Chicago, known for its rich history and architectural marvels, has emerged as a thriving hub for entrepreneurs and a flourishing venture capital industry. The Windy City's startup ecosystem includes a wide spectrum of innovative startups across diverse industries, reflecting the city's dynamic and inclusive attitude to entrepreneurship. In recent years, Chicago has seen a spectacular boom in the venture capital industry, with a large infusion of investment supporting the expansion of these trailblazing firms. This spike demonstrates investors' confidence and enthusiasm for Chicago's entrepreneurial scene, establishing the city as an appealing destination for both local and global investment. This article provides a comprehensive list of Venture Capital Firms (VCs) in Chicago that may be the right funding partner for you.
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Venture Capitalist Funds in Chicago
The venture capitalist funds below are actively looking for investments in promising companies throughout various stages and sectors. The stages stated do not limit the possibility of getting funding if your company is at any stage other than what is listed.
Year of Inception: 1999
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Community,Health,Software & Internet,Marketing & Growth,AI & Machine Learning,Entertainment & Media,Food
Notable Portfolio: Alert Logic, Eblu Solutions, Hubly, Prisidio, Snapsheet
Year of Inception: 2017
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Community,Software & Internet,Legal,Marketing & Growth,Entertainment & Media
Notable Portfolio: Avalanche, Bluelink, Clipbook, FactSquared, Hustle
Year of Inception: 2011
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Health,Software & Internet,Consulting & Services
Notable Portfolio: Brightline, Livongo, OM1, SchoolCare, Yaro
Year of Inception: 2015
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Hardware,Software & Internet,Marketing & Growth,B2B,AI & Machine Learning,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Acreto, Caribou, HelloTech, Nova Credit, Preclose
Year of Inception: 2011
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Health,Industry,Software & Internet,Leisure & Travel,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Aeropay, Buildforce, Cameo, G2, HealthFinch
Year of Inception: 2016
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Software & Internet,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Agnostiq, Polymer, Leverage, Pepper Bio, Upkey
Year of Inception: 2019
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Software & Internet,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Photo Finish, Quivr, Solv, Planetarium, Mojito, XVerse
Year of Inception: 2012
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Health,Industry,Software & Internet,Climate & Impact
Notable Portfolio: Parsyl, Thinkific, Klue, Fibroblast
Year of Inception: 2013
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Health,Robotics
Notable Portfolio: Overlow, Pivot, Foxtrot, Cascade, Bedrock, Hedgehog
Year of Inception: 1995
Stage: Pre Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Industry,Software & Internet,Finance & Crypto
Notable Portfolio: Addepar, BitGo, SpaceX, Manduka, Fooda
Year of Inception: 2012
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Logistics,Health,Software & Internet,Climate & Impact
Notable Portfolio: Acelero, BookNook, Carbon Direct, Dandi
Year of Inception: 2019
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Software & Internet,Finance & Crypto,Health,Marketing & Growth,B2B,Consumer,Food,Women-Founded,Logistics
Notable Portfolio: Betterleave, CareAdvisors, Cartwheel, Hologram, Tiny
Year of Inception: 2018
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Software & Internet,Food
Notable Portfolio: Abstract, Betterleave, Hound, Sparkwise, Upwards
Year of Inception: 2016
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Focus: Transportation,Software & Internet,AI & Machine Learning
Notable Portfolio: Jupiter Intelligence, Sinai, Patch, Sitetracker
Year of Inception: 2009
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Community,Software & Internet,AI & Machine Learning,Leisure & Travel,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: DocuSign, Fractional, Inspectify, LeaseUp
Year of Inception: 1997
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto
Notable Portfolio: Ethena, Etoro, Stash, MoneyLion, Upper90
Year of Inception: 2011
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Health,Industry,Software & Internet,Consulting & Services,Marketing & Growth,AI & Machine Learning,Leisure & Travel,Entertainment & Media,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: Avant, Certiverse, CoPilot, InvestNext, Limelight
Year of Inception: 1996
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Software & Internet,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Interrewoven, Exodus, OpenWave, NeuLion
Year of Inception: 2012
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Software & Internet,Consulting & Services,Finance & Crypto,Robotics,AI & Machine Learning, Health, Consumer, Transportation,Industry,Hardware,Marketing & Growth,Leisure & Travel
Notable Portfolio: Acretrader, BenchPrep, Cable, Enso, Fast Radius
Year of Inception: 1999
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Software & Internet,Consulting & Services,Marketing & Growth,AI & Machine Learning,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: GrubHub, Fountain, Veho, Cameo, Backlot Cars
Year of Inception: 2020
Stage: Seed
Focus: AI & Machine Learning,Health,Industry,Hardware,Software & Internet,Consumer,Finance & Crypto,Logistics
Notable Portfolio: SupplyHive, Stratafolio, Square Stack, Innovare
Year of Inception: 2018
Stage: Seed
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Health,Hardware,Software & Internet,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Airvet, Cameo, Flyhomes, Attain, Clyde, Xena
