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John Tough
Managing Partner at Energize Ventures
John Tough is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Energize Capital, a leading climate software investor based in Chicago.124 He oversees all investment and limited partner responsibilities, and is a member of the Energize Investment Committee.14
With over 20 years of experience in finance, investing, and operational roles, John's career has focused on the integration of new technologies into critical infrastructure and resource industries.4 Prior to Energize, he was one of the first employees and eventually became Chief Revenue Officer at Choose Energy, where he led operations, growth, and raised over $30 million in capital before managing its successful sale to Red Ventures in 2017.14
John currently sits on the Board of Directors for several companies, including DroneDeploy, Nozomi Networks, Matroid, PVcase, and ZEDEDA.124 He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS from Duke University.14
Recently, John announced that he is starting a new early-stage VC fund focusing on the intersection of AI and the physical world.3 Under his leadership, Energize Capital has grown significantly, expanding its office space in Chicago and raising a $300 million growth equity platform in 2023, surpassing $1.2 billion in assets under management.56
Highlights
⚡ 💲⚡ Funding news from Energize Capital!
We're excited to share that we've invested in Chicago-based Grid Status, a platform transforming how data is accessed across the U.S. grid. Congrats to Max Kanter and the Grid Status team.
Max is one of those rare entrepreneurs where I have been able to witness the raw combination of talent, curiosity, and execution. Through that combination, GridStatus has immediately gained an enterprise customer base and nationwide media coverage. As a leading climate investor, Energize knows what success and product-market fit looks like in our space and GridStatus' pace of product development is industry-leading. Very excited for the next steps! Tyler Lancaster Ana Hugener Katie McClain Juan Muldoon
Read more: https://lnkd.in/gUdYFF_w
Hiring alert
Come join our team at Energize Capital as we continue to scale to identify and serve the entrepreneurs and executive teams driving the climate movement. Note below:
Energize is excited to announce openings for two new roles on our investment team. These additions will be pivotal collaborators in Energize's mission of finding and funding innovative companies within the climate solutions space. If you or someone you know is looking for a dynamic position at the intersection of climate, technology and capital markets, please reach out! Learn more and apply: Growth Investment Associate: https://lnkd.in/gFtYcJNf Ventures Investment Associate: https://lnkd.in/gKqpDCwu

