Five Elms Capital doubles down on RFP360, bringing its investment to $12M
March 16, 2020 | Startland News Staff
RFP360 proved its worth and ability to push itself in the months following Five Elms Capital’s first investment in the software platform, said Thomas Kershisnik.
RFP360’s elevator pitch: We develop software solutions that transform how organizations worldwide request information, respond to requests and connect — making the RFP and proposal process far more efficient, effective, collaborative, consistent and repeatable for everyone. Our complete approach covers every angle, from knowledge management and response automation to request development and vendor evaluation.
The payoff? Five Elms today announced a second strategic growth investment in RFP360 — bringing its total backing of the Leawood-based startup to $12 million, said Kershisnik, managing director at Five Elms Capital.
“It’s clear that RFP360 truly understands an underserved market, offering a unique platform that creates value for all sides of the process — groups that issue RFPs and other information requests and teams whose job it is to respond,” he said. “We are excited to continue to partner with them and be a part of their growth.”
Click here to check out the firms on Startland News list of Kansas City’s Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies in 2019.
RFP360, plans to use the funds to support ongoing expansion of the product development, marketing and sales teams.
The investment comes a year after the first round of funding from Five Elms, a leading growth investor in founder-owned software businesses, which came in conjunction with the hiring of David Lintz as chief executive officer.
In 2019, RFP360 also expanded its executive leadership team by adding Beau Wysong as chief marketing officer and most recently Ryan Townsend — co-founder and former CTO of PayIt — as chief technology officer, as well as moving its global headquarters to Leawood after more than doubling its headcount.
Click here to read more about RFP360’s acceleration.
“We experienced a tremendous amount of growth in the last year from both a personnel and product standpoint,” Lintz said. “The additional investment from Five Elms will allow us to accelerate our growth and success in 2020 while continuing to disrupt the industry.”
RFP360 — founded by David Hulsen and Stuart Ludlow and previously known as RFP365 — was named one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2018.
Featured Business

2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Entrepreneur flexes her creative strengths into visibility for Kansas City’s lupus warriors
Keisha Jordan refuses to be a wallflower in the fight against lupus, she said. The founder of Kansas City-based creative home design brand Complex Flavors, Jordan is working to raise awareness this month with her own story as an entrepreneur-turned-lupus warrior. “We just want everybody to know that Kansas City has not forgotten about the…
KC’s 10-year playbook: Celebrate the wins, but go faster, farther (and leave no talent behind)
A decade of focusing on inclusive prosperity helped Kansas City rise among its peers, said David Warm, but the next 10 years require the region work quickly, with even more intention, and leaning into Kansas City’s willingness to forge its own path, together. “We are not going to get direction from the federal government. It…
Boulevard launches BBQ beer to help new museum tell Kansas City’s smoky story
It’s a beer that could only happen in Kansas City, said Greg Garrity, teasing Boulevard Brewing Co.’s just-announced bourbon barrel-aged Belgian-style quad — a brew infused with smoked malt and a blend of bold, barbecue-inspired ingredients. Crafted in collaboration with the recently opened Museum of BBQ at Crown Center, the MO’ BBQ release is the…
Olathe opening: Popular chicken chain flies deeper into JoCo; its first franchisee isn’t just winging it
Joe Finch got his start in the food industry bussing tables. This weekend, he’ll open his own restaurant in Olathe — capitalizing on the popularity of spinout success WingStand by opening the brand’s first franchise location. WingStand Olathe is set to debut Saturday at 119 South Mur-Len Road, offering an order of free wings to…


