Lakewest Venture Partners

Blitsy, Inc. is an online retailer specializing in arts and crafts, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The company offers a comprehensive platform where creative individuals can shop for craft supplies and tools, as well as access instructional videos for various DIY projects. Blitsy focuses on providing a curated shopping experience through limited-time sale events, enhancing the value and inspiration for its customers. As of November 2017, Blitsy operates as a subsidiary of Nicole Crafts LLC, further solidifying its presence in the arts and crafts market.

BucketFeet, Inc., based in Chicago, Illinois, is a direct-to-consumer footwear brand that specializes in artist-designed shoes for men, women, and children. Founded in 2011, the company collaborates with a global community of artists to create unique, limited-edition sneakers, with each pair featuring a different artist's design. BucketFeet operates an online platform where customers can order shoes that are printed only after they are purchased, thus reducing unnecessary environmental waste associated with traditional manufacturing cycles. In addition to footwear, the company also offers apparel such as tees, hoodies, and socks. Through its innovative approach, BucketFeet aims to foster meaningful conversations and empower artists to share their stories through the medium of shoes, serving as a canvas for diverse artistic expression. As of late 2017, BucketFeet operates as a subsidiary of SkinnyCorp, LLC.

Popular Pays, Inc. operates a platform that connects brands with content creators to facilitate the production of engaging content. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in New York, the company provides a marketplace where brands and creators can collaborate effectively. The platform features tools such as a brief builder, creator profiles, in-app messaging, and API integrations, allowing brands to manage their campaigns efficiently and select suitable creators for their needs. Through its in-house built application and dashboard, Popular Pays enables seamless communication and offers valuable analytics, enhancing the collaboration process for both parties involved.

Packback, Inc. is an education technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that operates an artificial intelligence-driven platform designed to enhance critical thinking skills among college students. Founded in 2014, Packback offers two primary products: PB Books, which provides online textbooks on a rental basis, and PB Questions, a digital discussion platform that facilitates online interactions between students and professors. The platform aims to foster a deeper engagement with subject matter, promote personalized learning experiences, and enable educators to assess and improve students' critical thinking abilities effectively. By leveraging its proprietary AI, Packback supports mastery-based learning and sound pedagogical practices in higher education.

Blitsy, Inc. is an online retailer specializing in arts and crafts, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The company offers a comprehensive platform where creative individuals can shop for craft supplies and tools, as well as access instructional videos for various DIY projects. Blitsy focuses on providing a curated shopping experience through limited-time sale events, enhancing the value and inspiration for its customers. As of November 2017, Blitsy operates as a subsidiary of Nicole Crafts LLC, further solidifying its presence in the arts and crafts market.

Luxury Garage Sale, Inc. operates a consignment boutique and an online e-commerce platform specializing in the sale of luxury designer clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. Founded in 2010 and based in Chicago, Illinois, the company offers a diverse range of products, including dresses, jackets, pants, and various types of footwear, as well as a selection of jewelry and fashion accessories. With physical locations in Chicago, Highland Park, and Dallas, Luxury Garage Sale provides consumers with access to high-end fashion items at lower prices through a curated consignment model. The company emphasizes exceptional customer experience while making luxury fashion more accessible.

BucketFeet, Inc., based in Chicago, Illinois, is a direct-to-consumer footwear brand that specializes in artist-designed shoes for men, women, and children. Founded in 2011, the company collaborates with a global community of artists to create unique, limited-edition sneakers, with each pair featuring a different artist's design. BucketFeet operates an online platform where customers can order shoes that are printed only after they are purchased, thus reducing unnecessary environmental waste associated with traditional manufacturing cycles. In addition to footwear, the company also offers apparel such as tees, hoodies, and socks. Through its innovative approach, BucketFeet aims to foster meaningful conversations and empower artists to share their stories through the medium of shoes, serving as a canvas for diverse artistic expression. As of late 2017, BucketFeet operates as a subsidiary of SkinnyCorp, LLC.

