The short answer
Our database lists 215 startup investors in Illinois focused on fintech — 21% of the 1,033 startup investors we list in the state. Most are in Chicago (196). (Zalarma investor database, as of 2026-11-01.)
What these investors look for
- Be clear on licensing and partners early: which bank, processor or licensed partner sits behind your product, and what compliance work is already done.
- Fintech investors look hard at unit economics and fraud/loss assumptions. Put your loss, chargeback or default assumptions on one slide.
- Regional banks, credit unions and insurers run venture programs and pilots; they can be customers, partners and investors at the same time.
Where they are
| City | Investors |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 196 |
What stages they back
Of the 215 records in this group that list a stage, here is how many invest at each one (investors often list several).
Investors by stage
Who they are
The mix of investor types tells you where your first checks are most likely to come from.
Investors by type
Sectors they focus on
Sector focus as listed on each record. Generalists who list many sectors are counted in each.
Investors by sector focus
Typical check sizes
Based on the 207 records that list a check size (we use the low end of a stated range).
Investors by typical check size
Firms with the most of these investors in Illinois
Firms ranked by how many of their investors in this slice appear in our database with a stage listed. A starting map, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | Main stages | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Monroe Capital LLC | Seed, Series A, Series B+ | 10 |
| Corazon Capital | Pre-seed, Seed | under 10 |
| Manifold | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | under 10 |
| OCA Ventures | Seed, Series A, Series B+ | under 10 |
| M25 | Seed, Series A | under 10 |
| Moderne Ventures | Seed, Series A, Series B+ | under 10 |
| Capitalize VC | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | under 10 |
| Energy Capital Ventures | Pre-seed, Seed | under 10 |
| Cultivation Capital | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | under 10 |
| Hustle Fund | Pre-seed, Seed | under 10 |
| Motivate Venture Capital | Pre-seed, Seed | under 10 |
| LvlUp Ventures | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+ | under 10 |
Next steps
- See all startup investors in Illinois.
- Compare with Fintech nationally.
- Plan your outreach with the warm intro playbook.
About this data
Counts are records in the Zalarma investor database, as of 2026-11-01: angels, venture firms and their partners, micro-VCs, family offices, corporate VCs and accelerators that list startup investing. One investor can appear in several stage or sector rows. Stage, sector and check size come from what each record lists, so not every record has every field. Counts under 10 are not shown. Firm names are listed; we do not publish personal contact details on this site. Read how we build and check the data.
Frequently asked questions
How many fintech investors are in Illinois?
The Zalarma investor database lists 215 startup investors in Illinois focused on fintech, as of 2026-11-01.
Where in Illinois are they?
In our data: Chicago (196).
How do I reach them?
Shortlist the investors whose check size and focus fit your round, look for a warm path through founders they backed or local angel groups, and send a short, specific note to the rest. Zalarma can build the shortlist for you.