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West Suburban Angels
West Suburban Angels formed in 2013 when co-founders Ted Clark and John Johnson — both veteran operators — organized a network to bridge Chicago's western...
West Suburban Angels
West Suburban Angels formed in 2013 when co-founders Ted Clark and John Johnson — both veteran operators — organized a network to bridge Chicago's western suburbs with the city's venture ecosystem. The group draws membership from accredited investors in Naperville, Evanston, and surrounding areas, many with operating backgrounds in technology, manufacturing, and professional services. Portfolio activity spans enterprise SaaS, AI/ML applications, digital health platforms, fintech infrastructure, and advanced mobility. The group has backed more than 40 companies since inception, including portfolio names such as Kaizen Health, Rheaply, and 4Degrees, per public filings and press releases. Members invest individually through special-purpose vehicles and direct equity rounds, with typical check sizes of $25,000 to $100,000 per deal. The group co-invests regularly alongside Chicago funds like Hyde Park Venture Partners, starting-stage funds, and individual Midwest angels. The group operates as a member-managed network rather than a managed fund, convening monthly pitch meetings where 3–4 startups present to 40 to 60 members. Ted Clark continues to run the screening process as Executive Director. The network also sponsors local university pitch competitions, linking members directly to Northwestern and University of Chicago deal flow. Unlike institutional seed funds, West Suburban Angels functions as a distributed diligence collective — each member conducts independent evaluation before committing capital, while the central screening committee filters roughly 200 applications per year down to 36 live pitches. That ratio of deal flow to funded outcomes creates a curated pipeline without introducing a fund's management-fee layer, which is the structural signature of the group.
General information
Firm type
Angel Group
Year founded
2013
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Naperville
Corporate office
Naperville, IL, United States
Principals
Ted Clark
Co-Founder & Executive Director
John A. Johnson
Co-Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at West Suburban Angels?
Co-Founder and Executive Director Ted Clark leads the central screening committee that evaluates roughly 200 startup applications per year, selecting 36 for live pitches. Individual investment decisions are then made independently by each member, who commits their own capital. John A. Johnson, the other co-founder, remains a principal of the group.
How does West Suburban Angels source proprietary deal flow?
Deal flow derives from the group's geographic concentration in Chicago's western suburbs and its relationships with local universities. West Suburban Angels sponsors pitch competitions at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, surface pre-seed and seed-stage companies before they reach institutional funds. The screening committee additionally reviews direct founder submissions and referrals from members' professional networks.
Is West Suburban Angels a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Neither. West Suburban Angels is a member-governed angel investment network, not a managed venture fund. The group does not pool capital into a single vehicle — it facilitates individual investment decisions by accredited members in companies sourced through a centralized screening process. No management fees are charged; members pay annual dues to support sourcing and operations.
Does West Suburban Angels participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The group is designed for direct early-stage equity investments, typically ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 per member per deal. West Suburban Angels does not operate as a fund-of-funds and is not known to make commitments into third-party venture capital vehicles.
Which sectors does West Suburban Angels explicitly avoid?
West Suburban Angels does not publish a banned-sector list, but observable portfolio concentrations are in enterprise software, AI/ML, digital health, fintech, and mobility. The group shows no known activity in energy, hard infrastructure, or capital-intensive manufacturing — a profile consistent with its member base of individual angels seeking technology-focused, asset-light early-stage companies.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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