Kurt Akers

Venture Capital & Innovation

2024 - Current

At Endeavor Health, my team and I drive impact through Endeavor Health Ventures, our dynamic Corporate Venture Arm specializing in strategic direct investments and Venture funding. Additionally, I also enhance and support our innovation capabilities to drive transformative initiatives forward. What is Endeavor Health? Endeavor Health is a comprehensive, community-based health system serving more than 1.3 million patients across the Chicagoland area. By the numbers, Endeavor has 27,000+ employees, 300+ care locations, 9 hospitals and 5 Clinical Institutes. Our community-based hospitals include: -NorthShore University Health System -Edward-Elmhurst Health -Northwest Community Healthcare -Swedish Hospital

Venture Partner

2022 - 2024

LvlUp Ventures is an early-stage value-add Venture Capital fund, investing in great teams with strong initial market validation and bringing startups to the next level through NextUp, a revolutionary hybrid startup accelerator-venture studio.

Venture Scout

2022 - 2024

Venture Advisor

2022 - 2024

Propellant Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Chicago that boldly invests in a broad range of innovative B2B companies such as healthtech, future of work, supply chain, fintech and edtech. At Propellant I assisted in creating fund operational processes, performing thorough due diligence, sourcing startups for deal flow, preparing strategic deal memos for investment committee review & performing investment analysis.

Investment Management & Operations

2012 - 2024

Managed a diversified investment portfolio (public/private) concentrating on technology startups, cannabis industry and funds at the Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A stages. Investments: Chaos Tilray - NASDAQ: TLRY exit LongJump Lightning Labs Leafly - NASDAQ: LFLY exit Ginger Commerce Hungry Jane Technologies Privateer Holdings Left Coast Ventures - Acquisition Docklight Brands Juked LVLUP Ventures The Parent Company - Public market exit Jane West Gumroad MOGL Earlybird Studio Management Citizens Inside Kingscrowd Assak Nada

Investor

2013 - 2021

Leading website and technology platform in the cannabis & CBD industry helping you find your dispensaries, brands and up to date cannabis news. NASDAQ: LFLY

Private Investor

2021 - 2021

Stage agnostic family office

Investor

2014 - 2021

1st cannabis company to IPO on a major US Exchange (NASDAQ) - July 2018 Tilray (TLRY) is a global leader in cannabis research, cultivation, processing and distribution.

LP Investor

2021 - 2021

LongJump is a first-check, founder-led fund, based in Chicago, designed to invest in the next generation of founders. They provide capital, connections, and community to help founders take the leap towards building fast-growing, scalable businesses.

Co-Founder and CEO

2015 - 2020

Social network and community for those 21+ aiming to provide a safe place to connect, share & learn with like minded people, companies & brands. Kannatopia is an alumni of Chicago's Premier Tech Incubator 1871

Investor

2012 - 2019

A pioneering company of firsts within an emerging industry