Chicago Ventures

CV leads early rounds (seed and pre-seed stage) in industries overlooked by others, taking board seats and providing active operational partnership. They invest across 20+ cities in sectors including Supply Chain/Logistics, Healthcare, Fintech, Enterprise Tools, Consumer Media & Entertainment, Data Management, Proptech, Small Business Tools, and Mobility.

Check Size

Not specified

Stages

Pre Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth

Focus Areas

Fintech, Payments, Logistics Supply Chain

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Investment Thesis

Chicago Ventures believes that enduring companies can be built anywhere, by anyone. They focus on leading early rounds before market validation is obvious, serving as active, operationally-involved partners during a company’s earliest stages. They intentionally fund founders and industries that others have overlooked, demonstrating conviction in founders and ideas that conventional wisdom deems un-scalable or have small total addressable markets.

What Sets Them Apart

Lead early rounds before market validation is obvious
Active, operationally-involved partnership model
Take board seats and provide hands-on support
Fund founders and ideas dismissed by others as un-scalable or having small TAM
Geographic diversity - invest across 20+ cities, not concentrated in traditional hubs
Willingness to invest in overlooked industries with strong track record of exits and growth