City Side Ventures

Overview

Established in 2015, City Side Ventures is a dynamic venture group focused on transforming early-stage capital deployment in Michigan. The firm is driven by experienced business builders, serial entrepreneurs, and technologists, aiming to elevate Michigan's startup ecosystem by building a network of innovative investors. City Side Ventures emphasizes investing in the 'driver' (the founder) rather than the 'car' (the business), and is committed to integrity, courage, impact, responsibility, and velocity in its operations. The firm's investment platform focuses on identifying and funding scalable tech companies across various stages, industries, and market verticals. They prioritize technology-based startups with innovative solutions that have passed the proof of concept stage and possess the potential for global scalability. City Side Ventures seeks capital-efficient companies with a clear intellectual property strategy and a well-defined market scope. The firm is particularly interested in startups raising pre-seed to seed stage funding, with round sizes ranging from $1 million to $2 million and valuations between $6 million and $8 million. City Side Ventures operates with a unique and innovative end-to-end venture platform, offering investors and venture partners a high level of transparency and visibility in real-time. From deal flow management to collaborative due diligence, capital calls, portfolio management, and exit strategies, all processes are centralized within their platform. This approach reflects their commitment to accountability, discipline, and execution, aiming to deliver performance and foster a robust startup ecosystem in Michigan.

Investment Focus

• Scalable tech startups with innovative solutions
• Capital-efficient operations
• Clear intellectual property strategy
• Pre-seed to seed stage funding needs
• Valuations between $6 million and $8 million
• Founders who are passionate, driven, professional, and coachable
• Protected intellectual property
• Proven market fit with noticeable demand
• Clear competitive advantage and differentiation
• Defined 3-5 year exit strategy with potential buyers

Portfolio Companies