Lakewest Venture Partners
Venture capitalChicago · Seed–Series A · 3 people tracked
Investment thesis
Lakewest prioritizes the quality and vision of founding entrepreneurs alongside business fundamentals, seeking companies that have validated market fit through early customer traction and revenue. The firm focuses on businesses positioned to scale within a self-created niche with sustainable competitive moats. While sector-agnostic, Lakewest also deploys capital into differentiated fund strategies alongside its core early-stage approach, leveraging its extensive Chicago business network and real estate and private equity expertise to provide mentorship and strategic guidance beyond capital.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Team · 3 people
from the firm's websiteInvestment and operations professional with over 25 years of experience in venture, operations and legal work. At Lakewest, Mann sources investment opportunities and manages portfolio company and fund investments.
Founder of Belgravia Group and principal in the law firm Ruttenberg Gilmartin Reis LLC. With over 50 years of involvement in real estate development, Ruttenberg brings extensive business and civic experience to the firm's leadership.
CEO of Belgravia Group, a prominent Chicago real estate developer, and joined the Lakewest organization in 2004. McCulloch oversees Belgravia's residential developments and new ventures.
Investments · 30 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathFrequently asked questions
- 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.
- Does Lakewest Venture Partners lead rounds?
- Yes, Lakewest Venture Partners leads investment rounds.
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