Top Angel Investors in Illinois for Climate Tech Startups (2026)
Top Angel Investors in Illinois for Climate Tech Startups (2026)
Illinois has emerged as the Midwest tech hub with strong enterprise presence, making it an attractive destination for Climate Tech founders seeking funding. With major activity concentrated in Chicago, Evanston, Naperville, the state offers unique advantages for startups in this space.
This comprehensive guide highlights the top angel investors and venture capitalists actively investing in Climate Tech companies across Illinois, complete with their investment focus, portfolio companies, and what makes them valuable partners for your startup journey.
Climate Tech Investment Landscape in Illinois
The Climate Tech sector in Illinois continues to attract significant investor attention. With 91+ investors actively looking at Climate Tech opportunities, founders have a robust pool of potential partners to approach.
Key Investment Trends
- Carbon capture and removal technologies
- Electrification and grid modernization
- Sustainable supply chains
What Climate Tech Investors Look For
When evaluating Climate Tech startups in Illinois, investors typically assess:
- Technical differentiation: What unique technology or approach sets you apart
- Market opportunity: The size and growth trajectory of your target market
- Team expertise: Relevant climate tech domain experience
- Traction signals: Early customer adoption, partnerships, or revenue
Top Climate Tech Investors in Illinois
The following investors have demonstrated active interest in Climate Tech startups and have portfolios that include companies in this space.
| Investor | Company | Focus Areas | Portfolio |
|----------|---------|-------------|-----------|
| Maurice Doyle | N/A | Health Care, Telecommunications, Transportation, Energy | Hortau, Danimer Scientific, PayIt |
| Keith Freeman | N/A | Health Care, Telecommunications, Transportation, Energy | Hortau, Danimer Scientific, PayIt |
| Tom Groos | N/A | Dining, Health Care, Wearables, Payments | CommSafe AI, Elroy Air, LicenseStream |
| Stephen Ross | N/A | Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, Enterprise | TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy |
| Tunde Oshinowo | N/A | Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics | doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies |
| Matt Downs | N/A | Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics | doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies |
| Jennifer Naylor | N/A | Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics | doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies |
| Kelsey Tsai, CFA | N/A | Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics | doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies |
| Kelsey Maguire | N/A | Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics | doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies |
| Pete Wilkins | N/A | Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, E-commerce | TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy |
| Bess Goodfellow | N/A | Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, E-commerce | TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy |
| Michael Sachaj | N/A | Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, E-commerce | TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy |
| Rob Ospalik | N/A | Health Care, Hospitals, Asset Management, Accounting | Arroweye Solutions, Wuhan Kindstar Diagnostics, Aura Futures |
| Deborah Quazzo | N/A | Investment Management, Android, SMB Software, Education | Gojimo, Fairygodboss, FlashNotes |
| Peter Liu | Pritzker Group Venture Capital | Health Care, E-commerce, Blockchain, Payments | Dollar Shave Club, Awaycom, Active Network |
Featured Investor Profiles
1. Maurice Doyle
Company: N/A
Title: Managing Director
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Telecommunications, Transportation, Energy
Portfolio Highlights: Hortau, Danimer Scientific, PayIt
Known Investments: 82+ companies
2. Keith Freeman
Company: N/A
Title: Managing Director
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Telecommunications, Transportation, Energy
Portfolio Highlights: Hortau, Danimer Scientific, PayIt
Known Investments: 82+ companies
3. Tom Groos
Company: N/A
Title: Partner
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Dining, Health Care, Wearables, Payments
Portfolio Highlights: CommSafe AI, Elroy Air, LicenseStream
Known Investments: 75+ companies
4. Stephen Ross
Company: N/A
Title: Partner
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, Enterprise
Portfolio Highlights: TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy
Known Investments: 64+ companies
5. Tunde Oshinowo
Company: N/A
Title: Vice President, Portfolio Growth
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics
Portfolio Highlights: doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies
Known Investments: 62+ companies
6. Matt Downs
Company: N/A
Title: Co-CEO & Managing Partner
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics
Portfolio Highlights: doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies
Known Investments: 62+ companies
7. Jennifer Naylor
Company: N/A
Title: CFO
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics
Portfolio Highlights: doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies
Known Investments: 62+ companies
8. Kelsey Tsai, CFA
Company: N/A
Title: Vice President, Sandbox Healthcare
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics
Portfolio Highlights: doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies
Known Investments: 62+ companies
9. Kelsey Maguire
Company: N/A
Title: Managing Director
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, Wearables, Biomass Energy, Genetics
Portfolio Highlights: doggyloot, enEvolv, Novihum Technologies
Known Investments: 62+ companies
10. Pete Wilkins
Company: N/A
Title: Managing Director
Location: Chicago
Focus Areas: Health Care, E-Learning, Asset Management, E-commerce
Portfolio Highlights: TurboAppeal, Kaizen Health, Ahalogy
Known Investments: 61+ companies
Finding the Right Climate Tech Investor in Illinois
Not every investor is the right fit for your startup. Here's how to identify the best match:
1. Research Their Portfolio
Before reaching out, study an investor's existing portfolio. Look for:
- Companies in similar or adjacent spaces to yours
- Investment stage alignment (seed, Series A, etc.)
- Recent activity in Climate Tech
2. Understand Their Value-Add
Beyond capital, consider what strategic value each investor brings:
- Climate science expertise, energy sector relationships, government grant knowledge
- Network connections to potential customers or partners
- Operational expertise relevant to your growth stage
3. Leverage Local Networks
Illinois's startup ecosystem offers numerous opportunities to connect:
- Attend Climate Tech meetups and conferences in Chicago, Evanston, Naperville
- Join local founder communities and accelerators
- Seek warm introductions through shared connections
4. Prepare Your Pitch
When approaching Climate Tech investors in Illinois:
- Lead with your unique technical or market insight
- Show clear understanding of the climate tech landscape
- Demonstrate early traction or validation
- Articulate a credible path to scale
Search Climate Tech Investors in Illinois
Ready to start your fundraising journey? Our database makes it easy to find and filter investors based on your specific criteria.
Browse all 91+ Climate Tech investors in Illinois
Additional Resources
Last updated: March 2026
Data sourced from AngelBacked's database of 55,000+ verified investors. For the most current information, search our investor database.