Our mission is to invest in founders with…
bold visions
Bold visions are non-consensus and don’t chase the latest trends. They may even seem small to start, but with a founder’s unyielding commitment and relentless execution, they can grow into something big.
to positively change the world
Startups can serve as a powerful force for positive change in the world. They build new and innovative products, provide employment in fulfilling jobs and break the status quo in industries they compete in. While we’re not necessarily social impact investors, we believe the companies we invest in can have outsized impact beyond just shareholder value.
Stage: Seed
We look to invest $250k in companies raising their first $500k-2m in a pre-seed or seed round. We’re often the first “yes” that a founder hears from an investor. We can lead or participate in a round, but we always take an active role post-investment.
We’re the lead investor or first institutional check in 80% of our portfolio companies.
Geography: Chicago/Midwest
Network Ventures was founded in Chicago, and we believe it’s one of the best startup hubs in the world. There are tons of great companies getting built here and there is a lot of entrepreneurial talent, but fewer professional seed stage investors relative to the coasts. Most of our investments are based in Chicago and the Midwest, but we also invest in companies based outside the Midwest that are sourced through our network or in sectors we know well.
Two-thirds of our portfolio companies were founded in Chicago.
Differentiation: Network Effects
We look for technology companies that are building network effects. We define that as a product that naturally improves for users over time as the number of users grows. We know that network effects are hard to build, but they can be a huge competitive advantage. Every company in our portfolio has some element of network effects in their business – that may be as obvious as a two-sided marketplace or a social network, or may be something the company builds toward as it grows its customer base and launches additional offerings.
We’re industry agnostic — we want to back the best founders in sectors that they’re passionate about.
“Network Ventures showed conviction on business fundamentals when other investors were not too keen on logistics technology. Since the investment, we have really enjoyed working with them as they do a great job connecting portfolio companies and creating a network of founders who can lean on each other to ask difficult and pressing questions.”
— Divey Gulati & Dhruv Saxena, Co-Founders, ShipBob