Origin Ventures

Origin Ventures, established in 1999, is a Chicago-based early-stage venture capital firm. Comprising former operators and engineers, the firm invests in high-growth software, marketplace, and consumer businesses, with a focus on the 'Digital Native Economy'. Origin Ventures has consistently ranked in the top 5% of VC firms nationally based on realized performance. The firm typically invests $1-8 million in Series A rounds for companies that have achieved product-market fit. Notable exits include Grubhub, BacklotCars, Tock, Ahalogy, and Teem.

Bruce Barron

Co-Founding Partner

Carolina Galdiz

Investor

Jason Heltzer

Managing Partner

Brent Hill

Managing Partner

Steven N. Miller

Co-Founding Partner

Jacquie Marshall Siegmund

Principal and Investor

Angela Smith

Senior Associate and Investor

Linda Watchmaker

CFO

Past deals in Illinois

Anthill

Seed Round in 2021
Anthill AI is a Chicago-based software company focused on personalizing workforce development for both employers and employees. Founded by Muriel Clauson and Young-Jae Kim, the company offers a talent management platform that enhances employee engagement, retention, and internal mobility. The platform enables businesses to address critical workforce needs while providing employees with tailored insights and support for their professional growth. By facilitating reskilling and development, Anthill AI aims to improve the overall employee experience and drive organizational success.

Tovala

Series C in 2021
Tovala is a Chicago-based company that offers a unique combination of a smart oven and a fresh meal delivery service, aiming to simplify dinner preparation for busy individuals. Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, Tovala's system features an internet-connected countertop steam oven designed for multi-step cooking, paired with gourmet chef-prepared meals. This innovative approach allows users to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort, requiring only the scanning of a barcode to initiate the cooking process. Tovala's service addresses the growing demand for convenient and nutritious meal solutions in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Anthill

Seed Round in 2021
Anthill AI is a Chicago-based software company focused on personalizing workforce development for both employers and employees. Founded by Muriel Clauson and Young-Jae Kim, the company offers a talent management platform that enhances employee engagement, retention, and internal mobility. The platform enables businesses to address critical workforce needs while providing employees with tailored insights and support for their professional growth. By facilitating reskilling and development, Anthill AI aims to improve the overall employee experience and drive organizational success.

Tovala

Series B in 2020
Tovala is a Chicago-based company that offers a unique combination of a smart oven and a fresh meal delivery service, aiming to simplify dinner preparation for busy individuals. Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, Tovala's system features an internet-connected countertop steam oven designed for multi-step cooking, paired with gourmet chef-prepared meals. This innovative approach allows users to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort, requiring only the scanning of a barcode to initiate the cooking process. Tovala's service addresses the growing demand for convenient and nutritious meal solutions in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Trala

Seed Round in 2018
Trala, Inc. is a company that develops a music education application aimed at teaching users how to play the violin. The application provides features such as tutorials, daily lessons, and real-time feedback on mistakes, utilizing advanced signal processing technology to enhance the learning experience. Users benefit from instant feedback and access to thousands of video tutorials from renowned violinists. Additionally, the app facilitates communication between students and teachers, allowing for the tracking of practice activities and progress. Founded in 2016 and based in Chicago, Illinois, Trala aims to offer a convenient and effective approach to violin education.

Tovala

Series A in 2017
Tovala is a Chicago-based company that offers a unique combination of a smart oven and a fresh meal delivery service, aiming to simplify dinner preparation for busy individuals. Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, Tovala's system features an internet-connected countertop steam oven designed for multi-step cooking, paired with gourmet chef-prepared meals. This innovative approach allows users to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort, requiring only the scanning of a barcode to initiate the cooking process. Tovala's service addresses the growing demand for convenient and nutritious meal solutions in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Tovala

Seed Round in 2016
Tovala is a Chicago-based company that offers a unique combination of a smart oven and a fresh meal delivery service, aiming to simplify dinner preparation for busy individuals. Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, Tovala's system features an internet-connected countertop steam oven designed for multi-step cooking, paired with gourmet chef-prepared meals. This innovative approach allows users to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort, requiring only the scanning of a barcode to initiate the cooking process. Tovala's service addresses the growing demand for convenient and nutritious meal solutions in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Riviter

Pre Seed Round in 2016
Riviter, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in Chicago, Illinois, specializes in visual search technology that utilizes artificial intelligence to enhance online shopping experiences. The company's image recognition tool identifies products within images and matches them with items in retailers' inventories, thereby minimizing lost sales due to stockouts and irrelevant product suggestions. By providing brands with predictive insights derived from social images, Riviter enables them to connect effectively with consumers at critical moments of consumption. This technology empowers large brands to prioritize their marketing efforts based on audience, context, and product relevance, ultimately driving revenue growth.

