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Chicago-based pre-seed/seed VC investing in the Outsiders with 7x growth from Fund 1 to Fund 2
Key people at New Stack Ventures.
Key people at New Stack Ventures.
New Stack Ventures is a Chicago-based early-stage venture capital firm dedicated to investing in founders often overlooked by traditional VCs, particularly those outside Silicon Valley's insider network. Their mission centers on backing "Outsider" founders who challenge the status quo, focusing on startups in under-capitalized markets and geographies. The firm invests primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages, targeting sectors such as IoT, deep tech, smart hardware, vertical AI, B2B SaaS, fintech, healthcare, and legacy industries like manufacturing and supply chain. New Stack Ventures has demonstrated significant growth, expanding from a $6 million first fund to a $42.6 million second fund, enabling support for more startups and reflecting a 7x growth in fund size. Their founder-friendly and proactive approach has earned them recognition as one of the most active and engaged early-stage investors, with a portfolio including companies like Draftbit, Curv, and Flamingo[1][6].
Founded in 2015 by Nick Moran, New Stack Ventures emerged from his diverse background spanning software development, M&A, product management, and venture capital. Moran’s experience includes developing a successful analytical device at Danaher and founding "The Full Ratchet," a popular VC podcast. The firm evolved with a clear focus on supporting founders outside the traditional Silicon Valley ecosystem, emphasizing inclusivity and diversity in entrepreneurship. Key partners include Nate Pierotti, Luke Skertich, and Ariella Frank, who bring operational and investment expertise from startups and venture capital. Over time, New Stack Ventures has refined its focus on early-stage investments in underrepresented sectors and geographies, growing its fund size and portfolio accordingly[1][3][6].
New Stack Ventures rides the trend of decentralizing venture capital away from Silicon Valley, capitalizing on the growing recognition that transformative startups emerge globally and from diverse founder backgrounds. The timing is critical as technology adoption spreads across industries and regions previously under-capitalized, such as manufacturing, energy, and supply chain sectors. Market forces favor firms like New Stack that provide early-stage capital and operational support to startups in these spaces, helping to democratize access to venture funding. By backing "outsider" founders, New Stack Ventures influences the broader ecosystem by expanding the diversity of innovation and fostering startups that might otherwise be neglected by traditional VC models[1][6].
Looking ahead, New Stack Ventures is poised to continue scaling its impact with its larger Fund II, enabling investments in more startups and deeper support at early stages. Trends such as vertical AI, fintech innovation, and digital transformation in legacy industries will likely shape their portfolio focus. As the venture capital landscape increasingly values geographic and founder diversity, New Stack’s role as a champion for outsiders will grow, potentially influencing other firms to broaden their investment horizons. Their continued success will depend on maintaining their founder-centric approach while leveraging their expanding network to accelerate portfolio company growth[1][6]. This trajectory ties back to their core mission of empowering transformative startups beyond Silicon Valley’s traditional boundaries.
