Key Takeaways
- • The 81 Collection announced an additional close of its second fund at $82 million, double the size of its 2021 debut fund, bringing total assets under management to more than $145 million.
- • Fund II targets founder-owned businesses in services, manufacturing, and the physical economy, which the firm says represents 81% of the U.S. economy and is underserved by most venture capital.
- • The firm's founding thesis, as stated in the announcement, is that sectors representing 19% of GDP received 55% of venture capital, a gap the firm aims to address.
- • The announcement was issued via Business Wire from Chicago, and the full primary article was not retrievable, so details beyond the publisher summary are limited.
Summary
The 81 Collection, a Chicago-based investment firm, today announced an additional close of its second fund at $82 million, according to a Business Wire release. The fund is double the size of the firm's 2021 debut fund and lifts total assets under management to more than $145 million.
Fund II is designed to back founder-owned businesses in services, manufacturing, and the physical economy. The firm describes this segment as the 81% of the U.S. economy that it believes is underserved by most venture capital. The firm was founded five years ago on the thesis that sectors representing 19% of GDP received 55% of venture capital investment, a concentration it views as a market inefficiency.
The announcement positions the firm's strategy as a deliberate departure from the software- and technology-weighted approach that dominates much of venture capital. For allocators, the key data points are the fund size, the step-up from the debut vehicle, and the firm's stated focus on founder-owned companies outside traditional venture sectors.
The primary article was not accessible at the time of review, and no additional perspectives beyond the Business Wire release were available to corroborate or expand on the figures. Further detail on fund terms, target returns, investor base, and portfolio construction was not available in the source material.
Fund II is designed to back founder-owned businesses in services, manufacturing, and the physical economy. The firm describes this segment as the 81% of the U.S. economy that it believes is underserved by most venture capital. The firm was founded five years ago on the thesis that sectors representing 19% of GDP received 55% of venture capital investment, a concentration it views as a market inefficiency.
The announcement positions the firm's strategy as a deliberate departure from the software- and technology-weighted approach that dominates much of venture capital. For allocators, the key data points are the fund size, the step-up from the debut vehicle, and the firm's stated focus on founder-owned companies outside traditional venture sectors.
The primary article was not accessible at the time of review, and no additional perspectives beyond the Business Wire release were available to corroborate or expand on the figures. Further detail on fund terms, target returns, investor base, and portfolio construction was not available in the source material.
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