Tovala

Pre Seed Round in 2016
Tovala is a Chicago-based company that offers a unique combination of a smart oven and a fresh meal delivery service, aiming to simplify dinner preparation for busy individuals. Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, Tovala's system features an internet-connected countertop steam oven designed for multi-step cooking, paired with gourmet chef-prepared meals. This innovative approach allows users to enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals with minimal effort, requiring only the scanning of a barcode to initiate the cooking process. Tovala's service addresses the growing demand for convenient and nutritious meal solutions in today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Avant

Series E in 2015
Avant, LLC is a financial technology company that operates an online marketplace lending platform, providing consumers access to personal loans for purposes such as debt consolidation, medical expenses, and family vacations. Founded in 2012, Avant utilizes big data and machine-learning algorithms to streamline credit options and offer a tailored approach to lending. The company partners with banks and financial institutions to facilitate loan processing and verification, ensuring compliance with credit policies while minimizing fraud and risk. Additionally, Avant operates an institutional marketplace that allows investors to purchase loans generated through its technology. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Avant also maintains offices in Los Angeles, California, and London, United Kingdom, serving customers both domestically and internationally.

Ahalogy

Series B in 2015
Ahalogy, now part of Quotient, operates as a digital marketing platform focused on connecting brands with consumers through their interests. It provides services that include category trend data, authentic influencer content, and social optimization technology. This enables brands and agencies to enhance user engagement and drive sales by leveraging proven return on investment strategies. Ahalogy is recognized as an official Pinterest Marketing Partner and collaborates with other major social networks to optimize marketing efforts. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ahalogy also maintains offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, positioning itself in key markets for brand marketing.

Rivet

Venture Round in 2014
Rivet Radio, Inc. is a Chicago-based company that creates and distributes audio news and feature stories on a global scale. It offers a range of products, including business podcasts, national and international news, corporate reports, and training materials for employee communications and compliance. Rivet provides an API that allows businesses to access and integrate its audio content into their own distribution channels, enhancing their communication strategies. Additionally, the company produces custom branded audio content for corporate websites and offers a mobile app that delivers personalized audio news. Founded in 2012 and originally known as HearHere Radio, Rivet has established itself as a notable player in the audio news industry, providing services that cater to both individual consumers and enterprise clients.

Ahalogy

Series A in 2014
Ahalogy, now part of Quotient, operates as a digital marketing platform focused on connecting brands with consumers through their interests. It provides services that include category trend data, authentic influencer content, and social optimization technology. This enables brands and agencies to enhance user engagement and drive sales by leveraging proven return on investment strategies. Ahalogy is recognized as an official Pinterest Marketing Partner and collaborates with other major social networks to optimize marketing efforts. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ahalogy also maintains offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, positioning itself in key markets for brand marketing.

Ahalogy

Series A in 2013
Ahalogy, now part of Quotient, operates as a digital marketing platform focused on connecting brands with consumers through their interests. It provides services that include category trend data, authentic influencer content, and social optimization technology. This enables brands and agencies to enhance user engagement and drive sales by leveraging proven return on investment strategies. Ahalogy is recognized as an official Pinterest Marketing Partner and collaborates with other major social networks to optimize marketing efforts. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ahalogy also maintains offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, positioning itself in key markets for brand marketing.

Pangea Money Transfer

Seed Round in 2013
Pangea Money Transfer is a mobile-centric platform that enables users in the United States to send money quickly and affordably to 15 countries in Latin America and Asia. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the service allows transactions to be completed in less than 30 seconds for a low flat fee. Recipients can choose to collect cash at numerous retail locations or have funds directly deposited into a bank account or onto a debit card. The application also includes features such as automatic transfers and international bill payments, enhancing the convenience and security of money transfers for users.

CityScan

Seed Round in 2013
CityScan is a Chicago-based software company specializing in intelligent data collection and integration for Smart Cities and Utilities. The company employs patented mobile 3D visualization technologies that create highly accurate renderings of urban environments, down to a few inches. By integrating private and municipal data, CityScan enhances operational efficiency and reduces costs for its clients. Their solutions enable cities and utility companies to effectively manage assets, ensure compliance with local regulations, and foster safe environments for residents. Additionally, the data-driven insights provided by CityScan support citywide initiatives, including Smart Grid deployments and policy decision-making, contributing to urban planning and blight reduction efforts.

Assignment Editor

Venture Round in 2001
Assignment Editor is an online web-based platform that enables reporters, writers, producers, and assignment editors to find stories and do research on the internet. The platform was created in July 1999 by [Jim Lichtenstein](http://www.crunchbase.com/person/jim-lichtenstein). As the managing editor at CBS/WBBM-TV in Chicago, he wanted a resource that could help individuals with their research on the internet. That resource didn’t exist, so he decided to build it himself.

iNest Realty

Venture Round in 2000
iNest Realty is a real estate brokerage firm focused on newly-constructed homes. It provides consumers with a database of new home builders and communities with flexible search options and a network of local field agents to enable individuals to find new homes. iNest Realty was founded in 1997 and is based in Bloomingdale, Illinois, the United States.

iNest Realty

Venture Round in 1999
iNest Realty is a real estate brokerage firm focused on newly-constructed homes. It provides consumers with a database of new home builders and communities with flexible search options and a network of local field agents to enable individuals to find new homes. iNest Realty was founded in 1997 and is based in Bloomingdale, Illinois, the United States.
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