1871 Tour: An Intro to Chicago's Startup Community

Nate Cooper

Co-Founder

Pak'd

Nate has spent his career dedicated to making the food industry more transparent, accessible, and healthier for all. Nate is the co-founder of Eat Pakd, a company focused on changing the way kids eat, starting with a tech-enabled solution for school lunch. In 2016 Eat Pakd was selected as a member of TechStars Chicago, a winner of Publicis90, and a winner of NUVC.

Prior to founding Eat Pakd, Nate was a founding partner of L3Hospitality group; the sole franchisee of LYFE Kitchen-which owns and operates 5 LYFE Kitchen restaurants in the Chicago area. Nate began his career as the first employee of LYFE Kitchen, growing it from a concept to a national chain with 20 locations and $40M+ in sales.

Nate serves as an investor and advisor to a variety of Food & Beverage and CPG companies in the Chicagoland area. Through his perspective of ÔÇÿsitting on both sides of the tableÔÇÖ Nate has extensive experience in fundraising, team building, and new venture development.

Nate is a graduate of the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University and an MBA candidate at the Kellogg School of management where he was recently named a Zell Fellow, a prestigious fellowship for entrepreneurs pursuing their MBA.

In his free time, Nate is a passionate endurance athlete and has completed an Ironman triathlon and nearly a dozen marathons. Nate lives in Chicago and serves on the associate boards of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Lurie ChildrenÔÇÖs Foundation for Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation.

Nicole Staple

Co-Founder

Brideside

Nicole Staple is a co-founder and CEO of Brideside, the digital bridesmaid dress shopping experience that provides beautiful product, expert knowledge and ultra-personalized customer service. She runs all finance & revenue generating operations, including sales, marketing and capital raising. Prior to founding Brideside, Nicole spent four years in healthcare investment banking and technology venture capital, where she supported large M&A transactions and growth investments. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where she was awarded The Women's Business Association Scholarship, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Wellesley College.

Mike Wallach

Managing Partner

Levy Family Partners

Michael Wallach is a Vice President of Investment for Levy Family Partners, the Family Office of Larry Levy (Founder and former CEO of Levy Restaurants). Michael oversees the familyÔÇÖs venture capital and direct company investments. In this capacity, he is responsible for global deal origination, due diligence and fostering strategic relationships to maximize return potential. Mike assisted the family in taking Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO) public via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company and is a Strategic Advisor to Seebo, an Internet of Things platform company. Mike holds an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Andrew Bluestein

Managing Partner

Bluestein Associates

Bluestein & Associates is a family office based in Chicago. We actively invest financial and human capital to help build scalable businesses. Our focus is Seed and Series A stage, Chicago-based startups in food, retail, and B2B Technology. We typically take an active investment role leading funding rounds and creating value through coaching and advisory services, though we also will co-invest passively alongside other strong lead investors.

Over the last 3 years, we have invested in 15 companies. Some of notable investments include FourKites, a shipment location intelligence platform for the logistics industry, Factor 75, a prepared meal subscription service targeted at fitness enthusiasts, and Luxury Garage Sale, a multi-channel consigner for womenÔÇÖs luxury apparel and accessories. Other investments include Eastman Egg Company, Hireology, Motista, and PakÔÇÖd.

As Partner, Mr. Bluestein takes part in all aspects of B&A, including strategy, sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio support. He brings to B&A a deep and diverse background working with leaders to grow their businesses. Prior to joining, Andrew spent over 7 years as a strategy consultant at Monitor Deloitte. Andrew has an MBA with distinction from the Kellogg School of Management and a B.S. with Honors from Cornell University. In addition to his work at B&A, Andrew serves on the steering committee of the Good Food Business Accelerator and as a mentor to the 1871 community.

Outside of work, Andrew loves to experience life with his wife, Kate, and his two kids, Vivienne and Aidan. He is a global traveler, avid Chicago sports fan, BBQ chef, and struggling golfer.