Starting Line

Starting Line is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Chicago, founded in 2018. It leads seed rounds in emerging consumer products and services categories, with a stated emphasis on new applications of artificial intelligence within consumer businesses. The firm describes its investment focus as consumer companies responding to behavioural, health and economic change, and it targets categories before they become mainstream or widely understood.

The firm has raised three funds totalling $77 million: Starting Line Fund I at $17 million in 2018, Starting Line Fund II at $30 million in 2021, and Starting Line Fund III at $30 million in 2023. Each fund continues the same seed-stage mandate in emerging consumer categories. Sector interests listed across the franchise include consumer products, consumer services, AI-enabled consumer businesses, health and wellness, and economy-responsive consumer models, alongside technology-enabled products and services more broadly.

Starting Line positions itself as a partner to founders rather than solely a capital provider, offering practical feedback, networks and recruiting support to portfolio companies. The team combines operating and investment experience. The firm maintains a notable commitment to transparency: it publishes an Operating Manual describing how it works with founders, together with quarterly letters setting out its work and approach.

The firm's stated thesis centres on making consumer products and services better, more affordable and accessible to a wider population. Further detail on the team, portfolio and process is available at startingline.vc.