Fundraising Fox

Early Stage Partners, LP

Venture capital

Cleveland · Seed–Series A · 3 people tracked

Find your way into Early Stage Partners, LP

73 people in our graph share verified history with the Early Stage Partners, LP team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Mark Schulzunlockedknows Jim Petras · together at University of Michigan (overlapped)
×8knows the team · via Oberlin College
×3knows the team · via Ohio Wesleyan University
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Investment thesis

Early Stage Partners focuses on backing promising early stage technology companies in the Midwest, based on the conviction that the region can produce a substantial number of attractive technology businesses. The firm provides much-needed capital along with advice and connections, aiming to generate success for entrepreneurs, investors, and the wider region. It has managed ESP Fund I (2002) and ESP Fund II (2008), both expected to reach top-quartile returns for their size and vintage. Notable exits include TOA Technologies (sold to Oracle), Simbionix, and Reverse Medical.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage
Seed–Series A
HQ
Cleveland, Ohio, US
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2001
AUM
$100M
Tracked investments
14

Team · 3 people

from the firm's website & public directories
Jonathan Murray· Co-founder

What they invest in

from 8 of 14 portfolio companies

Healthtech ×4Biotech ×3Medical Devices ×3Advanced Manufacturing ×2New Materials ×2SaaS ×2AdTech ×1Cleantech ×1

HQs:United States×9United Kingdom×1

Investments · 14 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2023 · 12020 · 12017 · 12015 · 12012 · 15 dated

SeaStar Medicalseastarmedical.comin𝕏NASDAQ: ICUJul 2020

SeaStar Medical develops the Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD), a therapy that targets highly activated neutrophils and monocytes to neutralize the hyperinflammatory immune response in critically ill ICU patients facing conditions such as infection, trauma, or surgery.

BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesDenver, US

H David Humes(Director)Eric Schlorff(Executive Officer, Director)inPeter DeComo(Director)Mark Morsfield(Executive Officer)inR James Danehy(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardAlvin Vitangcol(Director)

Co-investorsAphelion CapitalCapital Midwest FundWMU Biosciences Research & Commercialization Center

Intelligent Clearing Network, Incicn-net.comin𝕏Jun 2017✓ verified

ICN provides cloud-based, real-time promotion and coupon management technology for retailers, handling trade, digital, paper, mobile, and direct-to-card coupons and points at the point of sale.

AdTechRetail TechSaaSNew Canaan, US

Richard Thibedeau(Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer)Jon Robertson(Co-Founder & EVP Marketing)inBrian Schulte(Co-Founder & VP of IT)inGary Oakley(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardJames Petras(Director)Jonathan Murray(Director)

Co-investorsConnecticut InnovationsLaunchCapital

Linestream TechnologiesMar 2015SEC filingmedium confidence

Cleveland, US

David Neundorfer(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardPeter Ziebelman(Director)Ralph Carter(Director)

Board seatJim Petras· per SEC Form D · $1M raise · filed Apr 2015

Amplifinityin

Ann Arbor, US

Eric Jacobson(Executive Officer)in

BoardPaul Vlasic(Director)Ellen Carnahan(Director)Richard Beedon(Director)Raymond Spencer(Director)Jay Katarincic(Director)in

Co-investorsDraper Triangle

Arisdynearisdyne.comMar 2012

Arisdyne provides process technologies for industrial applications, working with process engineers and plant managers to improve outcomes in areas such as biodiesel production, wastewater and biogas treatment, and graphene manufacturing.

Advanced ManufacturingCleantechDeep TechNew MaterialsCleveland, US

Frederick W. Clarke(Executive Officer, Promoter)Oleg Kozyuk(Executive Officer, Promoter)Peter Reimers(Executive Officer, Director)inDavid Coleman(Executive Officer)

BoardPaul DiBella(Director)Jim Mazzella(Director)

Blue Spark Technologiesbluesparktechnologies.comin𝕏Nov 2023

Blue Spark Technologies manufactures wearable medical devices for continuous patient monitoring in healthcare settings.

Digital HealthHealthtechIoTMedical DevicesWestlake, US

ROBERT THOMPSON(Executive Officer)John Gannon(President & CEO)inMatt Ream(Executive Vice President, Marketing and Innovation)inGARY TUCHOLSKI(Executive Officer)

BoardJAMES PETRAS(Director)inCECELIA CRUICKSHANK(Director)

Co-investorsSunbridge Partners

HistoSonicshistosonics.comin𝕏

HistoSonics develops histotripsy technology, a non-invasive method that uses focused sound energy to destroy targeted tissue, offered as a medical device for physicians and their patients.

BiotechHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesAnn Arbor, GB

Thomas Davison(Executive Officer, Director)inM. Christine Gibbons(Executive Officer, Director)inWen Chen(Director)Tom Tefft(Director)Michael Blue(Executive Officer, Director)Fred Lee(Director)

Co-investorsAlpha Wave GlobalAmzak HealthHealthQuest CapitalLumira VenturesMichigan Capital NetworkBezos Expeditions+2 more

Intelligent Clearing Network
Juventas Therapeutics

BiotechCleveland, US

Marc Penn(Executive Officer, Director)Troy Ignelzi(Executive Officer)inRahul Aras(Executive Officer, Director)

BoardSuzette Dutch(Director)George Arida(Director)Linda Tufts(Director)

Co-investorsPanacea VentureClarevia VenturesNew Science VenturesTakeda VenturesTriathlon Medical Venture Partners

Onshiftonshift.comin

OnShift provides workforce management and employee engagement software for long-term care, senior living, behavioral health, EMS, and home health providers.

Enterprise SoftwareHealthtechHR TechSaaSCleveland, US

Mark Woodka(Executive Officer, Director)in

BoardMichael Stubler(Director)Claiborne Rankin(Director)Jonathan Murray(Director)David Inglis(Director)

Co-investorsDraper TriangleHLM Venture PartnersJumpstart VenturesHealth Velocity Capital

Ovation Polymersopteminc.com

Ovation Polymers is a specialty engineered plastic compounder that produces custom and standardized performance polymers through processes including dispersion, reactive extrusion, grafting, and nano-material processing.

Advanced ManufacturingNew MaterialsMedina, US

Reverse Medical

Company sold to a strategic investor in 2014.

Simbionix

Company sold to a strategic investor in 2014.

TOA Technologies

Software company sold to Oracle; largest-ever exit for an Ohio-based software company.

Co-investorsDraper Triangle

Rows marked “SEC filing” are inferred from directors named on the company's SEC Form D — public regulatory data, not a portfolio list published by the firm.

Exits · 1

IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolio

SeaStar MedicalNASDAQ: ICU

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Early Stage Partners, LP made?
Early Stage Partners, LP has 10 tracked investments.
What stage does Early Stage Partners, LP invest at?
Early Stage Partners, LP invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
What sectors does Early Stage Partners, LP focus on?
Early Stage Partners, LP focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Energy, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Healthtech, Medical Devices, New Materials, SaaS.
Where is Early Stage Partners, LP located?
Early Stage Partners, LP is headquartered in Cleveland, US.
Who does Early Stage Partners, LP co-invest with?
Early Stage Partners, LP most often shares deals with Draper Triangle, Capital Midwest Fund, HealthQuest Capital, among 11 tracked co-investors.

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