Nameless Ventures

GigaStar is a company that has developed an online marketplace designed for content creators and their fans. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, GigaStar's platform enables fans and followers to invest in their favorite creators, providing financial support while also facilitating deeper engagement. Through this marketplace, creators can monetize their future earnings by offering fans rights to a share of their channel's potential revenue. This innovative approach allows creators to access funding more efficiently, fostering a direct connection with their audience while establishing a long-term revenue stream.

GigaStar is a company that has developed an online marketplace designed for content creators and their fans. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, GigaStar's platform enables fans and followers to invest in their favorite creators, providing financial support while also facilitating deeper engagement. Through this marketplace, creators can monetize their future earnings by offering fans rights to a share of their channel's potential revenue. This innovative approach allows creators to access funding more efficiently, fostering a direct connection with their audience while establishing a long-term revenue stream.

BiomeSense, Inc. is a Chicago-based company founded in 2018 that focuses on developing a comprehensive platform for microbiome data collection and analysis. Its primary innovation is the GutLab, a "smart bathroom" system designed for continuous, at-home monitoring of the human gut microbiome. This technology is integrated with the MetaBiome time-series analytics platform, offering a seamless end-to-end solution that enables real-time tracking of microbiome changes and their correlation with clinical outcomes. By generating and analyzing extensive longitudinal microbiome datasets, BiomeSense aims to discover and commercialize novel microbiome biomarkers, providing healthcare professionals with a high-resolution microbiome database. This resource supports the development of advanced microbiome-based therapeutics and consumer products, ultimately enhancing precision medicine and improving health outcomes.

Genecis is an early-stage organic waste processing startup that uses biotechnology to convert waste into biodegradable plastics and other high-value materials. It converts organic waste into PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoate), a biodegradable, compostable, and non-toxic polymer that can be tuned to replace a wide variety of traditional plastics. PHA can be used for single-use plastics, clothing and textiles, automotive interiors, medical tools and products, and food contact applications.

PechaKucha is a storytelling platform designed to facilitate the sharing of personal presentations that inspire and motivate individuals. The company, based in Chicago with a community management team in Tokyo, aims to help users enhance their storytelling abilities and produce engaging virtual events. With over 65,000 sign-ups for its beta product, PK Create, PechaKucha combines elements of social media and presentation sharing, making it accessible and enjoyable for content creators and event hosts across more than 140 countries. The platform encourages users to model positive conversations and behaviors, ultimately helping viewers navigate challenges and transform their lives through motivational narratives. Led by CEO Sean Smyth and CTO John Brooks, both with extensive experience in technology and entrepreneurship, PechaKucha continues to grow organically while establishing a strong brand presence in the global storytelling community.

Black Buffalo Inc. is a Chicago-based company established in 2015 that specializes in producing tobacco-free nicotine alternatives designed to replicate the experience of traditional smokeless tobacco products. The company offers a range of products made from food-safe ingredients and pharmaceutical-grade nicotine, which are available in various flavors and form factors. With over 20,000 hours of research and development, Black Buffalo aims to provide users with the taste, texture, and rich dark color of traditional chewing tobacco, while eliminating the risks associated with tobacco leaf and stem.

HumanPredictions is a data-driven software company that specializes in optimizing the recruitment of technical talent. By leveraging public data and advanced machine learning models, the company creates detailed technical profiles for individuals, assessing their likelihood of being open to new job opportunities. This approach allows enterprise teams, startup founders, and agency recruiters to streamline their hiring processes, spending less time on candidate research and more time on meaningful engagement. Founded by experienced tech recruiters, HumanPredictions is deeply embedded in tech communities and focuses on data sources often overlooked by conventional aggregators. The software not only automates the decision-making process regarding when and how to contact potential candidates but also assists customers in various research activities, including assessing investment opportunities and analyzing geographic talent concentrations. Ultimately, HumanPredictions aims to enhance the effectiveness of recruiters, enabling them to concentrate on building relationships and evaluating talent.

Draftbit, Inc. is a software company based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 2017. It provides a drag and drop platform for developing cross-platform mobile applications, allowing users to create native iOS and Android apps quickly and efficiently. The platform caters to both designers and developers, enabling them to visually design apps without the need for extensive coding skills. With Draftbit, users can export clean, well-documented code and libraries, ensuring full control over their projects. The tool simplifies the app development process, making it accessible for startups and business owners to build, launch, and iterate on mobile applications in a fraction of the time traditionally required.

Factor is a subscription-based meal delivery service that specializes in providing dietitian-designed, chef-crafted prepared meals. Founded in 2013 in Batavia, Illinois, the company focuses on health and wellness by offering a rotating menu of fresh, ready-to-eat meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their offerings include a variety of dietary preferences, such as keto, Paleo, low-carb, vegetarian, plant-based, and high-protein options, all of which can be conveniently heated in the microwave or oven. Factor emphasizes the use of fresh ingredients sourced from trusted partners, ensuring that meals are free from hormones, antibiotics, gluten, refined sugars, and GMOs. The company aims to deliver a perfect balance of nutrition and taste, enhancing the overall health and performance of its consumers.

Mori, formerly known as Overlook Research, is a company that develops a natural biopolymer coating designed to extend the shelf life of perishable foods. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Mori's innovative coating is made from proteins extracted from natural silk using salt and water. This protective layer helps slow the spoiling process of various food items, including fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood, thereby reducing food waste. By focusing on sustainable and economical solutions, Mori aims to transform the food supply and enhance the efficiency of the food, agriculture, and packaging industries.

Kin Insurance, Inc. is a digital insurance agency that specializes in homeowners insurance and related products. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in St. Petersburg, Florida, the company aims to enhance the convenience and affordability of insurance by operating directly with consumers, eliminating the need for external agents. Kin Insurance offers a variety of products, including homeowners, mobile home, condo, flood, and landlord insurance, among others. The company leverages extensive property data to ensure precise pricing and improve underwriting outcomes, providing personalized coverage options and efficient claims services through its technology-driven platform.

Avail is an online platform designed to assist independent landlords and property managers in managing rental properties. Founded in 2012 and based in Chicago, Illinois, Avail provides a comprehensive suite of tools that simplifies the rental process. Its offerings include rental listings, tenant screening, customized leases, online rent payments, maintenance tracking, and rent price analysis. The platform caters specifically to landlords with fewer than 10 units, filling a gap in the market for accessible online management tools. With its user-friendly interface, Avail allows landlords to efficiently advertise vacant units, process rental applications, conduct credit checks, and handle lease agreements digitally. As of now, Avail serves approximately 70,000 landlords, making it a valuable resource for both novice and experienced property managers seeking to enhance their operations. Since December 2020, Avail has operated as a subsidiary of Move, Inc.

Jiobit is a company specializing in real-time location-tracking technology for children, adults, and pets. Its flagship product is a compact and durable tracking device that works in conjunction with a smartphone app, allowing users to monitor the location of their loved ones in over 120 countries, including multi-level buildings. The device boasts an impressive battery life, lasting weeks on a single charge, and offers advanced features such as custom geofencing, smart alerts, and a detailed location history. Jiobit's team comprises experienced engineers, designers, and marketers, collectively holding numerous patents from prior ventures in consumer product innovation. Headquartered in Chicago, with a development center in Silicon Valley, Jiobit aims to provide peace of mind to parents while enabling freedom for children and pets.