Fundraising Fox
Lofty Ventures
Venture capitalChicago · Pre-Seed–Seed · 4 people tracked
Also known as Chris Deutsch · Lofty
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Investment thesis
Lofty Ventures invests early and with conviction in founders building companies within Chicago's startup ecosystem. The firm emphasizes personal connection with founders, seeing and supporting the people behind each business, and often backs companies before other angel investors are willing to commit. Lofty positions itself as a supportive 'family' to its portfolio, offering enthusiasm and community-building beyond capital. Returns from successful exits are described as being reinvested back into the Chicago ecosystem, reflecting a commitment to strengthening the local startup community.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 4 people
from the firm's website
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Lofty Ventures went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 34 of 63 portfolio companiesSaaS ×15AI & Machine Learning ×9Consumer ×9Enterprise Software ×7FoodTech ×5Future of Work ×5HR Tech ×4Marketing Tech ×4
HQs:United States×29Canada×1Vietnam×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 23 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×152 founders×53 founders×24+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 22 founders with education data
University of Chicago ×3DePaul University ×2Northwestern University ×2Stanford University Graduate School of Business ×2The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) ×2The University of Chicago Booth School of Business ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 25 founders with field-of-study data
Business & Management ×8Engineering ×5Computer Science ×4Economics ×4Humanities ×3Social Sciences ×3Finance & Accounting ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
4 founders hold a PhD · 5 hold an MBA (of 26 with degree data)
Investments · 63 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 12023 · 32022 · 42021 · 32020 · 12017 · 214 dated
teaBOT manufactures and operates a robotic tea-brewing machine offered as an amenity service to offices and showrooms across North America.
ConsumerEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkHardwareHR TechRoboticsWellness & FitnessToronto, CA
Rehman Merali(Founder)inChris Deutsch(Re-Founder)inBrian Lee
Co-investorsY CombinatorInovia CapitalQualcomm VenturesRelay VenturesGarage CapitalVenture Ontario+7 more
4Degrees is a network intelligence platform that helps organizations identify and strengthen professional relationships to source, drive, and close more deals.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSChicago, US
Ablorde Ashigbi(CEO, co-founder)in
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Collide CapitalConnetic VenturesMetaplanetTechstarsHarlem Capital Partners+1 more
86 Repairs provides a platform to help restaurants manage repairs and maintenance, removing the burden of equipment R&M so operators can focus on their core business.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaS
Daniel Estrada(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Cleveland AvenueConnetic VenturesID VenturesLightbankM25+8 more
Anthill AI provides an automation platform for workforce management that recruits, onboards, manages, and retains frontline workers across 75 languages.
AI & Machine LearningHR TechChicago, US
Young-Jae Kim(Executive Officer, Director)inMuriel Clauson(Executive Officer, Director)in
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)TechstarsBBG VenturesOrigin VenturesRethink Capital Partners
Aramid Technologies makes SmartCert, an AI platform that converts quality certificates (such as material test reports) into structured data, automates compliance checks, and connects them to ERP and quality management systems.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningSaaSGilbert, US
Paul Decker(President and Treasurer)Lyndon J. Lattie Jr.(CEO)Lonni Lattie(Secretary)Adam Rubenstein(Director)Lyndon Lattie(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsTitletownTech
Arvist provides an AI platform for warehouse operations that integrates with existing systems to automate claims management, detect errors, and improve supply chain efficiency.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareIoTLogistics & Supply ChainWilmington, US
Nilay Parikh(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardWerner Stapela(Director)
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Geek VenturesIron PrairieKOMPAS VCNew Leaf InvestRackhouse Venture Management Lp+11 more
Binsr is an AI-powered platform for home inspection companies that combines data migration, CRM, workflow automations, and AI-assisted report generation in a single system.
AI & Machine LearningPropTechSaaS
Co-investorsNew Stack Ventures
Bridge Money is a mobile app that rewards users with cash back and coins for everyday purchases, surveys, games, and in-app deals, which can be redeemed for gift cards or direct bank transfers.
ConsumerFintechBoston, US
Lalit Janak(Founder)
Co-investorsBread And Butter Ventures, LlcChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Founder CollectiveHilltop Venture PartnersKapor CapitalStrawberry Creek Ventures+3 more
Consider is a recruiting platform that helps talent teams source and manage candidate profiles, including a Chrome extension for adding LinkedIn profiles to talent pools in one click.
Future of WorkHR TechSaaSUnion City, US
Arnab Bhattacharjee(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inGautam Satalkar(Founder)inRalph Rabbat(Co-founder)inBhaskar Rathod(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
Co-investorsExpaFoothill VenturesGaingelsTenOneTen VenturesVU Venture Partners
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Cubii manufactures under-desk elliptical machines designed for low-impact exercise in seated positions.