NuCurrent, Inc. is a developer based in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in high-efficiency antennas and inductive components for wireless power applications. Founded in 2009, the company designs, fabricates, and integrates wireless power antennas and surface-mount inductors for various applications, including power electronics, RF devices, and frequency synthesizers. NuCurrent's products comply with industry standards such as the Alliance for Wireless Power and the Wireless Power Consortium, ensuring broad compatibility. The company collaborates closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and integrators to provide custom-designed, rapid-prototype solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce size, and lower costs. By employing patented designs and advanced manufacturing techniques, NuCurrent aims to improve the durability and performance of wireless power systems, facilitating the evolution of electronic devices.

Telnyx LLC is a global connectivity platform that specializes in providing carrier-grade voice, messaging, and telecommunications solutions over a private, cloud-agnostic IP network. Established in 2009 and headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in Dublin, Amsterdam, Warsaw, and São Paulo, Telnyx offers a range of services including SIP trunking, programmatic messaging, embedded communications, and telephony data. Its solutions are accessible through RESTful APIs and an intuitive Mission Control Portal, allowing users to manage their communications needs effectively. As an internationally licensed carrier, Telnyx ensures secure, high-fidelity connectivity while facilitating real-time communications across various applications. The company serves a diverse clientele, including prominent organizations like Cisco and Philips, providing them with mission-critical services backed by 24/7 engineering support.

Packback, Inc. is an education technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that operates an artificial intelligence-driven platform designed to enhance critical thinking skills among college students. Founded in 2014, Packback offers two primary products: PB Books, which provides online textbooks on a rental basis, and PB Questions, a digital discussion platform that facilitates online interactions between students and professors. The platform aims to foster a deeper engagement with subject matter, promote personalized learning experiences, and enable educators to assess and improve students' critical thinking abilities effectively. By leveraging its proprietary AI, Packback supports mastery-based learning and sound pedagogical practices in higher education.

Earshot, Inc. is a Chicago-based company that develops a social media software platform aimed at enhancing real-time precision-based marketing services for brands. The platform includes several key offerings: Earshot Pulse, which provides an engagement platform and analytics dashboard; Earshot Precision, a programmatic paid media solution that allows for custom audience segmentation and targeted advertising based on offline behaviors; and Earshot Insight, which delivers customized reports on location, competitive intelligence, and event-based analytics. A notable feature of Earshot's technology is its patent-pending Decibel Level, a real-time relevancy score that helps brands prioritize social media posts based on various customizable factors such as location and content. By filtering posts from targeted locations, Earshot enables brands to discover and engage consumers effectively, ultimately improving their return on investment from social media marketing efforts.

Blitsy, Inc. is an online retailer specializing in arts and crafts, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The company offers a comprehensive platform where creative individuals can shop for craft supplies and tools, as well as access instructional videos for various DIY projects. Blitsy focuses on providing a curated shopping experience through limited-time sale events, enhancing the value and inspiration for its customers. As of November 2017, Blitsy operates as a subsidiary of Nicole Crafts LLC, further solidifying its presence in the arts and crafts market.

SpotHero Inc. is a leading provider of parking reservation services in North America, enabling drivers to easily locate and secure parking spots through its mobile application and website. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in Detroit and operations in Toronto, the company allows users to compare prices and reserve discounted parking in garages and lots. The SpotHero application connects various parking facilities, including garages and valet services, facilitating seamless data exchange and payment processing. By streamlining the parking experience, SpotHero aims to make urban areas more accessible and enhance connectivity for drivers.

Visibly, Inc. is a healthcare technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that specializes in online eye examination services for patients across the United States. Originally known as Opternative, Inc., the company rebranded in November 2018. Visibly offers a refractive eye exam to measure prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, providing a digital solution for vision care. Its products cater to a variety of sectors, including e-commerce employers, eye care providers, insurance companies, online healthcare platforms, and optical retail. By offering a virtual vision testing technology, Visibly ensures that patients can conveniently renew their prescriptions and address their eye health needs from anywhere at any time, enhancing accessibility to essential eye care services.

