This free Notion document contains the best 100+ resources you need for building a successful startup, divided in 4 categories: Fundraising, People, Product, and Growth.
This free eBook goes over the 10 slides every startup pitch deck has to include, based on what we learned from analyzing 500+ pitch decks, including those from Airbnb, Uber and Spotify.
This free sheet contains 100 accelerators and incubators you can apply to today, along with information about the industries they generally invest in.
This free sheet contains 100 VC firms, with information about the countries, cities, stages, and industries they invest in, as well as their contact details.
This free sheet contains all the information about the top 100 unicorns, including their valuation, HQ's location, founded year, name of founders, funding amount and number of employees.
The Windy City has a reputation for being down-to-earth, and its investment community is no different. For founders, this means access to capital without the coastal hype.
You'll find active firms like Second Century Ventures, with over 200 investments under its belt, and G Squared, which has guided almost 40 companies to an exit. Many others are writing checks for all kinds of startups.
Below is our list of the best 40 VC firms in Chicago.
Everything you need to raise funding for your startup, including 3,500+ investors, 7 tools, 18 templates and 3 learning resources.
Buy It For $97 $297 →CMT Digital invests in early-stage companies within the crypto and blockchain industry. The firm supports its portfolio through a combination of venture funding, active asset trading, and expertise in the sector's legal and policy issues.
S2G Investments backs businesses from seed to late-stage that are transforming the food, agriculture, oceans, and energy sectors. With a portfolio including companies like Beyond Meat and sweetgreen, they focus on building a healthier and more sustainable planet through market-driven solutions.
Origin Ventures funds early-stage companies that use artificial intelligence to transform productivity and automation. The firm invests in the infrastructure, software, and marketplaces foundational to this AI-driven shift.
G Squared provides capital throughout a venture's lifecycle, addressing the modern trend of companies staying private longer by offering both growth funding and liquidity for stakeholders. They have backed household names like Spotify, Instacart, and Lyft, partnering with entrepreneurs building disruptive, high-growth businesses.
Second Century Ventures promotes innovation in the real estate industry by investing in promising technology startups. As the venture fund of the National Association of Realtors, it gives portfolio companies a distinct advantage through access to the association's vast network and resources.
Sandbox Industries builds and manages businesses by connecting corporate partners with startups in healthcare, food, and agriculture. The firm creates dedicated venture funds and accelerator programs, such as with Blue Cross Blue Shield, to offer entrepreneurs both capital and strategic collaboration.
Impact Engine provides venture capital and private equity to early-stage companies generating positive outcomes in education, health, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability. The firm supports purpose-driven founders who are building businesses to solve pressing social and environmental challenges.
Wind Point Partners acquires and develops middle-market businesses throughout North America. They build value by executing a strategy that combines initial platform acquisitions with numerous add-on acquisitions.
Chingona Ventures writes checks for pre-seed and seed-stage startups, with a focus on backing founders who are often overlooked by traditional venture capital. They invest in industries like fintech, health, and education, supporting companies such as Career Karma.
With a 17-year track record, Moderne Ventures provides strategic capital to companies from early-stage through private equity. They are generalist investors with deep expertise in sectors like AI, robotics, and enterprise SaaS, backing technologies that can be applied across multiple industries for high growth.
Chicago's funding scene runs much deeper than our top picks. Combined, the city's other active VCs have backed nearly 2,000 startups and guided over 350 to an exit. This group includes both long-established players and newer funds getting started. Here’s a look at the other venture capital firms funding what's next in Chicago.
| VC Firm | Year Founded | Nº Investments | Nº Exits |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 10 | — | |
| 2015 | 178 | 27 | |
| 2014 | 98 | 17 | |
| — | 16 | — | |
| 2011 | 180 | 46 | |
| 2005 | 55 | 20 | |
| 2015 | 76 | 6 | |
| 2012 | 180 | 43 | |
| 2008 | 105 | 26 | |
| 2010 | 49 | 10 | |
| 1970 | 35 | 17 | |
| 2017 | 25 | — | |
| 2019 | 40 | 4 | |
| 2000 | 60 | 10 | |
| 2014 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 136 | 12 | |
| 2001 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 72 | 14 | |
| 2016 | 28 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 170 | 34 | |
| — | 2 | — | |
| 2015 | 18 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 39 | 2 | |
| 1999 | 171 | 33 | |
| 2013 | 36 | 5 | |
| 2012 | — | — | |
| 2007 | 153 | 30 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 1 |
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