16 pre-seed investors in Illinois
We list 16 pre-seed investors in Illinois as of November 2026: each has an SEC filing on file, and the list was last checked on 6 Nov 2026. The cities with the most head offices on this list are Chicago (12), Winnetka (2) and Morton Grove (1).
Top 5 pre-seed investors in Illinois, ranked by recent fund activity
Among firms with a published profile and a dated fund or deal in the last 24 months. The rule: Activity score out of 100: recency of the latest fund filing or dated deal (40: full marks within 3 months, then stepping down at 6, 12 and 24 months), stage focus (15: all of it when pre-seed is the only stage the firm states, split evenly when it states more), stated focus on the US (15: full marks when the firm names the US as where it invests, half when it says global), size of the fund on file on a log scale (20) and completeness of the public record (10). Stage and regional focus are our research, not an SEC figure. It is a measure of activity and fit, not of quality or returns. The same rule orders the whole list; it is repeated in the method box.
New Stack
Type: VC firm · HQ: Chicago, IL · Stages: Pre-seed, Seed · Focus: AI, Fintech, Healthtech, Industrial Tech · Latest activity: New fund, Sep 2026 · Fund size on file: $125M (SEC Form D, 2024)
Latest fund filing dated Sep 2026; $125M fund on file (SEC Form D, 2024); backs pre-seed, seed; names the US as where it invests; 3 named decision-makers on file.
M25
Type: VC firm · HQ: Chicago, IL · Stages: Pre-seed, Seed · Focus: AI, Healthtech, Generalist, Fintech · Latest activity: New deal, Sep 2026 · Fund size on file: $50M (SEC Form D, 2022)
Dated new deal in Sep 2026; $50M fund on file (SEC Form D, 2022); backs pre-seed, seed; names the US as where it invests; 8 named decision-makers on file.
Alliance Venture Capital
Type: VC firm · HQ: Morton Grove, IL · Stages: Pre-seed, Seed · Focus: AI, Healthtech, SaaS · Latest activity: New deal, Oct 2026 · Fund size on file: $40M (SEC Form D, 2024)
Dated new deal in Oct 2026; $40M fund on file (SEC Form D, 2024); backs pre-seed, seed; names the US as where it invests; 8 named decision-makers on file.
Nine Four Ventures
Type: VC firm · HQ: Chicago, IL · Stages: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A · Focus: Proptech, AI, Fintech, SaaS · Latest activity: Portfolio news, Oct 2026 · Fund size on file: $100M (SEC Form D, 2022)
Portfolio news dated Oct 2026; $100M fund on file (SEC Form D, 2022); backs pre-seed, seed, Series A; names the US as where it invests; 8 named decision-makers on file.
LightX Capital
Type: VC firm · HQ: Chicago, IL · Stages: Pre-seed · Focus: AI, Robotics, Healthtech, SaaS · Latest activity: New fund, Nov 2026
Latest fund filing dated Nov 2026; backs pre-seed; names the US as where it invests; 5 named decision-makers on file.
First 10 of 16 pre-seed investors in Illinois
| Investor | Type | HQ | Stagesour research | Focusour research | Latest fund or deal | Fund sizeas filed or stated | Checked | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Stack | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed | AI, Fintech, Healthtech, Industrial Tech | New fund, Sep 2026 | $125M (SEC Form D, 2024) | 4 Nov 2026 | 3 names · Unlock |
| M25 | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed | AI, Healthtech, Generalist, Fintech | New deal, Sep 2026 | $50M (SEC Form D, 2022) | 5 Nov 2026 | 8 names · Unlock |
| Alliance Venture Capital | VC firm | Morton Grove, IL | Pre-seed, Seed | AI, Healthtech, SaaS | New deal, Oct 2026 | $40M (SEC Form D, 2024) | 5 Nov 2026 | 8 names, firm email · Unlock |
| Nine Four Ventures | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | Proptech, AI, Fintech, SaaS | Portfolio news, Oct 2026 | $100M (SEC Form D, 2022) | 5 Nov 2026 | 8 names · Unlock |
| LightX Capital | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed | AI, Robotics, Healthtech, SaaS | New fund, Nov 2026 | 4 Nov 2026 | 5 names, firm email · Unlock | |
| ARCH Venture Partners | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed | Biotech, Healthtech, Deep Tech | New fund, Aug 2026 | $3.0B (SEC Form D, 2024) | 4 Nov 2026 | 8 names · Unlock |
| Capitalize VC | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed | Marketing Tech, AI, Media, Fintech | Portfolio news, Jun 2026 | $10M (SEC Form D, 2021) | 5 Nov 2026 | 1 name, firm email · Unlock |
| Chingona Ventures | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed | AI, Edtech, Fintech, Healthtech | New fund, Jun 2026 | $53M (SEC Form D, 2021) | 4 Nov 2026 | 3 names · Unlock |
| Hyde Park Venture Partners | VC firm | Chicago, IL | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | AI, Fintech, SaaS, Healthtech | New deal, Apr 2026 | $100M (SEC Form D, 2023) | 5 Nov 2026 | 3 names · Unlock |
| UA1 VC | VC firm | Winnetka, IL | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | Defense Tech, Industrial Tech, Deep Tech, Robotics | New fund, Apr 2026 | $21M (SEC Form D, 2025) | 4 Nov 2026 | 2 names, firm email · Unlock |
You are seeing 10 of 16. The full list adds 6 more investors and 89 named decision-makers.
