53 Stations – a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies across a range of industries – recently announced its flagship $190 million Fund I. Supported by The Pritzker Organization (TPO), 53 Stations offers over 60 years of company-building expertise, the flexibility of a single LP, and the agility to meet the evolving needs of today’s entrepreneurs.
The Pritzker Family Business Interests, including the 53 Stations’ primary LP (all advised by TPO) has a broad portfolio that includes companies like Hyatt, KBP Foods, Lithko, Epic Staffing, and Steward Partners. Similarly, 53 Stations is industry-agnostic, and investment mandates or fundraising demands do not restrict it.
53 Stations leads and co-invests, writing initial checks from seed to Series B stage, and offers unfettered access to mature businesses in the TPO portfolio, whose executives can serve as advisors and potential customers to 53 Stations’ portfolio companies.
So far, 53 Stations have invested in seven companies across five industries, including:
- Altana – an AI-driven platform that navigates the complexities of global trade compliance
- Black Buffalo – a producer of smokeless tobacco alternatives
- Collective – an all-in-one financial solution, including a back-office platform that handles taxes and bookkeeping, tailored to the unique needs of freelancers and independent contractors
- Flux.AI – a developer of a modern, browser-based software platform to make hardware design easy
- Whisper Aero – a developer of advanced propulsion technologies that create cleaner, quieter, and more efficient thrust solutions for flight and air movement applications.
53 Stations was founded in 2022 by Jason Pritzker, Managing Director and Vice Chair, TPO; Kevin King, former Partner at General Catalyst; and Kelly Goldstein (a venture investor formerly with HQ and Harlem Capital). Pritzker serves on the Board of Directors of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Lithko Contracting, and Omni Logistics. While at General Catalyst, King co-led investments in Carma, Kazoo, Kavak, and Resilience, and led the IPO and sourcing efforts for the firm’s Enterprise Software Public Market Vehicle known as Catalyst Partners (NASDAQ: CPAR).
The recent TPO growth equity investments include Dataminr, Nimble Robotics, Palantir, Blue Voyant, SpaceX, and Uber.
The 53 Stations name is inspired by a parable of a young pilgrim seeking enlightenment – who engages with 53 teachers or stations on his path – each taught him something new and asking him to apply that wisdom on his journey. “53 Stations” is a tribute to a founder’s journey and reflects the 53 Stations’ investment ethos, which is rooted in humility and the relentless pursuit and application of knowledge.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our founding team has firsthand experience as founders, investors and leaders of high growth teams; collectively, we favor collaborating with entrepreneurs in the earliest days to help identify market opportunities and the best paths to pursue them. Our investments to date share the potential to change how their industries operate and reflect a desire to channel the Pritzker legacy into cultivating a new era of lasting businesses.”
— Jason Pritzker, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 53 Stations
“53 Stations is laser focused on investing in founders with clear organizational vision and the tenacity required to build enduring businesses, 53 Stations prides itself on being a long-term capital partner, serving less as a traditional VC firm and more as a ‘whatever-it-takes’ service provider. To promote responsible growth and support each company’s specific needs, we bring agile private equity rigor at venture speed and operating experience to all of our investments.”
— Kevin King, Co-Founder and General Partner at 53 Stations
“53 Stations is a natural evolution of TPO’s recent focus on growth equity, and reflects our commitment to nurturing the best entrepreneurial talent and ideas for the long-term. The firm’s founders are not only proven investors, but skilled at building culture and teams and will be partners dedicated to ensuring founders have the resources they need – whether that be financial, human, or social capital.”
— Joseph Gleberman, CEO, The Pritzker Organization
