35 AI Investors Based in Chicago

Your odds of raising from local investors are better than trying to raise capital from outside your city. We put together this list to help Chicago-based founders connect with AI-based investors that write checks into AI companies. Here are 35 investors that match that criteria.

1) Abhinaya Konduru

Fund: M25
Title: Principal
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: Agriculture Tech, AI, Cosmetics, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, E-Commerce, EdTech, Fintech, eSports, Government Tech, Recruiting, Insurtech, Legal, Logistics, Consumer, Other Tech, Food Services, Sales Tech, Travel

2) Ablorde Ashigbi

Fund: 4Degrees
Title: Founder / CEO
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed
Sectors: AR/VR, Agriculture Tech, AI, Cosmetics, Internet of Things, Clean Tech, Fashion, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Media, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Proptech, Robotics, Sales Tech, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Travel

3) Allison Weil

Fund: Hyde Park Venture Partners
Title: Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, Art, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, Fintech, eSports, Government Tech, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Media, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Proptech, Quantum Computing, Food Services, Robotics, Sales Tech, Sex, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Travel

4) Austin Chung

Fund: Jump Capital
Title: Vice President
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, AI, Internet of Things, Clean Tech, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, eSports, Government Tech, Internet of Things, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Proptech, Transportation

5) Brittany Henry

Fund: Impact America Fund
Title: Sr Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: AR/VR, AI, Web3, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, EdTech, Fintech, Government Tech, DEI, Legal, Marketplaces, Consumer, Parenting, Proptech, Social Impact, Transportation

6) Cassandra Carothers

Fund: Upheaval Investments
Title: Principal
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AI, Clean Tech, Robotics, Space, Transportation

7) Courtney Trunk

Fund: Motivate Venture Capital
Title: Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AI, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Marketplaces, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Proptech

8) Cristin Pacifico

Fund: TechNexus Venture Collaborative
Title: Director
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Robotics, Transportation

9) Dawn Nguyen

Fund: Hyde Park Venture Partners
Title: Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, AR/VR, Art, Clean Tech, Cloud, Communications, Web3, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Electronics, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Government Tech, Recruiting, Hospitality, DEI, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Marketplaces, Enterprise, Parenting, Quantum Computing, Sales Tech, Food Services, Sex, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Travel, Proptech

10) Diego Lirazno

Fund: Thoma Bravo
Title: Growth Equity
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Series A, Series B
Sectors: AI, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Future of Work, E-Commerce, Fintech, eSports, Insurtech, Legal, Logistics, Marketplaces, Enterprise, Sales Tech

11) Dozie Ibekwe

Fund: Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC
Title: Senior Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, Art, Cosmetics, Internet of Things, Cannabis, Clean Tech, Fashion, Cloud, Communications, Web3, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Electronics, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Government Tech, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Chemicals, Media, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Professional or Technical Services, Proptech, Quantum Computing, Food Services, Robotics, Sales Tech, Sex, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Travel

12) Fernando Naranjo

Fund: G Squared
Title: Analyst
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Series B
Sectors: Fintech, E-Commerce, AI, Insurtech, Logistics, Marketplaces, Media, Food Services

13) Jackson Bubala

Fund: Motivate Venture Capital
Title: Senior Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, AI, Clean Tech, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, Fintech, eSports, DEI, Recruiting, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Marketplaces, Media, Enterprise, Robotics, Sales Tech

14) Jonathan Ellis

Fund: Sandalphon Capital
Title: Founder & General Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, Art, Cosmetics, Fashion, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Electronics, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Government Tech, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Proptech, Quantum Computing, Food Services, Robotics, Sales Tech, Transportation, Travel

15) Julia Ruge

Fund: Sandalphon Capital
Title: Venture Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, Cosmetics, Fashion, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Electronics, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Government Tech, DEI, Recruiting, Hospitality, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Media, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Proptech, Food Services, Sales Tech, Social Impact, Travel

16) Jyothi Vallurupalli

Fund: Lightbank
Title: VC
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: Travel, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Sales Tech, Robotics, Food Services, Proptech, Media, Marketplaces, Manufacturing, Logistics, Legal, Internet of Things, Insurtech, DEI, Hospitality, Recruiting, eSports, Food and Beverage, Fintech, Clean Tech, Agriculture Tech, AI, Art, Fashion, Web3, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech

