TechNexus is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and changing who is represented in the technology ecosystem by providing
more capital, resources, and access to marginalized groups who have been overlooked for far too long. We believe “Everyone means Everyone.”
We are a team of unique individuals from all walks of life and corners of the globe. Our passions bleed into the work we do every day–as investors, strategists, operators, and entrepreneurs. At TechNexus, we’ve seen firsthand how fostering a sense of community and belonging opens doors to conversations that facilitate real change.
We are committed to evolving the private investment industry by searching for rising stars with diverse points of view as a result of their unique professional and personal experiences.
Ventures that prioritize diversity and build an inclusive, empathy-driven culture at an early-stage outperform, and are better equipped to succeed and create solutions that better serve their customers.
Unwavering in our efforts to inspire and empower the next generation of leaders, TechNexus invests capital, focus, attention, and resources to accelerating the success of diverse entrepreneurs. We partner with organizations like Chicago:Blend, World Business Chicago, and GET Cities to connect with often underestimated, female, and minority founders.
TechNexus aligns itself with like-minded organizations on a mission to diversify our collective tech community.
Now in its 22nd year, Chicago Innovation operates a year-round series of events and programs to empower the Chicago innovation ecosystem by educating, connecting and celebrating innovators. Our vision is to solidify the Chicago region as a global leader in innovation, and to ensure that innovation is for everyone. The right space is an integral part of bringing people together and TeamWorking by TechNexus is honored to be an integral part of the connecting and collaboration, as the go-to meetup spot for mentors and mentees for Chicago Innovation’s Women's Mentoring Co-op.
When TechNexus founders Fred Hoch and Terry Howerton led ITA they had a deliberate focus to develop key initiatives including The Tech Challenge, Women-in-Tech programming, and statewide honors & awards that gave visibility and celebrated Illinois' diverse technology leaders.
World Business Chicago is the city’s public-private economic development agency on a mission to drive inclusivity, support businesses, promote Chicago as a leading global city, and help new market entrants connect, assimilate and get positioned for success. TechNexus is a valued innovation partner and advocate of its work. We champion many WBC initiatives through community-building, thought leadership, and connection with global government trade agencies and sister cities. We are also proud ongoing sponsors of the Chicago Venture Summit.
Kaitlyn Doyle is an Associate Member of Angeles Investors, which finds, funds, and grows Hispanic and Latinx ventures. Their mission is to expand the Hispanic angel investing community and develop the future talent of Hispanic and Latinx professionals in venture capital. Angeles Investors puts the collective financial capacity of its community to action: supporting promising ventures, influencing other angel investors, and ultimately providing opportunities that didn't exist.
StartOut accelerates the growth of the LGBTQ+ entrepreneurial community to lead, succeed, and shape the workforce of the future. Maddy Rutter serves as a member of the Programming Board for StartOut’s Chicago chapter. Her involvement helps advance the local mission to combine the city's long history of LGBTQ+ activism and constantly heralded entrepreneurial success in the Midwest.
Chicago:Blend is a collaborative effort of venture capitalists who know that diverse teams and inclusive environments are critical foundations for both the startups we invest in and our own venture firms. Cristin Pacifico sits on the advisory board. TechNexus actively supports and participates in the groups' initiatives.
Cristin Pacifico and Ellie Davis represent TechNexus in the GET Chicago Tech Equity Working Group – an alliance of Chicago accelerators, incubators, and funds creating city-wide solutions to systemic inequities in Chicago’s tech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Specifically, the group’s aim is to jumpstart, accelerate, and fund more Chicago tech startups founded by women, trans, non-binary, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, people of color, and LGBTQ+ founders.
Both Fred Hoch and Terry Howerton serve as individual LPs in LongJump, a first-check, founder-led fund based in Chicago. LongJump is designed to invest in the next generation of founders by providing capital, connections, and community to help them take the leap towards building fast-growing, scalable businesses.
TechNexus Co-Founder and CEO, Terry Howerton, also Co-Founded Chicago Tech Academy. Chicago Tech strives to teach kids to think entrepreneurially about problems and to articulate solutions to problems that don’t exist today. A critical underlying component to Chicago Tech Academy is its curriculum which centers on jobs of the future.