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How these 16 break down
By city
| City | On this list | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 12 | 75% |
| Winnetka | 2 | 12% |
By sector
| Sector | On this list | Share |
|---|---|---|
| AI | 13 | 81% |
| SaaS | 12 | 75% |
| Fintech | 8 | 50% |
| Healthtech | 8 | 50% |
| Logistics | 5 | 31% |
| Industrial Tech | 4 | 25% |
| Media | 4 | 25% |
| Consumer | 4 | 25% |
| Marketing Tech | 3 | 19% |
| Energy | 2 | 12% |
| Defense Tech | 2 | 12% |
| Robotics | 2 | 12% |
Sector is our research. A firm can carry more than one sector.
Method and limits
- Source
- All 16 rows carry an SEC filing (Form D or Form ADV). All 16 have a website we checked. Filing date and fund size are SEC data where a filing exists. Stage, sector and check size are our research.
- Inclusion rule
- Organizations that back startups. Individuals, buyout funds and firms we found to be inactive are left out. Stage: the firm states that it invests at pre-seed. Place: head office in Illinois.
- Order
- Firms with a published profile come first. Activity score out of 100: recency of the latest fund filing or dated deal (40: full marks within 3 months, then stepping down at 6, 12 and 24 months), stage focus (15: all of it when pre-seed is the only stage the firm states, split evenly when it states more), stated focus on the US (15: full marks when the firm names the US as where it invests, half when it says global), size of the fund on file on a log scale (20) and completeness of the public record (10). Stage and regional focus are our research, not an SEC figure. It is a measure of activity and fit, not of quality or returns.
- Last refreshed
- November 2026. Rows on this list were checked between 4 Nov 2026 and 6 Nov 2026.
- Fill rates
- Of 16 rows: stage 16, sector 16, fund size 14, website 16. In the paid file: named decision-makers on 16 rows, firm email on 5, LinkedIn page on 11, check size on 2.
- Corrections
- Email [email protected] or use the update form. We act within 5 working days.
Questions
How many pre-seed investors in Illinois are there?
We list 16 as of November 2026. 13 of the 16 have a fund filing or a dated deal in the last 12 months. The cities with the most are Chicago (12), Winnetka (2) and Morton Grove (1).
Which pre-seed investors in Illinois raised a new fund in the last 12 months?
8 of the 16 have a fund filing dated in the last 12 months. The most recent on this list are LightX Capital (Nov 2026), New Stack (Sep 2026) and ARCH Venture Partners (Aug 2026).
What is the typical fund size of pre-seed investors in Illinois?
The median fund size on file for this list is $51M, across the 14 firms with a size on an SEC Form D. The fund on file is each firm's main fund, which is not always its newest. The other 2 do not disclose a size there.
How do I contact pre-seed investors in Illinois?
The paid file holds 89 named decision-makers across 16 of these 16 and a firm email for 5. We publish the address a firm lists itself, never a personal email. Each free row links to a profile with the firm's website.
Where does the data on pre-seed investors in Illinois come from?
All 16 rows have an SEC filing on file (Form D or Form ADV). Filing date and fund size come from the filing. Stage, sector and check size are our research. Rows on this list were last checked on 6 Nov 2026 at the latest. The whole file is re-verified twice a year.
Related lists
Pre-seed investors in California (207)Pre-seed investors in New York (82)Pre-seed investors in Massachusetts (48)Seed investors in Illinois (33)Pre-seed investors in Florida (30)Pre-seed investors in Texas (25)Series A investors in Illinois (20)
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