Fundraising FoxLakewest Venture Partners
Venture capitalChicago · Seed–Series A · 3 people tracked
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Investment thesis
Lakewest Venture Partners invests in seed and early-stage companies, prioritizing the quality of the founding team above the plan itself. It favors post-proof-of-concept businesses that have earned early revenue and customers and are raising to scale, and seeks companies challenging the status quo that can build a defensible niche with barriers to entry. Beyond direct deals, the firm allocates capital as a limited partner into venture funds whose strategies differ from its original Midwest early-stage approach, backing high-performing managers across industries, stages and geographies. It leverages its founders' Chicago business, civic and entrepreneurial network to offer mentorship and connections.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 11, 2026.
Team · 3 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 16 of 38 portfolio companiesConsumer ×5SaaS ×5Hardware ×4Enterprise Software ×3Healthtech ×3AI & Machine Learning ×2Cloud Computing ×2Creator Economy ×2
HQs:United States×17
Who they back
founder profiles across 18 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×82 founders×73 founders×24+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 16 founders with education data
McGill University ×2University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 15 founders with field-of-study data
Business & Management ×5Economics ×3Engineering ×3Finance & Accounting ×3Law ×2
Investments · 38 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2022 · 12020 · 12017 · 13 dated
Accel Entertainment is a video gaming terminal operator that provides gaming machines, redemption machines, and amusement devices to bars, restaurants, convenience stores, truck stops, and fraternal and veteran organizations.
GamingHardwareBurr Ridge, US
Andrew Rubenstein(Executive Officer, Director)Gordon Rubenstein(Vice Chairman and Director)inMichael Marino(Executive Officer)inMathew Ellis(Executive Officer)inMark Phelan(Executive Officer)inDerek Harmer(Executive Officer)in
Co-investorsClairvest Group Inc
Audio Up is a media company that produces audio-based entertainment, developing intellectual property around songs, podcasts, and audio marketing assets.
Creator EconomyMedia & EntertainmentLos Angeles, US
Jared Gutstadt(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Brian Edwards(Director)
BoardJustin Shukat(Director)Andrew Moss(Director)Caroline Casey Boman(Director)Darren Throop(Director)
Co-investorsFourward Ventures
Benchmark Analytics builds data-driven talent management and early intervention solutions for law enforcement agencies, sheriff's offices, and related organizations.
Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareGovTechHR TechLegalTechChicago, US
Bob Tulini(Co-Founder)inRon Huberman(Founder)in
BoardKaren Konow(Former Chief, Bureau of Internal Affairs, Chicago Police Department)Karen Rowan(Former Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Internal Affairs, Chicago Police Department)
Co-investorsValor Equity Partners
Coralogix provides an observability platform that analyzes real-time telemetry with AI-powered investigation and cost controls for engineering teams.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsSaaS
Ariel Assaraf(Founder)inYoni Farin(Founder)inChetan Chaudhary(CRO)inYael Sapir-Zahavi(CHRO)Eran Hadad(CFO)inBrian Mullen(CMO & Strategic Partnerships)in
Co-investors2B.VCAlephBright Pixel CapitalBrighton Park CapitalGreenfield PartnersJoule Ventures+9 more
Dundee Venture Capital is an early-stage venture firm that invests in commerce enablement and supply chain technology companies, backing founders from the idea stage through early product-market fit.
E-commerceLogistics & Supply ChainRetail Tech
Mark Hasebroock(Founder)in
Harbinger Motors designs and manufactures electric vehicles built on medium-duty platforms for commercial and industrial transportation.
CleantechHardwareMobility & TransportationGarden Grove, US
John Harris(Founder)inPhillip Weicker(Founder)inBenjamin Dusastre(Executive Officer)Ryan Clinton(Director)inWilliam Eberts(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Will Eberts(Founder)
Co-investorsAcequia Capital (AceCap)ATEL VenturesCarbonGreycroftGround Up VenturesIn-Q-Tel+15 more
IRA Financial is a self-directed retirement account provider that lets individual investors hold alternative assets (real estate, private equity, crypto, precious metals) alongside stocks and ETFs in one IRA or Solo 401(k).
Fintech
Curates content and products to help consumers create a healthier, greener life
Skokie, US
Christopher Conn(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsPallasite Ventures
NuCurrent designs and licenses wireless power and NFC charging architecture for wearables, hearables, and ambient devices, working with product manufacturers to integrate coil, silicon, firmware, and thermal design.
ConsumerDeep TechHardwareIoTChicago, US
Jacob Babcock(CEO)inStephen Wasko(Executive Officer)inMegha Maripuri(Executive Officer)Jeffery Korach(Director)Chris Jensen(Director)
BoardDaniel Einhorn(Director)in
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesCapital Midwest FundDipalo VenturesHarvard Business Angels of ChicagoIU VenturesTribal Ventures+1 more
Packback is an education technology platform using instructional AI to support student discussion, writing feedback and grading.