Year of Inception: 2000
Stage: Seed
Focus: Health,Software & Internet,AI & Machine Learning
Notable Portfolio: Applovin, Cartwheel, Curebase, Flourish Labs
Year of Inception: 2000
Stage: Seed
Focus: Software & Internet,Legal,Climate & Impact
Notable Portfolio: Carbon Reform, ChargerHelp!, Kadeya, Showerstream
Year of Inception: 2007
Stage: Seed, Series A
Focus: Software & Internet,Legal,Climate & Impact
Notable Portfolio: Tradable, Mendel, Azibo, Credix, ZeroFox
Year of Inception: 2018
Stage: Seed, Series A
Focus: Logistics,Health,Software & Internet,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: DustPhotonics, Cove, Cofactr, Laskie, Noba
Year of Inception: 2019
Stage: Seed, Series A
Focus: Transportation,Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Software & Internet,Climate & Impact,Food
Notable Portfolio: Canopy, Electrotempo, FloodFlash, Ocient, ReelData
Year of Inception: 2012
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Industry,Software & Internet,Robotics
Notable Portfolio: Biocogniv, Cobalt, Dispatch, Flyr, Mangata
Year of Inception: 2016
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Health,Industry,Hardware,Software & Internet,Legal,Marketing & Growth,Robotics,AI & Machine Learning,Leisure & Travel,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: ProsperStack, WeSolv, CoPilot, Worktorch, eHawk
Listen Ventures
Year of Inception: 2010
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Software & Internet,Consumer,Women-Founded
Notable Portfolio: Angels Envy, Black Buffold, Calm, Jolie, KiwiCo
Year of Inception: 2016
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Food,Software & Internet,Health
Notable Portfolio: Wurk, Treeza, PathogenDx, Ascend, Harborside
Mazarine Ventures
Year of Inception: 2018
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Hardware,Climate & Impact
Notable Portfolio: Conservation Labs, ElectraMet, Pani, Flume
Year of Inception: 2015
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Health,Software & Internet,AI & Machine Learning,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Astronomer, AppPress, Continuum, Pavewise
Year of Inception: 2014
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B
Focus: Software & Internet
Notable Portfolio: Acorns, Chowly, Enduvo, Datacy, Maxwell
Year of Inception: 2014
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Focus: Logistics,Community,Health,Industry,Hardware,Software & Internet,Consulting & Services,Marketing & Growth,Leisure & Travel,Entertainment & Media,Consumer
Notable Portfolio: Authy, BoldVoice, Bluecore, Draftibit, Heretik
Year of Inception: 2017
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Focus: Transportation,Industry,Hardware,Software & Internet,AI & Machine Learning
Notable Portfolio: Shift 5, RED6, Signol, Alitheon
Year of Inception: 2014
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Health,Industry,Hardware,Software & Internet,Marketing & Growth,Robotics,AI & Machine Learning,Climate & Impact,Entertainment & Media,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: Oura, Sondermind, Gatik, Waabi, Labda, Axiom Space
Year of Inception: 2014
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Software & Internet
Notable Portfolio: BlockFills, Digital Asset, OpenGamma, Sparkcognition
Year of Inception: 1972
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Industry,Software & Internet,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: Altruist, Revascular Therapeutics, Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Earnest
Year of Inception: 2005
Stage: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Focus: Software & Internet,Marketing & Growth,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: AliveCor, Carbon Health, Illumitex, Headspace, Landesk
AbbVie Ventures
Year of Inception: 2013
Stage: Series B, Series C, Series D
Focus: Health
Notable Portfolio: Artios, Accent Therapeutics, Parvus Therapeutics
Year of Inception: 2011
Stage: Series C, Series D
Focus: Finance & Crypto,Logistics,Health,Software & Internet,Consulting & Services,Marketing & Growth,Entertainment & Media,Consumer,Food
Notable Portfolio: 23andme, Airbnb, Airslate, Chime, Coursera
Closing Thoughts on VCs and Angel Investors in Chicago
Chicago's startup and venture capital ecosystem emanates vigor and potential, reflecting the city's worldwide entrepreneurial prowess. The city's commitment to supporting inclusive entrepreneurship and guaranteeing equal access to financing opportunities has expanded its ecosystem while also setting a worldwide benchmark for inclusion and innovation. Chicago's unwavering enthusiasm and dedication to cultivating a diverse and dynamic entrepreneurial community solidify the city's status as a worldwide startup and venture capital hub.
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Frequently Asked Questions on VCs and Angel Investors in Chicago
What are the top venture capital firms in Chicago?
Some of the leading VCs in Chicago include Hyde Park Venture Partners, Chicago Ventures, MATH Venture Partners, and Pritzker Group Venture Capital.
How do I find angel investors in Chicago?
Angel networks like Hyde Park Angels, Chicago Arch Angels, and private investor groups on AngelList and LinkedIn are great places to start.
What industries do Chicago VCs and angel investors focus on?
Chicago investors primarily back startups in fintech, SaaS, healthcare, logistics, AI, and e-commerce.
What funding stages do Chicago VCs invest in?
Most VC firms in Chicago focus on seed to Series B rounds, while angel investors typically support pre-seed and early-stage startups.
How do I pitch my startup to Chicago investors?
Create a compelling pitch deck, network at startup events like Techstars Chicago, and reach out via warm introductions or investor platforms like Gust and AngelList.
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