Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual, established in 1857 and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a financial services mutual organization that specializes in providing a range of insurance and investment products. The company offers life, disability income, and long-term care insurance, as well as annuities and investment advisory services. Through a holistic planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience, helping clients plan for various financial needs such as education, retirement, and estate planning. Its investment management services include a diversified portfolio comprising public bonds, private bonds, and other asset classes. The organization manages substantial assets on behalf of its clients through its subsidiaries, which include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC and Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company.

David Barras

Managing Director, Private Debt and Equity

Michael J. Bay

Managing Director of Private Debt and Private Equity Funds

Michael Carter

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer

Timothy Collins

Managing Director, Private Debt and Equity

Marco Corrao

Principal, Private Debt and Equity

Kaitie Donovan Gannett

Director, Private Debt and Equity

Ronald Joelson

Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

Daniel Julka

Managing Director, Private Debt and Equity

Daniel Ketelsleger

Director, Private Debt and Equity

Mark Kishler

Managing Director, Private Debt and Private Equity Funds

Bradley Kunath

Managing Director, Private Debt and Equity

Jeffrey James Lueken

Senior Vice President, Investments

Brain McDonald

Managing Director, Private Debt and Equity

Robert Organ

Director, Private Debt and Equtiy

Randal Ralph

Managing Director, Private Equity Funds

Fred Robertson

Director, Private Debt and Private Equity Funds

John E. Schlifske

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Past deals in Wisconsin

CrossKudi

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Blockchain-based international money transfer platform.

Bright Cellars

Series B in 2021
Bright Cellars Inc. operates an online wine subscription service that personalizes wine selections for its members. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company employs a questionnaire and customer feedback to understand individual tastes and preferences. Using a machine-learning algorithm, Bright Cellars generates tailored wine recommendations that are shipped monthly to subscribers, helping them discover and refine their wine palate. The service also includes options for gifting wine, making it accessible for users to share their experience with friends. Bright Cellars aims to educate and inspire a new generation of wine enthusiasts through a curated and transformative wine experience.

Socialeads

Series A in 2020
Socialeads, Inc. offers an artificial intelligence based software that enables financial services companies and their advisors to automatically know the size, depth, and value of their professional and personal social media networks. Its platform analyzes social media data using machine learning and data science to find the ideal potential clients in a salesperson’s social media networks. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Lumanu

Seed Round in 2019
Lumanu, Inc. is a digital marketing platform that connects companies with brand ambassadors, focusing on the creator economy. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Oakland, California, with an additional office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lumanu offers several solutions to facilitate collaboration between brands and creators. Its SocialCert solution enables influencers to share content and usage rights with marketers, while Content Manager allows for easy ingestion of influencer content. SmartBoost generates advertisements using influencer-created content, enhancing marketing effectiveness. Lumanu streamlines business transactions and payments for creators, ensuring they earn more and receive payments promptly. For businesses, the platform reduces friction in accessing exclusive creator intellectual property and first-party data, ultimately improving return on investment.

Lumanu

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Lumanu, Inc. is a digital marketing platform that connects companies with brand ambassadors, focusing on the creator economy. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Oakland, California, with an additional office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lumanu offers several solutions to facilitate collaboration between brands and creators. Its SocialCert solution enables influencers to share content and usage rights with marketers, while Content Manager allows for easy ingestion of influencer content. SmartBoost generates advertisements using influencer-created content, enhancing marketing effectiveness. Lumanu streamlines business transactions and payments for creators, ensuring they earn more and receive payments promptly. For businesses, the platform reduces friction in accessing exclusive creator intellectual property and first-party data, ultimately improving return on investment.

Alinea Engage

Seed Round in 2018
Alinea Engage LLC developes a software platform which allows outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation providers to engage patients and improve care by using automation. It offers a software that allows medical practices to digitize their intake forms and complete the onboarding process before a patient arrives for the appointment. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Socialeads

Seed Round in 2018
Socialeads, Inc. offers an artificial intelligence based software that enables financial services companies and their advisors to automatically know the size, depth, and value of their professional and personal social media networks. Its platform analyzes social media data using machine learning and data science to find the ideal potential clients in a salesperson’s social media networks. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.