At a Glance
Founded in 2015 and based in Chicago, Authentic Ventures has carved out a distinctive position as a leading venture capital firm focused on early-stage B2B software companies, particularly in the Midwest and other underserved markets. The firm recognized early on that exceptional software companies were being built outside traditional coastal tech hubs and positioned itself to capitalize on this geographic arbitrage opportunity.
Authentic Ventures' investment thesis centers on identifying promising B2B software companies with strong product-market fit and the potential for significant scale. The firm typically invests in companies from pre-seed through Series B+, allowing them to support entrepreneurs throughout critical growth phases. Partners like Lindsay Lee bring operational expertise and deep networks to help portfolio companies navigate scaling challenges.
The firm has achieved notable success with investments in several category-defining companies. Their portfolio includes G2, the leading software review platform; ActiveCampaign, a customer experience automation platform; and Snapsheet, which digitizes insurance claims processing. These wins demonstrate Authentic Ventures' ability to identify and support software companies that can achieve national and global scale while being based in non-traditional startup markets. Their focus on underserved geographies has allowed them to access high-quality deals at attractive valuations while supporting the development of regional startup ecosystems.
“Focuses on early-stage B2B software companies, particularly in the Midwest and underserved markets.”
Authentic Ventures primarily invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ stages. This means they focus on companies that are at the earliest idea or prototype phase.
Authentic Ventures is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
Authentic Ventures focuses on investments in Aerospace & Defense, Other, Consumer, Fintech, Climate. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
Authentic Ventures's typical investment check size ranges from $100K to $1M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
