Victor Gutwein

Victor Gutwein is the Managing Partner at M25, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Chicago, Illinois, where he leads regional investment strategies. Before establishing his current firm, he co-founded the venture studio Lightbank and held operating roles at SpotHero and Echo Global Logistics, which was later acquired by The Carlyle Group. Under his leadership, M25 has grown to manage over $200 million in total assets under management and successfully closed its fourth institutional fund at $100 million in 2024. He has directed capital into more than 100 portfolio companies, including BenchPrep and Ocient, while securing notable exits such as the strategic acquisition of Puls by Uber. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alumnus maintains a primary investment focus on scaling early-stage software, fintech, and healthcare technology startups across the broader Midwest region.