TechCrunch covers Chicago-based Lightbank's expansion to NYC and onward...
"There’s a lot of talk about disruption in the venture capital world. We’ve discussed at length the shift that many VCs are making from simply writing a check to serving as a hands-on, end-to-end service driven by seasoned operators and former founders.
Chicago-based Lightbank, the VC firm started by Groupon seed investors Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell, have a similar approach but with one major difference: the firm’s fund, which is around $200 million, is composed of mainly Keywell and Lefkofsky’s personal money, not that of LPs (NEA has put a small amount in the firm, but is not considered an L.P.).
As Lefkofsky explains, he, Keywell, and fellow partner Paul Lee are attempting to build their own mini Berkshire Hathaway of the technology sector. “We’re looking for value anywhere where we can find it,” Lefkofsky says. What does that mean exactly? Basically nothing is off-limits. The firm is full-stack, making seed, Series A, or even later stage investments and has invested in 56 companies since the launch of the fund in 2010."
