What is 11-2 Ventures?

11-2 Ventures is an AI-focused venture studio that builds AI companies from ideation to exit through our proven six-stage Factory Process. Unlike traditional VCs, we operate as co-founders providing operational expertise and proven methodologies.

What is the Factory Process?

Our Factory Process is a six-stage methodology: 1) Ideation - concept validation and AI-powered market analysis, 2) Assembly - strategic team formation, 3) Development - rapid prototype development, 4) Market Entry - go-to-market execution, 5) Scale Operations - building operational excellence, 6) Strategic Exit - optimized exit strategies.

What is 11-2 Ventures' success rate?

We achieve a 60% success rate compared to the traditional venture capital average of 15%. This is due to our hands-on operational involvement and proven methodologies.

What types of companies does 11-2 Ventures build?

We exclusively focus on AI and machine learning companies across various industries including FinTech, HealthTech, SaaS, and analytics. Our portfolio includes companies like Chainifi, Liaison365, FutureSightIQ, ZiRO, and P3rceive.

How is 11-2 Ventures different from traditional VCs?

Unlike traditional VCs who primarily provide capital, we operate as co-founders providing operational expertise, proven methodologies, shared resources, and technical guidance. We're hands-on partners in building companies, not just investors.

Meet the Builders

A world-class team of operators, technologists, and industry experts dedicated to building the future of AI-powered businesses.

Leadership Team

Seasoned entrepreneurs and operators who've been there before

Kurt Johnson

CEO and Co-founder, Managing Partner

Serial entrepreneur and experienced operator with a proven track record in venture building. Kurt is the founder of Trivium, LLC, 11.2 Ventures, LLC, and K8 Ventures, LLC. As a Venture Partner at Purple Arch Ventures, he has been part of every investment committee and capital deployment decision since PAV's inception. He founded and successfully exited K8 Ventures, raising and deploying capital across fintech, retail, and B2B SaaS sectors. With extensive global F500 management experience and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, Kurt brings deep operational expertise to the venture studio model.

Gary Scheier

COO and Co-founder, Managing Partner

Co-founder of K8 Ventures, QuietAgent, and Social Qnect with extensive experience in capital management and business development. Gary previously managed in excess of $2B AUM as Partner at Weiss, Peck & Greer, bringing deep expertise in management, capital raising, and business development across tech, financial services, and telecom industries. He holds an MA from Northwestern University and specializes in scaling operations and strategic partnerships.

Johann Beukes

CTO, Managing Partner

Serial entrepreneur and data scientist with deep expertise in AI/ML technologies. Johann serves as an Angel Investor and Purple Arch Fund Investor, while maintaining advisory board positions at several tech startups. As Co-Founder & Head of Technology at Quest AI Solutions LLC, he provides fractional CTO, AI, and data science consulting services. His technical leadership is backed by a Master's in Data Science from Northwestern's School of Professional Studies, making him instrumental in guiding the technical direction of 11-2's AI-focused portfolio companies.

Senior Advisors

Industry veterans providing strategic guidance and networks

Richard Rice

Senior Advisor

Founder and CEO of March Capital Corporation with extensive experience in capital formation and early-stage entity development. As a former CPA/auditor with Arthur Andersen, Richard has assisted with capital raises for numerous early-stage entities including Helius Medical, Numerix, MedSpeed, Gold Coast Multiplex (now Fitness Formula Clubs), Windy City Fieldhouse, River West Lofts, and The Chicago Theatre. He holds a BS from the University of Illinois and brings critical financial and operational expertise to the 11-2 portfolio.

Greg Williamson

Senior Advisor

Partner at Pluribus Labs and former Chief Investment Officer of the American Red Cross, where he oversaw $5.5 billion in assets and was named Institutional Investor's "Turnaround of the Year" in 2017. Greg brings 25 years of experience from BP America, where he served as CIO and Director. His strategic investment expertise and risk management capabilities, combined with his MBA with honors from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, provide invaluable guidance for portfolio company growth and exit strategies.

Domain Experts

Specialists driving innovation across key industries

Rohit Khanna

Smart Manufacturing Lead

President and CEO of 3D Infotech, specializing in software solutions for the 3D scanning and metrology industry. Previously served as Director of Business Development at EON Reality and as Application Engineer and Director at Siemens PLM Software. Rohit's expertise in manufacturing technology and enterprise software, combined with his MBA from The Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine and BE in Computer Engineering from University of Michigan, positions him as a key resource for AI applications in manufacturing and industrial automation.

Matt Doubleday

Head of Marketing Strategy

Marketing executive with 30 years of management, strategy, and leadership experience. Former CMO of Wintrust Financial Corp and active mentor at mHub & 2112 Incubators. Matt serves on advisory boards including Chicago Innovation and Center for Creative Entrepreneurship, while maintaining board positions at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & NW Indiana and Economic Strategies Development Corp. His comprehensive marketing expertise, backed by degrees from University of Texas-Austin (BS) and Loyalty University (MBA), drives go-to-market success for portfolio companies.

Sourav Sinha

Life Sciences Lead

Co-founder and CEO of Oncolinx, developing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for targeted cancer therapies. As Venture Partner & Head of Innovation at Longevity Vision Fund, a $100M life extension-focused investment fund, Sourav brings deep expertise in biotechnology and healthcare AI. He serves as a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum and has been an Entrepreneur in Residence at The Center for Advancing Innovation and Gazelle Futures LLC. His background as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellow and AB in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Dartmouth makes him instrumental in guiding healthcare and life sciences portfolio companies.

Jeffrey Drake

Head of IP Strategy

Partner at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C., specializing in intellectual property, technology, and general corporate matters. Jeffrey assists companies with day-to-day legal needs while serving as an investor and advisor to start-ups and venture investment funds. His comprehensive legal expertise is backed by an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, JD from University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University – St. Louis. He provides critical IP strategy and legal guidance for protecting and monetizing portfolio company innovations.

Tim Papandreou

Head of Mobility

Founder/CEO of Emerging Transport Advisors and key advisor for Stakeborg DAO. Former Head of Strategic Partnerships at Google X moonshot factory and San Francisco's Chief Innovation Officer for Mobility. Tim assisted in the launch of Waymo and previously served as senior partner at Monaco Foundry. His unique combination of public sector innovation experience and private sector technology expertise makes him invaluable for portfolio companies operating in transportation, logistics, and mobility-adjacent AI applications.

Mark "Moose" Farnham

Head of Strategic Partnerships

Board member at various startups including FoodBoss and Enroll ML, with advisory roles at numerous companies including S+V, TailGreeter, and TipTags. Founder of CEO Fuel, Victory Views, and HumanCore, Mark previously served as advisor at Project44, RocketMiles, Tagkast, Pre, and Swipp. His extensive operational experience includes key executive roles at HighGround, AisleBuyer, XPOV, Columbian, Fortune Brands, and AT&T. With education from Northern Illinois University (BA History) and Loyola Chicago (MBA Program), plus notable media appearances on the Golf Channel (2003-2008) and major networks, Mark brings unique partnership development and business development expertise to portfolio companies.