Cultivation Capital filled a funding gap in St. Louis, then turned that local thesis into a network of specialist funds. Its wager is simple: useful companies can start anywhere, but they still need capital, counsel and the right introductions at exactly the right moment.
Chicago Ventures built its thesis around an unfashionable observation: large companies can begin far from the coasts and inside markets other investors find too small, messy or ordinary. Its edge is showing up early, taking a board seat and helping founders turn that mess into a business.