Current Firm
Cleveland Avenue
Investments
1+ companies
Focus
Agriculture, Consumer
Don Thompson brings an unusual combination to venture investing as the former CEO of McDonald's who started as an electrical engineer and grew up in Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing project, giving him both Fortune 500 operating experience and lived experience with underrepresented communities. He and his wife Liz co-founded Cleveland Avenue with an explicit focus on backing diverse founders through what he describes as a love-centered, multi-decade relationship approach rather than purely transactional investing.
Don Thompson is a CEO, Cleveland Avenue at Cleveland Avenue, based in Chicago, IL.
Don's investment focus spans Agriculture, Consumer, Robotics, AI, primarily investing at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This specialization allows for deep domain knowledge and strong network effects that benefit portfolio companies.
Notable investments in Don's portfolio include Beyond Meat. These companies reflect a pattern of backing high-potential startups across their focus sectors.
Don Thompson is a CEO, Cleveland Avenue at Cleveland Avenue, based in Chicago, IL. Their investment focus includes Agriculture, Consumer, Robotics.
Don Thompson focuses on investments in Agriculture, Consumer, Robotics, AI through Cleveland Avenue. These focus areas reflect their domain expertise and the types of startups they actively seek to back.
Don Thompson's notable portfolio investments include Beyond Meat. These companies span multiple sectors and stages, reflecting a track record of identifying high-potential startups.
Don Thompson is currently at Cleveland Avenue, headquartered in Chicago, IL, serving as CEO, Cleveland Avenue.