HardwareSports TechWellness & Fitness
Arnav Dalmia(Founder)in
Co-investorsGridiron Capital
Mode operates EarnOS, a rewards and monetization engine that runs on mobile phones and pays users for their daily activities and screen time.
ConsumerFintechMedia & Entertainment
Co-investorsPallasite VenturesGraphene Ventures
Dimension Bio is a biotechnology company developing regenerative therapeutics using its BioNidum platform, which combines materials science, 3D printing, and digital manufacturing to produce implantable and injectable biosynthetic scaffolds that promote tissue healing.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesNew MaterialsChicago, US
Caralynn Nowinski Collens(Co-founder & CEO)inRamille Shah, Ph.D.(Co-founder & CSO)Ramille Shah(Co-founder & CSO)Adam Jakus(Co-Founder)inLarry Weinstein(SVP, Manufacturing & Quality Operations)Cole Johnson(SVP, Corporate Development)in
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesBetter Ventures Central LlcHarvard Business Angels of ChicagoHAWKTAILPathway BioventuresPortal Innovations+4 more
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FetchFind provides online pet care education and continuing training programs for pet businesses and shelters, including dog walking, pet sitting, and daycare operations.
EdTechSaaS
Co-investorsInvestHER Ventures
Five to Nine offers a platform for planning and managing workplace events and programs, including event creation, communications, budget tracking, and analytics.
Future of WorkHR TechSaaSChicago, US
Denise Umubyeyi(Co-founder)inJasmine Shells(Co-founder & CEO)inHeather Hiles(Director)
Co-investorsAlumni VenturesCleveland AvenueDorm RoomBlack OperatorSterling RoadWestbound Equity Partners
Fixer provides on-demand handyman and home repair services performed by qualified, insured professionals, with upfront booking prices or hourly rates.
ConsumerMarketplacesPropTech
Co-investorsSustainVCGoldman Sachs
Fluent Forever is a language-learning app based on a best-selling book, using images, sound, and spaced-repetition flashcards to build speaking and pronunciation skills rather than relying on translations.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerEdTechChicago, US
Gabriel Wyner(Executive Officer, Director)in
Co-investors37 AngelsAllied Venture PartnersBrighter CapitalChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Firebrand VenturesInsta Ventures+5 more
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Gather Voices is a platform serving thousands of users, though the page does not describe its specific product or function in detail.
Marketing TechMedia & EntertainmentSaaSChicago, US
Michael Hoffman(Executive Officer, Director)inF. Bruce Cohen(Director)
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)G2T3V FundNew Stack VenturesRevUp CapitalTechNexus Venture Collaborative
JBO is an esports betting operator targeting the Vietnamese market, offering odds and live betting on titles such as League of Legends, Dota 2, CS:GO, and Valorant.
ConsumerGaming
CybersecurityChicago, US
Brian Fritton(Executive Officer, Director)inJohn Higgerson(Director)
Co-investorsSandalphon CapitalService Provider CapitalTechstarsHyde Park Angels
Italic Type is an ad-free reading app for tracking books, recording reflections, and privately managing a personal reading library and queue.
ConsumerMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Emily Achler(Co-founder)Jason Skicewicz(Co-founder)
Kanary is a digital and physical attack surface management platform for individuals, building a threat model for each person and finding, removing, or mitigating their personal data exposures across search engines, data brokers, social media, and AI/LLMs.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecuritySaaSChicago, US
Rachel Vrabec(Founder)
Co-investorsY CombinatorCOPLEX VENTURES
A creative agency based in Chicago and Nashville that develops strategic communication and branding services for clients across various industries.
Creator EconomyMarketing TechSector AgnosticChicago, US
Laxis provides an AI assistant integrated across Mac, Windows, and Web that captures and analyzes meeting insights, ensuring no idea is lost and every participant's voice is heard.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkMarketing TechSaaSSales TechSan Francisco, US
Xiangning Liu(Founder)inEric Xiao(Founder & CEO, Laxis Inc.)in
Co-investorsCeltic House Asia PartnersElevate VenturesGround Game VenturesAllos VenturesFlywheel Fund
PechaKucha, Inc. operates a global storytelling platform based on the "20x20" presentation format, letting users create and share short presentations online and host local PechaKucha Night events worldwide.
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(CEO)inSteven Wanderski(Full Stack Web Developer)in
BoardClancey Stahr(Director)inPeter Dolan(Director)
Co-investorsBeringeaEmery CapitalFusionGoAhead VenturesICCP Venture PartnersLakewest Venture Partners+16 more
Quicklly is an online marketplace for authentic Indian and South Asian groceries, restaurant meals, meal kits, ethnic wear, cultural events, and astrology/puja services, delivered across the US and Canada.
