focus.
We review every inquiry personally and respond to founders who align with our investment focus.