Industry News

Propellant Ventures aspires to change the future in a very powerful way. We boldly invest in outstanding companies and extraordinary teams to cultivate an extremely high-quality and diversified portfolio.
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The team at Propellant collaborates with our portfolio companies, angel groups, and other VC’s to dramatically improve startups success, growth, and valuation. In 5 years, Propellant Ventures strives to be one of Midwest region’s most active VCs and go-to funds for innovative startups. Propellant Ventures invests in a broad range of diverse tech enabled B2B industries such as healthtech, future of work, supply chain, fintech, IIoT, and edtech.

December 21, 2022

Where did the unicorns go? $1B startups are getting harder to find

A unicorn, in startup vernacular, was designed as a term to describe a rare event for a young tech company: a $1 billion valuation. But in 2021, unicorns were more ubiquitous than ever.

December 12, 2022

Startup whiplash hits some sectors harder than others

There is no denying that 2022 has been a challenging year for startups. But it has not been equally difficult for every sector of the VC-backed ecosystem.

November 23, 2022

Slump puts more startups on path to acquisition by other startups

These are challenging times for venture capitalists hoping to eke out a palatable exit from a struggling portfolio company. Many venture-backed companies could soon be facing an undesirable yet straightforward decision: go out of business or be acquired at a fraction of their last valuation.

November 22, 2022

Cleo Capital on why now is a good time for early-stage VCs

Early-stage startups are finding it harder to raise capital as investors get more selective, but the ecosystem could still be in for a fresh influx of talent, says Cleo Capital managing director Sarah Kunst.

November 9, 2022

More cuts in late-stage valuations loom, as startups miss revenue targets

When Instacart lowered its internal valuation from $39 billion to $24 billion in March, many in the VC ecosystem wondered whether other startups would follow in the grocery delivery specialist's footsteps.

October 6, 2022

Global VC Pullback Is Dramatic In Q3 2022

Venture and growth investors in private companies scaled back their investment pace significantly as the slump in the public markets stretched into the third quarter.

October 4, 2022

Why Chicago Is Home To The Future Of Logistics Tech

According to WBC, Chicago has over 100 locally headquartered Logistics Tech companies that employ over 34,000 individuals. The sector saw an 802% increase in growth capital investment — the highest among peer cities – between 2019 and 2021 and five unicorns and two publicly held Logistics Tech companies headquartered in Chicago.

September 29, 2022

Incubators, accelerators, VC funds helping make Chicago tech startup scene more diverse, business leaders say

Incubators, accelerators and new VC funding options are helping to make the Chicago tech startup scene more diverse, business leaders say.

September 10, 2022

When Public Markets Experience Volatility, Experts Say To Invest In Emerging Managers

Brand-name growth funds may dominate the headlines, but an industry secret is that the best return profile in venture capital has historically been produced by the newcomers and at the early stages of investing.

August 17, 2022

Investors target recession-resilient healthcare recruiting startups

The US had a shortage of nurses before 2020, yet the pandemic greatly exacerbated the problem as a large number of medical staff left the profession, citing increased stress and risks.

June 8, 2022

Ongoing energy crisis fuels strong 2022 for climate tech companies

Climate tech startups had a strong start to the year and could draw sustained interest as the ongoing energy crisis spurs investment in green technologies including liquefied natural gas, nuclear energy, and solar, wind and hydrogen power.

June 2, 2022

SaaS valuations slide for late-stage deals

Stock prices of fast-growing software companies have been on a steep descent since late November. Meanwhile, valuations of early-stage deals, which tend to be more isolated from stock market volatility, have continued to climb.