Lightbank

Lightbank is a venture capital firm founded in 2010 in Chicago, Illinois, by Groupon co-founders Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell. The firm manages roughly $700M in AUM, investing across AI, SaaS, marketplaces, healthcare, fintech, crypto, and consumer technology sectors. Lightbank takes a highly hands-on, operator-led approach, with its founders personally involved across portfolio companies, providing mentorship, network access, and operational guidance beyond capital, akin to a "mini Berkshire Hathaway" model rather than a traditional passive VC fund. The firm typically invests from pre-seed through Series A, with check sizes ranging from $250K to $5M. Notable investments include Groupon, Fiverr, Udemy, Sprout Social, SpotHero, Tempus AI, and CancerIQ, reflecting a focus on disruptive, technology-driven business models across diverse industries.