17) Kristina Chapple

Fund: 11 Tribes Ventures
Title: Analyst
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: Agriculture Tech, AI, AR/VR, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Future of Work, EdTech, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Marketplaces, Proptech

18) Lance Dietz

Fund: KB Partners
Title: Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A
Sectors: AR/VR, AI, Digital Health and Wellness, Entertainment, eSports, Marketplaces, Media

19) Leandro Bedolla

Fund: M25
Title: Investor
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AI, Internet of Things, Cloud, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Fintech, Consumer, Other Tech, Food Services

20) Nathan Pierotti

Fund: New Stack Ventures
Title: Deal Lead
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AI, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Future of Work, EdTech, Internet of Things, Manufacturing, Consumer, Other Tech

21) Nick Moran

Fund: New Stack Ventures
Title: General Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AI, Cloud, Communications, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, Fintech, eSports, Recruiting, Hospitality, DEI, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Professional or Technical Services, Proptech, Food Services, Robotics, Sales Tech, Sex, Space, Transportation, Travel

22) Ola Jewusiak

Fund: Jump Capital
Title: Director of Marketing
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Series A, Seed
Sectors: AI, Cybersecurity, Future of Work, Fintech, eSports, Other Tech

23) Peter Larsen

Fund: Candor Venture Partners
Title: Managing Partner
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: Agriculture Tech, AI, Cannabis, EdTech, Fintech, Recruiting, Legal, Marketplaces

24) Phil Leslie

Fund: TechNexus Venture Collaborative
Title: Managing Director
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A
Sectors: AR/VR, AI, Communications, Electronics, Internet of Things

25) Rachel Stillman

Fund: 7wire Ventures
Title: Vice President
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: AI, Internet of Things, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, EdTech

26) Roxy Rong

Fund: Angel Investor
Title: Angel Investor
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: AI, Fintech

27) Saaya Nath

Fund: Jump Capital
Title: Vice President
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: AR/VR, Marketing, AI, Cloud, Web3, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, E-Commerce, EdTech, Entertainment, Fintech, eSports, Insurtech, Legal, Media, Enterprise, Other Tech, Sales Tech

28) Sam Cavender

Fund: M25
Title: Analyst
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed
Sectors: Marketing, Agriculture Tech, AI, AR/VR, Art, Cosmetics, Internet of Things, Clean Tech, Fashion, Cloud, Communications, Web3, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, E-Commerce, EdTech, Electronics, Entertainment, Fintech, Food and Beverage, eSports, Government Tech, Recruiting, Hospitality, DEI, Insurtech, Internet of Things, Legal, Logistics, Manufacturing, Marketplaces, Chemicals, Media, Consumer, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting, Professional or Technical Services, Proptech, Quantum Computing, Food Services, Robotics, Sales Tech, Social Impact, Space, Transportation, Travel, Other

29) Stefano Galiasso

Fund: Energy Capital Ventures
Title: Senior Associate
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: Clean Tech, AI, AR/VR, Agriculture Tech, Cybersecurity, Future of Work, Fintech, Internet of Things, Insurtech, Marketplaces

30) Tunde Oshinowo

Fund: Sandbox Industries
Title: Associate, Sandbox Healthcare
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Sectors: Agriculture Tech, AI, Internet of Things, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Digital Health and Wellness, Future of Work, Entertainment, Fintech, eSports, Hospitality, Insurtech, Enterprise, Other Tech, Parenting

31) Will Baine

Fund: Valor Equity Partners
Title: Principal
Location: Chicago, IL
Stages: Series A, Series B
Sectors: AR/VR, AI, Clean Tech, Web3, Cybersecurity, Electronics, Fintech, Food and Beverage, Government Tech, Internet of Things, Manufacturing, Robotics, Social Impact, Space, Transportation

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Hopefully this list helps you find more local investors that invest in companies in your sector. If you’re looking to pitch these investors + the rest of the Confluence.VC investor network, make sure to check out Commonapp.VC