lightbank

Dundee VC is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage technology startups located outside of core North American venture markets -- think Toronto, Minneapolis, Austin or Raleigh rather than San Francisco, New York, or LA. Dundee VC is a distributed firm with offices in Omaha, Chicago, and Boulder. The firm has over $90M under management and typically invests ~$1M to lead $1M-$3M pre-seed and seed rounds. Dundee VC is currently investing out of its third fund, a $41M fund launched in 2020. Dundee VC’s philosophy is to be a partner to portfolio companies, not just an investor. We strive to believe before others will and to steadily guide founders through every step of their journey. Believer Every transformative company starts with a core team who deeply believes. Each “overnight success” takes years of tenacity, grit, questioning, and persistence behind closed doors. We know it because we’ve been there, too. We believe before others will, and commit to working with you through the entire journey. That’s what seed investing should be. The Mighty Middle The most transformative technology companies are being built right here, right now – outside of traditional coastal startup markets. Across our four Midwest offices, we see technology’s impact on our people, and our cities, states, and world. We know the Mighty Middle is the best place to build a tech company – and what is being built here today will improve lives for generations to come. Lead Seed Capital No ‘Let us know when you find a lead’ or ‘Who else is in?’ Having built and exited tech companies ourselves, we know an engaged investor base is an unfair advantage. We lead a vast majority of the rounds we invest in, and employ a high-conviction, low-volume investment strategy so we can work closely with each founder we partner with. Vision It’s about seeing the opportunities others ignore. We get to see the ways technology moves us forward every single day. We like founders who see the world a different way; you know something everyone else does not know and have earned an unfair advantage in the market you are attacking. That’s where great companies start. We want to help you build the future.

We paint the picture that startups envisioned by providing them unparalleled support, including financial capital, strategic advice, and operational guidance. Our extensive knowledge about the market also allows us to drive different initiatives to achieve its full potential. We pride ourselves to be able to pave the way in building long term, sustainable and successful companies – today and tomorrow.

We fund early stage ventures determined to change the way we live and do business. We are doers, here to help you grow Having been at the forefront of technological innovations, we hold a passion that matches yours to solve problems, sometimes, in unconventional ways. We believe in questioning the status quo, doing the right thing, and getting stuff done efficiently while pushing onward and upward. Accelerating innovation in SoCal and beyond We think Los Angeles is an optimal place to build a company, and also enjoy life. We are committed to pushing innovation in Southern California, but support founders across the globe.

From Southeast Asia to Silicon Alley, our world is marked by unprecedented degrees of multiculturalism, ethnic diversity, social shifts, international collaboration, and technology-driven changes. Third culture innovators - founders who create and define a new ‘third space’ in response to adversities they face while living, learning, and transacting between disparate cultures - are on the rise and at the center of solving humanity’s biggest problems. As third culture individuals ourselves, Ethos understands better than anyone else the powerful forces at work in the world today. We can spot asymmetric opportunities and invest where others hesitate because we aren’t afraid to be authentic and embrace the same ethos as the third culture innovators that we invest in. We hold deeply ingrained convictions that investing in companies led by extraordinary third culture leaders will not only yield more unicorns, but also shape a world in which future generations will thrive, celebrate, and treasure. VALUESEthos: We believe the most important foundation of a person’s success is his or her character and spirit, which will manifest in the person’s business, relationships, and actions. Commitment: We invest in founders from the earliest stages (often, the first check) and continue to support their long term vision. We believe startups are a marathon, not a sprint. Curiosity: We seek truth. We assume nothing and believe that the best approach is to uncover these truths through experimentation. Community: We believe that the startup journey is much better when we share it with others. The journey is hard. No need to go through it alone. Vision: We support founders who are bold and mission-driven to improve the future of humanity. Big dreams inspire and motivate us all to be better. WHY THIRD CULTURE Third Culture is not about geography or skin color. Third culture is the mindset and drive to adapt, grow, and triumph while remaining fiercely authentic even amid pain and discomfort. It is the situation of being in between two or more worlds, and includes the meaning of being located at the periphery or edge of mainstream thinking. It’s the impetus behind the biggest and most important innovations for humanity and the future of our children.

We love when new things are being built. New companies, new relations, new perspectives. This is why we like to be amongst the first to join builders in their entrepreneurial journey. And since some endeavors are bigger than others, we are committed to go the long way. With over € 1.7bn under management and about 200 companies backed, HV’s funds have the resources and the experience needed. NEW COMPANIES HV’s funds invest early. Leading investment rounds with initial tickets between € 500k and € 5m. If a company is developing exceptional but was missed in the early stage, the relationship can also start in growth stages with tickets of up to € 20m as initial investment and follow on investments with up to € 100m per company. NEW RELATIONS Our network is our biggest value. In our history, we have backed hundreds of entrepreneurs, enabling great success stories. We are creating an ecosystem for companies to connect and thrive together. HV’s funds co-invest with a set of top international business angels and investors. NEW PERSPECTIVES We have backed about 200 companies in the last 20 years. We have enabled the creation of more than 100,000 jobs across all sectors of the industry.