Listen Ventures is a Chicago-based venture capital firm founded in 2010 by Jeff Cantalupo that invests. See sector focus and contact routes.
Listen Ventures is a Chicago-based venture capital firm founded in 2010 by Jeff Cantalupo that invests in consumer-obsessed entrepreneurs building brands at the tipping point of behavior shifts [1][6]. The firm targets early-stage companies, specifically seed and Series A rounds, across sectors including food and beverage, health and wellness, femtech, and e-commerce [2][4]. Listen typically writes initial checks between $500,000 and $3 million, with a historical average of $2 million, and often acts as a lead investor by concentrating capital into fewer companies to provide strategic and creative guidance [2][3]. Notable portfolio companies include the mental health app Calm, the femtech brand Dame, the meal delivery service Factor, and the furniture company Interior Define [2][6]. A distinctive point of view for the firm is its "creative capitalist" approach, which combines capital with brand strategy, consumer insights, and marketing expertise to help startups differentiate themselves [2][5]. This methodology emphasizes identifying shifts in cultural narratives and backing brands that address these changes effectively while building meaningful audience relationships [2][5].
Details on this firm come from filing and round data held in the StartupFundraising directory, refreshed on ingest. Founders use profiles like this one to qualify fit and to shortlist investors in Chicago.
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