Frequently Asked Questions

What is LongJump?

Simply put, LongJump is an investment fund, run by founders and operators. We invest in high potential founders and help them turn their ideas into fast-growing businesses. In addition to capital, we also provide connections and community to our portfolio, helping to connect you with other investors, employees, and advisors.

How much do you invest?

Generally, we write $100k checks.

Is LongJump an accelerator or incubator?

No, though we do gather our community for monthly co-working and quarterly events. We make investment decisions on a rolling basis, but after we invest we help you when you need it and stay out of your way when you don’t.

Do you lead rounds?

It depends. We like to be the first outside investor in your company. If that’s the case, and we can be a catalyst for other investors to invest, then yes we will “lead”. But in many cases, we don’t expect or require you to want to raise additional capital — our goal is to help you move quickly, de-risk your business, and achieve the milestones you need to raise additional capital or reach profitability down the road.

What do you invest in?

We are focused on businesses that:

  1. Are US-based and outside of major tech hubs (SF, LA, NYC, and Boston)

  2. Haven’t yet raised significant outside capital

  3. Are technology-focused or tech-enabled and can scale rapidly

  4. Are in industries and utilize business models where our investment can help them make meaningful progress.

Further, we have a preference for businesses that have at least one of the following:

  • A member of their founding team from an underrepresented group, or

  • The business concept, customers, or market be focused on serving underrepresented groups, or

  • The business concept, customers. or market be something that wouldn’t normally be funded in the Midwest.

Outside of those guidelines, we will focus on the quality of the founding team and their unique insights on their market and will be open-minded about the markets they serve.

What makes you different?

Today, there are (unfortunately) very few funds like LongJump:

  • We believe you’re going to build a great business.  We aren’t providing grants or treating this as a charity.  We think you’ll build the next Grubhub, Sprout Social, Cleversafe, and Cameo - and enable us to fund the next generation of great entrepreneurs like you.

  • We’re fellow founders.  We know the pain of fundraising and company building firsthand because we’re doing it in our own companies, right now.  We’ll do everything we can to help you learn from what we’ve experienced (and are experiencing).

  • We invest earlier than others will.  You don’t need revenue, traction, or a lead investor in your round for us to invest in you.

  • We’re focused on overlooked founders. We have firsthand experience with problems most investors don’t - we’re excited to work with founders and industries others don’t understand the potential of.

  • We don’t need warm introductions. We believe great founders are everywhere, including outside of the existing LongJump network. All potential investments go through the same application and decision-making process. 

  • We put the best of the Midwest’s tech community behind you. Many of the region’s best founders and operators (across every function and industry you can think of) are investors in LongJump and a part of the LongJump network. They invested because they believe in you - and are excited to roll up their sleeves to help you succeed.  And as our portfolio grows, you’ll learn from each other.

Will you take my existing terms?

It depends - if you have raised on other terms, we will consider those terms and if it makes sense for us to float up from our standard terms.

We generally invest at a much earlier stage than other investors, before you have a full team, a launched product/service, revenue, or other investors. This is the reason we exist, but it also carries significant risk. That risk requires us to stay within some clear boundaries for terms we invest on.

I want to get involved & help LongJump. How can I do that?

Awesome. Just contact us hello@longjump.vc.