Eric Lefkofsky — Co-founder and Co-managing Partner, Lightbank
Co-founding Lightbank after building multiple billion-dollar businesses, Eric Lefkofsky brings operational experience to Chicago's venture capital ecosystem.
Fig. 1.3Tony ElumeluPhoto: DFID - UK Department for International Development
Graham Carlow / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Boris Jordan co-founded Renaissance Capital, an investment bank focused on Russian and frontier markets, playing a key role in its establishment and early growth.
Fig. 2.2Ilya SherbovichPhoto: Олег Яковлев, фотография выполнена по заказу фонда United Capital Partners / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Following a significant career in private equity, Josh Harris established 26North, an alternative asset firm focused on diverse financial strategies and growth.
Fig. 3.1Alexis OhanianPhoto: TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Bill Ackman — Founder and Chief Executive, Pershing Square Capital Management
How Bill Ackman built Pershing Square Capital Management into a focused activist investment firm known for corporate turnarounds and swift portfolio hedges.
Fig. 3.3Max LevchinPhoto: Morgan Sherwood (flawedartist) from San Francisco (CA), USA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
James H. Clark applied his enterprise background to create myCFO, establishing an advisory firm that joined Harris Bank to serve high-net-worth clients.
Fig. 6.1Masayoshi SonPhoto: European Communities, 2025 / EC - Audiovisual Service / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Masayoshi Son — Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive of SoftBank Group, SoftBank Vision Fund
From deploying record capital across global startups to refocusing on artificial intelligence, Masayoshi Son has continually reshaped SoftBank's venture playbook.
Fig. 6.2Nikhil KamathPhoto: Brian452 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Patrick Collison — Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stripe
From programming competitions in Ireland to leading Stripe, Patrick Collison has built one of the foundational software engines of the digital economy.