E-commerceFoodTechMarketplacesChicago, US
Keval Raj(Founder)inPritesh Velankar(Director)Hanish Pahwa(Director)
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Great North VenturesService Provider CapitalTime Zero Capital
ReloShare operates a real-time shelter availability platform that helps social services agencies book hotel rooms for individuals and families in need of temporary housing.
GovTechImpact & Social GoodPropTechSaaSSocial
Matt Singley(Founder)in
Co-investorsChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Motivate Venture CapitalService Provider CapitalValor Equity Partners
RetailAware provides sensor-based analytics and sense technology that lets retail brands and their partners measure how shoppers interact with physical in-store product displays, tracking foot traffic, dwell time, and out-of-stock events.
AI & Machine LearningIoTRetail TechOmaha, US
Keith Fix(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardMICHAEL GILKES(Director)Michael Andrew Dierks(Director)
Co-investorsConsumer VenturesFirstMile VenturesFlucas VenturesInvest NebraskaNew Stack VenturesProven Ventures+2 more
Route provides post-purchase software for online merchants, offering package protection, visual order tracking, and returns/exchanges management to reduce costs and retain customers.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaSLehi, US
Evan Walker(Founder)inEvan W.(Founder)inMike Moreno(Founder)John Mayfield(Director)in
Co-investors137 VenturesCraft VenturesFJ LabsMadrona Venture GroupRachel Zoe VenturesRiot Ventures+7 more
Science On Call provides IT support and managed services for restaurants, leveraging AI-powered automations to help resolve technology challenges and reduce operational costs.
Enterprise SoftwareFoodTechSaaSOak Park, US
Andy Freivogel(Co-Founder & CEO)inLuisa Castellanos(Co-Founder & COO)inKen Tsang(Co-Founder & CTO)in
Co-investorsBread And Butter Ventures, LlcCharlotte Angel FundChicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV)Connetic VenturesGROOVE CAPITALJosephine Collective+9 more
Script Health builds Scripted, a platform letting community pharmacists assess, prescribe and treat common conditions for patients.
Digital HealthHealthtechChicago, US
James Lott(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsDream Variation VenturesTechstars
Tovala provides prepared meals delivered weekly that are cooked in a proprietary WiFi-connected smart oven, requiring minimal preparation and cooking time.
ConsumerFoodTechHardwareIoTChicago, US
David Rabie(CEO)inBryan Wilcox(CTO)Adam Brakhane(Director, Software)Keeley Kabala(Vice President Engineering)Neel Bhat(Backend Developer)Lauren Funk(Vice President of Marketing)
Co-investorsBeringeaCaruso VenturesComcast VenturesDYDX CapitalEvolution VC PartnersFJ Labs+24 more
Upkey was a professional development platform that helped students, including those from underrepresented and underserved communities, build career skills and land their first jobs.
EdTechFuture of WorkChicago, US
Amir Badr(Executive Officer, Director)inParham Parastaran(Director)Charles Plauche, Jr.(Director)
Co-investorsChicago Ventures
Zenblen is developing an automated smoothie service positioned as a "personal smoothie barista" to make healthy eating more accessible in people's daily routines.
ConsumerFoodTechRoboticsWellness & FitnessChicago, US
Xinyuan Zhang(Executive Officer)inRehman Merali(Executive Officer, Director)in
BoardGrigoriy Rublev(Director)
Co-investorsDipalo VenturesService Provider CapitalSlauson & Co.
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
2347A M MoneyBlitsyBonfireBoundBridge Your NetworkCobra SelectCrowdfindEnodoEquiFlamingoGamerjibeGunslinger StudiosIndifitMycocyleOff MapOscillationsPair UpPaladinPearachutePixitProject AdmissionsResonadoSee MeTalk SocialTurboappeal
Exits · 5
5 acquisitionsAnthillacq. by HumanlyBlitsyacq. by Nicole Crafts LLC (A.C. Moore)Enodoacq. by Walker & DunlopOff Mapacq. by Ronny and Lisa (private individuals)Popular Paysacq. by Lightricks
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesBinsr Inspect · thesaasnews.com · Nov 10, 2025
Arvist · arvist.ai · Sep 16, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Lofty Ventures made?
- Lofty Ventures has 63 tracked investments, 5 of which have exited, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Lofty Ventures invest at?
- Lofty Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Lofty Ventures's typical check size?
- Lofty Ventures typically writes checks of $10K – $100K.
- What sectors does Lofty Ventures focus on?
- Lofty Ventures focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Lofty Ventures located?
- Lofty Ventures is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Does Lofty Ventures lead rounds?
- Yes, Lofty Ventures leads investment rounds.
- Who does Lofty Ventures co-invest with?
- Lofty Ventures most often shares deals with Chicago Early Growth Ventures (CEGV), Service Provider Capital, Techstars, among 98 tracked co-investors.
Images
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