Investments
80Portfolio Exits
13Funds
6About IllinoisVENTURES
IllinoisVENTURES is a premier seed and early-stage technology investment firm focused on research-derived companies in information technologies, physical sciences, life sciences and clean technology. We start and build globally-competitive businesses based on work conducted at Midwest Universities and federal laboratories. We bring together leading researchers and entrepreneurs to mold concepts, vision, intellectual property, sweat and passion into breakthrough, high-growth companies. Conceived and launched by the University of Illinois, we have been consistently named by Entrepreneur magazine to its national list of the top 100 venture capital firms.

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Latest IllinoisVENTURES News
Jan 12, 2018
IllinoisVentures collects $15m for third fund University of Illinois at Chicago’s early-stage investment arm IllinoisVentures has secured $15m for its latest vehicle. Author: Thierry Heles, editor IllinoisVentures, the early-stage investment vehicle established by University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), yesterday filed a regulatory document indicating that it has raised almost $15.2m for its third fund. The Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund (IETF) III was launched in 2016 and secured $7.5m out of a $15m target at the time. IllinoisVentures has not released an official statement about the new fund yet. IllinoisVentures was established in 2002 to drive spinout generation at University of Illinois. It was launched by the institution’s board of trustees and now also supports the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout Illinois. IETF have traditionally been financed through external limited parties. IllinoisVentures uses the funds to either lead or participate in larger rounds for early-stage companies that need substantial capital to grow. IllinoisVentures also operates the UIC Chancellor’s Innovation Fund, which offers proof-of-concept grants for validating technology, creating prototypes and undertaking market research. Additionally, IllinoisVentures also provides up to $200,000 in seed funding to spinouts emerging out of University of Illinois. Copyright Mawsonia Limited 2010. Please don´t cut articles from www.globaluniversityventuring.com or the PDF and redistribute by email or post to the web without written permission.
IllinoisVENTURES Investments
80 Investments
IllinoisVENTURES has made 80 investments. Their latest investment was in Natrion as part of their Convertible Note on May 5, 2022.

IllinoisVENTURES Investments Activity

Date | Round | Company | Amount | New? | Co-Investors | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5/26/2022 | Convertible Note | Natrion | $2M | Yes | IllinoisVENTURES, Mark Cuban, Tamarack Global, TechNexus, and Undisclosed Investors | 2 |
10/22/2021 | Seed VC | Mesh++ | $4.9M | No | 3 | |
11/3/2020 | Debt | Sifter | $1.62M | Yes | 1 | |
9/29/2020 | Seed VC | |||||
5/8/2020 | Seed VC |
Date | 5/26/2022 | 10/22/2021 | 11/3/2020 | 9/29/2020 | 5/8/2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Round | Convertible Note | Seed VC | Debt | Seed VC | Seed VC |
Company | Natrion | Mesh++ | Sifter | ||
Amount | $2M | $4.9M | $1.62M | ||
New? | Yes | No | Yes | ||
Co-Investors | IllinoisVENTURES, Mark Cuban, Tamarack Global, TechNexus, and Undisclosed Investors | ||||
Sources | 2 | 3 | 1 |
IllinoisVENTURES Portfolio Exits
13 Portfolio Exits
IllinoisVENTURES has 13 portfolio exits. Their latest portfolio exit was Sense Photonics on October 05, 2021.
Date | Exit | Companies | Valuation Valuations are submitted by companies, mined from state filings or news, provided by VentureSource, or based on a comparables valuation model. | Acquirer | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10/5/2021 | Acquired | 8 | |||
10/9/2020 | Acquired | 1 | |||
1/12/2017 | Acquired | 2 | |||
Date | 10/5/2021 | 10/9/2020 | 1/12/2017 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exit | Acquired | Acquired | Acquired | ||
Companies | |||||
Valuation | |||||
Acquirer | |||||
Sources | 8 | 1 | 2 |
IllinoisVENTURES Fund History
6 Fund Histories
IllinoisVENTURES has 6 funds, including Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund III.
Closing Date | Fund | Fund Type | Status | Amount | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1/11/2018 | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund III | Early-Stage Venture Capital | Closed | $15.2M | 3 |
12/31/2013 | UIC Chancellor's Innovation Fund | ||||
4/12/2010 | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund II | ||||
8/1/2005 | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund | ||||
Illinois Ventures III |
Closing Date | 1/11/2018 | 12/31/2013 | 4/12/2010 | 8/1/2005 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fund | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund III | UIC Chancellor's Innovation Fund | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund II | Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund | Illinois Ventures III |
Fund Type | Early-Stage Venture Capital | ||||
Status | Closed | ||||
Amount | $15.2M | ||||
Sources | 3 |
IllinoisVENTURES Team
7 Team Members
IllinoisVENTURES has 7 team members, including current Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Sullivan.
Name | Work History | Title | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Nancy Sullivan | Chief Executive Officer | Current | |
Name | Nancy Sullivan | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Work History | |||||
Title | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
Status | Current |
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