Earnest Sweat

We believe nature is a healer and that our future is brighter when people spend time outdoors, connected with each other and the world around us. So at BookOutdoors, we’re reimagining the outdoor travel experience to make planning and booking the perfect getaway more joyful and accessible for everyone. Choose from thousands of campsites, RV parks, cabins and glamping resorts, and book your stay with no memberships or booking fees. Plus, unlock amazing rewards and benefits with every trip. It’s outdoor travel, reimagined. Backed by leading VCs and investors from the largest travel and hospitality companies, including Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Orbitz, and founded by a group of successful tech entrepreneurs and outdoor travel industry titans, we’re bringing decades of travel and tech industry knowledge together to help everyone experience the magic of the outdoors and fuel the growth of our partners. Were currently building a team of intelligent, driven and passionate people to help make our vision a reality.

We're building a zero-config, scalable cloud database with the social and community features of GitHub.

Cooler Screens is transforming retail cooler surfaces into IoT-enabled screens. Our media platform reimagines the brick-and-mortar shopping experience for consumers in the cooler and freezer aisle while delivering new marketing opportunities and smart merchandising for brands and retailers. We offer a fast-paced start-up environment, perfect for the self-starter. Employees work directly with proven leaders as an integral part of the development and growth of our company. Our digital- and design-led culture allows our team members to think creatively, challenge the status quo, and use their abilities to change the face of retail forever. To see our latest job openings visit: https://www.builtinchicago.org/company/cooler-screens

Ananda Networks - Founded in 2019 by Adi Ruppin, Ami Perlmutter and Danny Zarko. Acquired by VMware on Nov 2022

KlearNow.AI started in 2018 as an AI-powered licensed customs broker transforming how businesses navigate the complexities of trade management. As global supply chains face increasing disruptions, evolving tariffs, and mounting compliance challenges, KlearNow.AI offers a platform that simplifies and automates trade operations. By eliminating manual, paper-heavy processes and requiring no complex integration, KlearHub enables importers, exporters, and supply chain partners to gain real-time, SKU-level visibility and centralized global command center of their trade data. The platform delivers a comprehensive suite of capabilities, including digitization of customs documents, tariff impact analytics, carrier-agnostic inventory tracking, and automated pre and post entry compliance audits. Trusted by over 2,000 customers worldwide—including Fortune 100 companies—KlearNow.AI is redefining global customs and trade management with intelligent automation and resilient data orchestration.

Sendoso is the gifting and direct mail platform that helps revenue teams 6x second call rates, double win rates and close deals 29% faster.

Wise Systems is an Autonomous Dispatching and Routing solution that empowers operations teams and drivers to improve fleet efficiency and customer service, seamlessly adapting to the everyday challenges they encounter. Automatically schedule routes, monitor routes in progress, and watch the system intelligently adjust to day-of delays. Cloud-based with machine learning, Wise Systems is an all-in-one platform that can be used on its own or one module at a time. Bring more dynamic and responsive routing to your fleet today. Follow Wise Systems to learn more about how our software can help your company today, and to stay up-to-date with the latest industry news.

FreightWaves is the most trusted provider of global supply chain market intelligence. Our high-frequency price, demand, and capacity data and analysis allow our customers to benchmark, analyze, monitor and forecast the global physical economy.

Trove is at the forefront of the branded resale and trade-in industry, providing brands with a robust platform to efficiently launch, manage, and scale their resale programs. Commanding over 75% of the U.S. branded resale market, Trove is trusted by industry leaders such as Canada Goose, Carhartt, Michael Kors, Patagonia, On, and Steve Madden. Trove’s platform features advanced tools, including in-store and digital trade-ins, returns processing, non-new inventory management, resale site building and management, Shopify integration, and peer-to-peer capabilities. These features empower brands to connect with new customers across all demographics, optimize resale strategies with comprehensive analytics, and maintain seamless operations across multiple channels. As a Certified B Corporation, Trove is more than just a technology provider; it is a catalyst for sustainability in retail, driving the industry toward a future where commerce and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.

Venture capital is more than funding—it’s a catalyst for economic opportunity. At BLCK VC, we equip Black investors with the expertise, networks, and capital they need to lead the next wave of innovation. By broadening who gets to participate in VC, we unlock new pathways to prosperity, cultivate tomorrow’s leaders, and fortify communities nationwide. BLCK VC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips Black investors with the access, education, and community they need to accelerate their careers in venture capital. Venture firms in the United States invest over $130 billion annually, however, Black investors have systematically been excluded from mobilizing this capital. Today, only 3% of venture capital investors are Black; additionally, only 2% of partners–individuals that make investment decisions–at venture firms are Black. In recent years, venture capital has only scratched the surface of its potential. BLCK VC is on a mission to turn it into a true engine of generational wealth and innovation—cultivating new leaders, unlocking capital for untapped talent, and expanding access to the networks and resources that drive tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

At Airspace, we know that failure is not an option. We ship anything from organs for transplant to aircraft parts that could cause delays across the globe. We focus on time-critical shipments because they matter. By building an industry-first automated platform, we provide you with complete visibility from the moment your order is placed to the moment it is delivered. Our platform was created to eliminate the transparency issues and challenges that are so prevalent in the logistics industry today to create the most trusted delivery network the world has ever seen.

Since 2015, Platform Science has connected fleets across the nation with the tools they need to take control of their technology. As part of our ongoing mission to transform transportation, we’ve made it easy for fleets to develop, deploy, and manage their commercial vehicles’ mobile devices and applications on a single platform.
 ‍ Through our partnerships with industry leaders at every stage of 
the supply chain, we empower fleets with endless opportunities to innovate and create solutions that evolve as their businesses grow.

Our mission is to make global trade so easy that there will be more of it.

Flexe provides Flexible Warehousing Infrastructure: tech-enabled warehouse services that allow enterprises to evolve, optimize and prepare networks for long-term strategic growth. A single technology integration opens access to 800+ warehouse operators across the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Seattle, Flexe brings deep logistics expertise and enterprise-grade technology to deliver innovative eCommerce fulfillment, retail distribution and network capacity solutions to Fortune 500 enterprises.

Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund investing in the best startups led by underrepresented founders in the U.S.

Helping Stealth Startups to Launch, Hire & Scale. Here Recruiters Usually List Stealth Roles for early stage startups and job seekers can connect and consider those roles.

Public School Ventures is a high-conviction investment syndicate focused on Series A startups transforming value chains through applied AI, vertical software, and tech-enabled services. We started with $200K checks and now deploy $5M to $9M into exceptional companies in partnership with institutional LPs. With over 1,100 members—operators at tech companies, GPs, family offices, and fund of funds—we combine deep founder support with investor readiness. PSV is a proving ground for sponsorless capital models and emerging managers, designed to connect overlooked opportunities with bold capital.

A Preacher’s Kid is a boutique advisory firm helping capital allocators, corporations, and family offices navigate the venture capital ecosystem and engage with emerging technology. We provide strategic support for fund of funds, Fortune 50 companies, and high-performing innovation teams looking to invest, partner, or build in tech. Our services span early-stage investment strategy, ecosystem mapping, LP/GP engagement, corporate venture planning, and startup partnership development. Our approach blends market insight, strategic clarity, and access to a highly curated network of founders, GPs, and executives. We exist to help smart people move faster, go deeper, and build smarter.