8th Light
VC Fund
Chicago, United States
8th Light is a VC fund in Chicago focused on FinTech and InsurTech. Founded in 2006, 8th Light is a global team of software, design, and technology professionals. We partner with forward-thinking people and organizations to help them imagine and create elegant, robust, and groundbreaking software solutions to complex problems. With deep expertise and experience in software design, development, data, and DevOps, wework with a wide range of clients who are looking to achieve equally diverse outcomes. Rooted in a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, we’re employee-owned, and headquartered in Chicago, but our more than 140 team members live and work in locations including London, New York, Los Angeles, and Austin. Whether we’re crafting digital experiences that inform and inspire, energizing and empowering enterprises through technology-driven transformation, or nurturing and guiding internal teams looking to expand their own technological expertise and software-building capabilities, our objective is always the same: to help unlock human potential and spark change. We believe software is a craft born out of practice. Through our committed practice, we unlock potential that leads to quality solutions and ambitious work. 8th Light is a team of developers, designers, teachers, learners, users, collaborators, and leaders. We’re crafters, so we care about everything we create, building with integrity and in sustainable ways. And we find and nurture talent differently, prioritizing curiosity and creativity over credentials. By exemplifying the values of humanity, education, and ownership in everything we do, our crafters help clients master the challenges in front of them while building great opportunities ahead. 8th Light is a unique software design and development company, one that accelerates personal growth through challenging and influential work, a supportive culture, and transformative outcomes.
- Total investments:
- 1
- Last investment:
- Lead investor:
- 0%
Last updated:
For AI agents: llms.txt
Industries 8th Light invests in
Stages 8th Light invests in
Countries 8th Light invests in
Contacts
| Name | Phone | Socials | |
|---|---|---|---|
Brian Gerstle
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Jenny Farver
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Kevin Kotowski
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Kate Hamilton
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Investment Focus
Industry
- FinTech 1 (100%)
- InsurTech 1 (100%)
- Insurance 1 (100%)
- Commercial Insurance 1 (100%)
- Professional Services 1 (100%)
Team
| Name | Title | Investments | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Brian Gerstle
Principal Crafter
|
Principal Crafter | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Jenny Farver
Co-CEO
|
Co-CEO | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Kevin Kotowski
Head of Delivery
|
Head of Delivery | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
|
Kate Hamilton
VP of Growth Marketing
|
VP of Growth Marketing | Total investments: 0 | Find email |
Investments
| Company | Description | Round | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
NOW Insurance Services Inc.
|
NOW Insurance is a full stack commercial insurance portal. Designed to provide the small business owner with a best in class purchasing experience, NOW utilizes AI technology with industry leading risk selection. NOW differentiates itself from Insurtech Competitors who are either primarily Tech-Centric or Expertise Centric, by providing both andthe ability to quickly pivot to rapid changes in the business environment, risk availability, or societal impacts (e.g. Covid-19). Fast quotes at fair prices and world class customer service are hallmarks of the NOW story. | $2.5M / Seed / Dec 10, 2020 |
Co-Investors
The MFO Group
1 deal together
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FAQ
What does 8th Light invest in?
8th Light invests primarily in FinTech, InsurTech and Insurance startups, most often at Seed stage. Most of the 1 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.
How do I contact 8th Light?
Public channels for 8th Light include LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and the website linked on this profile. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.
Who are the partners at 8th Light?
The team at 8th Light includes Brian Gerstle (Principal Crafter), Jenny Farver (Co-CEO) and Kevin Kotowski (Head of Delivery). The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.
Is Shizune's investor data accurate?
Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.
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