John Tough
InvestorFounderCo-Founder & Managing Partner, Member of Investment Committee at Energize Capital · Board Member at Contrarian Ventures · Director; Energize investor at SiteTraker · Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Energizecap
Chicago, Illinois
Writes $10M – $20M checks · typically $15M
FoundedEnergizecap
Find your path to John
523 people in our graph share verified history with John — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Alex TranunlockedJohn: together at Kleiner Perkins (2012)
×4John: together at Kleiner Perkins
John: together at Duke University
×3John: together at Drone Deploy
About
The site belongs to Energize Capital, a multi-stage investor in asset-light software and services that advance the energy, climate, and industrial sectors. The firm was established in 2017 with founding investor Invenergy and is based in Chicago, deploying capital through two strategies: Ventures (earlier-stage) and Endurance (private equity). It manages $1.7B in assets across 35+ active portfolio companies. The named individual, John Tough, is not described anywhere in the provided site content.
Contact· published on John's own website
Director; Energize investor at SiteTraker
Intro paths
→
In turn, John can intro founders to SiteTraker's investors below.
SiteTraker's investors · 9
BenchmarkSan Francisco · $100K – $30M checks · since 2017Clearvision VenturesMenlo Park · $1M – $25M checks · since 2021Energize CapitalChicago · $10M – $20M checks · since 2019Energy Impact PartnersNew York · $5M – $20M checks · since 2021H.I.G. Growth PartnersMiami · since 2021National Grid PartnersLos Gatos · since 2018New Enterprise Associates (NEA)Menlo Park · $200K – $40M checks · since 2017NTT DOCOMO VenturesTokyo · since 2022Wells Fargo Strategic CapitalSt. Louis · since 2018
Co-founders at SiteTraker
TM
Timothy MayCo-founder; former Chief Technology Officer
BC
Brett CuptaCo-founder; former SVP Product
SL
Steven LiebezeitCo-creator / co-founder
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Energizecap
Intro paths
→
In turn, John can intro founders to Energizecap's investors below.
Energizecap's investors · 1
Experience
- Energize CapitalCo-Founder & Managing Partnercurrent2017 — presentGreater Chicago Area
- Emerald AIBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
- Handle.comBoard Membercurrent2026 — present
- 5Board Membercurrent2025 — presentDallas, TX
- SitetrackerBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- PVcaseBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentVilniaus, Lithuania
- Matroid, Inc.Board Membercurrent2020 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- DroneDeployBoard Membercurrent2018 — presentSan Francisco, California
- Aurora SolarBoard Membercurrent2019 — presentSan Francisco, California
- ZEDEDA Inc.Board Observercurrent2019 — present
- Nozomi NetworksBoard Member2017 — 2026San Francisco, California
- Volta ChargingBoard Member2018 — 2023San Francisco
- SmartcarBoard Member2021 — 2023Mountain View, California, United States
- Jupiter IntelligenceBoard Member2019 — 2021San Mateo, California
- Chicago BlendBoard Member2018 — 2019Greater Chicago Area
- Choose EnergyInterim Chief Revenue Officer2017Greater Chicago Area
- Choose EnergyChief Revenue Officer2016 — 2017San Francisco Bay Area
- Choose EnergyVP of Business Development & Operations2014 — 2016San Francisco
- Choose EnergyDirector of Business Development2012 — 2014San Francisco
- Kleiner Perkins Caufield & ByersAssociate2011 — 2012Menlo Park, CA
- XMS Capital PartnersFinancial Analyst2009 — 2010Evanston, IL
- UBS Investment BankFinancial Analyst2007 — 2009
Skills & more
Mergers & Acquisitions19Due Diligence14
From John's professional profile.
Deals · 2
Nozomi NetworksBoard seat
via Energize Capital · filed Aug 2021 · $73.8M raise
SiteTrakerBoard seat
via Energize Capital · filed Jun 2019 · $20M raise
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Per SEC Form D filings.
Colleagues at Energize Capital
Aaron Donenberg
Portfolio Finance Associate at Energize Ventures
Agustina Soriano Sergi
Senior Associate — Ventures at Energize Ventures
Alan Glass
Partner — Co-Head of Endurance at Energize Ventures
Alex George
General Partner at Energize Capital
Amy Francetic
General Partner at Energize Capital
Ana Hugener
Principal — Ventures at Energize Ventures
Anson MacKinney
Senior Associate — Ventures at Energize Ventures
Becks Bondi
Director of Operations at Energize Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is John Tough?
- The site belongs to Energize Capital, a multi-stage investor in asset-light software and services that advance the energy, climate, and industrial sectors. The firm was established in 2017 with founding investor Invenergy and is based in Chicago, deploying capital through two strategies: Ventures (earlier-stage) and Endurance (private equity). It manages $1.7B in assets across 35+ active portfolio companies. The named individual, John Tough, is not described anywhere in the provided site content.
- Where does John Tough work?
- John Tough is Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Energizecap and Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Member of Investment Committee at Energize Capital and Director; Energize investor at SiteTraker.
- What check size does John Tough write?
- John Tough typically writes checks of $10M – $20M.
- What companies did John Tough found?
- John Tough founded Energizecap.
- What boards does John Tough sit on?
- John Tough holds tracked board seats at Nozomi Networks, Sitetracker, Volta.
- Where did John Tough go to school?
- John Tough studied at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Strategic Management); Duke University (BS, Biology, Chemistry, Markets & Management); St. Mark's School of Texas.
Same school
Also attended The University of Chicago Booth School of Business949
Prashant ShahPartner at Monta Vista CapitalNoorPartner at Clear VenturesTinaInvestments & Portfolio Services Team Member at Clear VenturesKatrin GeyskensExecutive Director at Capricorn Venture PartnersBill PescatelloInvestor at LightbankGlebFounder and Managing Partner at iTech Capital
+ 943 more
Also attended Duke University952
Marc AndreessenCo-founder & General Partner at Andreessen HorowitzFred EhrsamCo-founder and Senior Advisor at Paradigm; founder of NudgeJeremy LevinePartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersZach PerretCo-founder & CEO of Plaid; co-founder of MischiefJulie YangVice President at InvestcorpAyaan PatelInvestor at Lightbank
+ 946 more
Also attended St. Mark's School of Texas31
Steve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesRoss Perot Jr.Chairman of The Perot Group at Perot JainDavid DelfassyInvestment Director at TDK VenturesMichael PerrinPartner at Next Level VenturesHenry WoramPrincipal at Palm Drive CapitalRobert NewmanAnalyst at Rhapsody Venture Partners
+ 25 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Emerald AI5
Also worked at Sitetracker10
Ska Sijia DuPrincipal at Karma VenturesKatie McClainPartner & COO, Member of Investment Committee at Energize VenturesJuan MuldoonPartner — Co-Head of Ventures at Energize VenturesKevin StevensPartner — Co-Head of Endurance at Energize VenturesMeredith Breach BosPrincipal — Endurance at Energize VenturesKarine PetersVice President at T.Capital
+ 4 more
Also worked at Matroid, Inc.4
Also worked at ZEDEDA Inc.10
Juan MuldoonPartner — Co-Head of Ventures at Energize VenturesRaymond LiaoManaging Director at Samsung NextLisa EdwardsOperations at Smith Point CapitalBilal ZuberiFounder and Managing Partner at Red Glass VenturesMatthew ShangSenior Associate at Prosperity7 VenturesSaid OuissalExecutive Officer, Director at Zededa
+ 4 more