Chicago, US
Kesav Gandham(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Shannon(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardHoward Tullman(Director)
Co-investorsEscalate Capital PartnersTribal VenturesYork IEHyde Park AngelsPSG Equity
Popular Pays is an influencer marketing and creator management platform that connects brands with creators for campaign development and execution.
Creator EconomyEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSaaSChicago, US
Corbett Drummey(Founder)inSteven Wanderski(Founder)in
BoardClancey Stahr(Director)inPeter Dolan(Director)
Co-investorsBeringeaEmery CapitalFusionGoAhead VenturesICCP Venture PartnersLofty Ventures+16 more
Prisidio is a secure digital vault app that lets individuals and families organize documents, passwords, valuables, financial information, and memories in one encrypted place and share them with chosen family members, advisors, or executors.
ConsumerCybersecurityFintechSaaSNaples, US
Glenn Shimkus(Co-Founder & CEO)inPaul Koziarz(Director)in
BoardRob Chesney(Director)inVanessa Pegueros(Director)inJames Dugan(Director)Jason Heltzer(Director)in
Co-investorsAgeTech CapitalChicago VenturesFlorida Opportunity FundFlorida Technology Seed Capital FundGula Tech AdventuresTamiami Angel+3 more
Small Wonder makes waterless powder-based shampoo and hair care products that activate in a patented refillable bottle, marketed to consumers seeking salon-grade results with lower environmental impact.
Circular EconomyConsumerDirect to Consumer
Stephanie Farsht(Founder)in
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Josephine CollectiveOcampo Capital
SmartMirror develops an intraoral camera and mirror system for dentists that connects wirelessly to tablets and phones, enabling better visualization during dental procedures and patient education in the dental care market.
Digital HealthHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesSaaSChicago, US
SpotHero is a parking reservation app that helps drivers find and book affordable parking at garages, lots, and valet services across North American cities.
ConsumerLogistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesMobility & TransportationChicago, US
Mark Lawrence(Founder)inLarry Kiss(Founder)inJeremy Smith(Founder)Sam Guren(Director)
BoardSam Yagan(Director)inMichael Gamson(Director)
Co-investors500 GlobalAutotech VenturesBlossom Street VenturesBullpen CapitalChicago VenturesCorazon Capital+18 more
Telnyx operates a full-stack communications platform that owns its own global carrier network, enabling real-time voice AI, messaging, and inference without intermediary handoffs.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingEnterprise SoftwareChicago, US
David Casem(Founder)inIan Reither(Founder)
Co-investorsChicago VenturesCorazon CapitalDrive CapitalFrontline VenturesGlynn Capital ManagementTechstars+1 more
Visibly operates a vision testing platform and network of licensed eye care providers that enable telehealth vision care services and prescription renewals.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaSChicago, US
Aaron Dallek(Chief Executive Officer, Director and Founder)Steven Lee(Executive Vice President, Director and Founder)David Ting(Director)Paul Foley(Executive Officer, Director)Hirak Parikh(Director)Brent Rasmussen(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsChicago VenturesCorazon CapitalSandalphon CapitalService Provider CapitalTribeca Venture PartnersAmadeus Capital Partners+6 more
Seattle, US
John Larson(Executive Officer)John Stafford, III(Director)Anthony Riemma(Executive Officer)Lucas Price(Executive Officer)John Lauer(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Melinda White(Director)
Co-investorsCowles VenturesOpenView Venture PartnersSaints CapitalVoyager CapitalGoldman SachsM12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund)
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
ArkiveArtaBenchmark AnalyticsEagle FootballEquiEthicitiFiscal AdvocateKnapsackLearnCoreLemonlightMonographOpenMarketsOptivoltPillar BoothRentableTermlyThyngTrash ButlerTrashie
Exits · 3
1 IPOs · 2 acquisitionsAccel EntertainmentNYSE: ACELPopular Paysacq. by LightricksZipwhipacq. by Twilio
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesCoralogix · fintech.global · Jun 4, 2026
IRA Financial · fintech.global · May 6, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Lakewest Venture Partners made?
- Lakewest Venture Partners has 38 tracked investments, 3 of which have exited.
- What stage does Lakewest Venture Partners invest at?
- Lakewest Venture Partners invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What is Lakewest Venture Partners's typical check size?
- Lakewest Venture Partners typically writes checks of $50K – $1M.
- What sectors does Lakewest Venture Partners focus on?
- Lakewest Venture Partners focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Lakewest Venture Partners located?
- Lakewest Venture Partners is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Does Lakewest Venture Partners lead rounds?
- Yes, Lakewest Venture Partners leads investment rounds.
- Who does Lakewest Venture Partners co-invest with?
- Lakewest Venture Partners most often shares deals with Tribal Ventures, Chicago Ventures, Corazon Capital, among 82 tracked co-investors.
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