OpenMarkets LLC is a collaborative marketplace specializing in capital medical equipment, including clinical items such as anesthesia machines and imaging equipment, as well as commoditized goods like laptops and furniture. Founded in 2010 and based in Skokie, Illinois, the company provides a software-as-a-service (SAAS) platform that enhances budgeting and planning for healthcare providers, improving supply chain visibility into clinician needs and vendor relationships. OpenMarkets also offers outsourced sourcing services and aggregates demand from hospitals to create volume savings opportunities. Its innovative system tracks equipment requirements, facilitating better negotiation and purchasing decisions while charging subscription and transaction fees for its services. Additionally, OpenMarkets has developed a cloud-based mobile engagement platform, indigo, to streamline communication for businesses.

BucketFeet, Inc., based in Chicago, Illinois, is a direct-to-consumer footwear brand that specializes in artist-designed shoes for men, women, and children. Founded in 2011, the company collaborates with a global community of artists to create unique, limited-edition sneakers, with each pair featuring a different artist's design. BucketFeet operates an online platform where customers can order shoes that are printed only after they are purchased, thus reducing unnecessary environmental waste associated with traditional manufacturing cycles. In addition to footwear, the company also offers apparel such as tees, hoodies, and socks. Through its innovative approach, BucketFeet aims to foster meaningful conversations and empower artists to share their stories through the medium of shoes, serving as a canvas for diverse artistic expression. As of late 2017, BucketFeet operates as a subsidiary of SkinnyCorp, LLC.

Popular Pays, Inc. operates a platform that connects brands with content creators to facilitate the production of engaging content. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in New York, the company provides a marketplace where brands and creators can collaborate effectively. The platform features tools such as a brief builder, creator profiles, in-app messaging, and API integrations, allowing brands to manage their campaigns efficiently and select suitable creators for their needs. Through its in-house built application and dashboard, Popular Pays enables seamless communication and offers valuable analytics, enhancing the collaboration process for both parties involved.

Packback, Inc. is an education technology company based in Chicago, Illinois, that operates an artificial intelligence-driven platform designed to enhance critical thinking skills among college students. Founded in 2014, Packback offers two primary products: PB Books, which provides online textbooks on a rental basis, and PB Questions, a digital discussion platform that facilitates online interactions between students and professors. The platform aims to foster a deeper engagement with subject matter, promote personalized learning experiences, and enable educators to assess and improve students' critical thinking abilities effectively. By leveraging its proprietary AI, Packback supports mastery-based learning and sound pedagogical practices in higher education.

NextSpace Coworking & Innovation, Inc. is a provider of shared workspaces located in various cities, including Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, Culver City, and Chicago. Founded in 2008 and based in Santa Cruz, California, the company caters to freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals by offering both physical and virtual workspace solutions. Its facilities include desks, private offices, conference rooms, and amenities such as high-speed internet, printing services, and community programming. NextSpace focuses on fostering a collaborative environment that serves as a hub for networking and inspiration, while accommodating diverse workstyles through flexible options like day passes and dedicated workstations. The company operates as a subsidiary of PBC Management LLC.

Blitsy, Inc. is an online retailer specializing in arts and crafts, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, Illinois. The company offers a comprehensive platform where creative individuals can shop for craft supplies and tools, as well as access instructional videos for various DIY projects. Blitsy focuses on providing a curated shopping experience through limited-time sale events, enhancing the value and inspiration for its customers. As of November 2017, Blitsy operates as a subsidiary of Nicole Crafts LLC, further solidifying its presence in the arts and crafts market.

OpenMarkets LLC is a collaborative marketplace specializing in capital medical equipment, including clinical items such as anesthesia machines and imaging equipment, as well as commoditized goods like laptops and furniture. Founded in 2010 and based in Skokie, Illinois, the company provides a software-as-a-service (SAAS) platform that enhances budgeting and planning for healthcare providers, improving supply chain visibility into clinician needs and vendor relationships. OpenMarkets also offers outsourced sourcing services and aggregates demand from hospitals to create volume savings opportunities. Its innovative system tracks equipment requirements, facilitating better negotiation and purchasing decisions while charging subscription and transaction fees for its services. Additionally, OpenMarkets has developed a cloud-based mobile engagement platform, indigo, to streamline communication for businesses.