Gale Wilkinson
Managing Partner at VITALIZE Investor
Gale Wilkinson
Managing Partner at VITALIZE Investor
Chicago, Illinois
Overview
Work Experience
Founder, Managing Partner
2017 - Current
VITALIZE is an early stage fund & angel community investing in WorkTech software. We invest $50-150K at pre-seed & $250-750K at seed stage, and we help our portfolio companies with customer intros, operational advice, and financing strategy/intros. Portfolio companies include Placer, The Mom Project, Zingtree, Elevate K-12, CloudEagle, Workmade, Stylo, and many more.
Kauffman Fellow, Class 23
2018 - 2022
Kauffman Fellows Program identifies, develops, and networks global leaders in VC. It is a two-year apprenticeship program with a structured curriculum, individual development plan, executive coaching, facilitated mentoring, and peer learning and networking — all with a focus on giving back and one's responsibility as a leader in venture capital.
Founder, Managing Director
2012 - 2021
IrishAngels is an angel network of 230+ investors affiliated with Notre Dame that invests in early stage opportunities. I founded the organization in 2012 and led investments in 80 companies, deploying $50M in capital. Portfolio companies include Chime, TradingView, The Mom Project, Sightbox, Wolf & Shepherd, Malomo, Appcast, and many more.
Adjunct Instructor
2013 - 2019
I developed and taught a course titled "Intro to Early Stage Investing" to Notre Dame MBA and ESTEEM students. We covered angel and venture investment theory and case studies, and the students created financial projections and gave an in-class pitch for a startup investment.
Senior Strategy Analyst
2008 - 2010
I analyzed performance of Orbitz.com and Cheaptickets.com hotel and vacation package products; worked closely with marketing, retail, and product teams to identify revenue opportunities.
Associate Manager
2005 - 2008
At BASES, I forecasted expected sales of new products using consumer input and client marketing plans; Consulted Fortune 100 brand managers on market entry strategies, product positioning, and price point optimization.
Education
MBA
2010 - 2012
Bachelor of Business Administration
2001 - 2005