A Guide to Chicago Funding Sources (Venture Capitalists, Accelerators, Angel Groups, etc.)

This list is roughly in order of active-ness by stage. Reach out if I’m missing someone @ColinKeeley.

Pre-seed (<$1.5M round)

• M25

• Roniin - email colin@roniin.com

• Starting Line - listen to Ezra Galston’s episode

• New Stack Ventures (IoT, but not exclusively) - listen to Nick Moran’s episode

• Network Ventures

• CMT Digital (Blockchain)

• ZK Capital (Blockchain)

• West Loop Ventures (Fintech) - listen to Jeff Carter’s episode

• Tensility (AI)

• Lightbank - only pre-seed now

• Sandalphon Capital

• Comeback Capital

• Founder Equity

• Moderne Ventures (Real Estate) - listen to Constance Friedman’s episode

• Techstars (Accelerator)

• Ekistic Ventures (Gov tech)

• Invest HER Ventures

• Bridge Investments

• Longjump Capital

• Promus Ventures (HQ in Chicago, but internationally diversified portfolio)

• NU Seeds (Northwestern affiliated startups)

• Nameless Ventures

• Purple Arch Angels (Northwestern affiliated startups)

• IllinoisVENTURES (University of Illinois affiliated startups)

• Bascom Ventures (University of Wisconsin affiliated startups)

• Chicago Media Angels (media)

• West Suburb Angels

Seed ($1.5M - $3M)

• Starting Line - listen to Ezra Galston’s episode

• Roniin - email colin@roniin.com

• Hyde Park Angels

• Chicago Ventures

• Hyde Park Venture Partners

• Pritzker Group

• TechNexus (VC for multiple corporate partners; audio, aviation, mining)

• Origin Ventures

• Corazon Capital

• Math Venture Partners - listen to Troy Henikoff’s episode

• Listen Ventures (Consumer)

• Network Ventures

• Moderne Ventures

• Nameless Ventures

• Hillsview Capital Management

• IrishAngels (No longer has Notre Dame affiliation requirement) - listen to Gale Bowman’s episode

• Impact Engine (Social impact requirement)

• Guild Capital

• OCA Ventures

• HBS Angels

• Wintrust Ventures (Corp VC)

• Wasson Enterprise (Family Office)

• Breaktout Capital

• Bluestein & Associates

• MK Capital

• Invest in Chicago but are based outside of Illinois

  • Revolution Rise of the Rest (DC based)

  • Dundee Ventures (Omaha based)

  • High Alpha Capital (Indianapolis based)

  • Service Provider Capital (Golden, CO based)

  • Grand Ventures (Grand Rapids based)

  • Drive Capital (Columbus based)

Series A and up ($3M+)

• Roniin - email colin@roniin.com

• Pritzker Group

• Chicago Ventures

• ARCH Venture Partners (Life sciences & advanced tech)

• First Analysis

• Origin Ventures

• Cultivian Sandbox

  • Sandbox (Blue Cross Blue Shield; Healthcare )

  • Cultivian (Agtech)

• Nine Four (Real Estate)

• Jump Capital (Corp VC; Fintech, blockchain)

• DRW/Cumberland Mining (Corp VC; Fintech, Blockchain)

• Energize Ventures (formerly Invenergy Future Fund; Series B & C; Energy)

• IrishAngels Ventures (No Notre Dame affiliation requirement)

• Victory Park Capital (Debt and specialty finance)

• Allstate Strategic Ventures (Corp VC, Insurtech)

• Adams Street Capital

• Valor Equity

• Cleveland Avenue (CPG food)

• Chaifetz Group (Family Office)

• Apex Ventures

• Method Capital

• Baird Capital (Series B only)

• Duchossois Technology Partners (Family Office)