John Banta is President & Managing Director of the Blue Venture Funds and President of the fund's General Partner. He oversees portfolio companies and strategic returns, and previously led IllinoisVentures.
What John can write
The Blue Venture Fund writes $1M to $30M checks, larger than 83% of firms in the atlas.
Bars: how many firms report each check band. Highlighted: The Blue Venture Fund.Career
- Kidder Peabody
- UBS
- IllinoisVentures · CEO and managing director
- Blue Venture Funds · President & Managing Director
- Kidder Peabody
- UBS
- Blue Venture Fund · President & Managing DirectorNow
Focus
Education
Also at The Blue Venture Fund
Partners like John
At firms with a similar stage, sector and check size.
Alert me when The Blue Venture Fund is active
One email when John's firm raises a fund, adds a partner or shows new activity.
Send Mode VC your deck
Raising a pre-seed or seed round? We write $1M to $5M first checks and help founders with distribution. A partner reads every deck.
Send your deckQuestions
Who is John Banta?
John Banta is President & Managing Director of the Blue Venture Funds and President of the fund's General Partner. He oversees portfolio companies and strategic returns, and previously led IllinoisVentures.
How much does John Banta invest?
John Banta invests through The Blue Venture Fund, which writes checks of $1M to $30M at seed, series a, series b.
How do I pitch John Banta?
A warm intro from a founder The Blue Venture Fund backed works best.
What did John Banta do before The Blue Venture Fund?
Kidder Peabody; UBS; CEO and managing director at IllinoisVentures; President & Managing Director at Blue Venture Funds; Kidder Peabody; UBS.
Last updated 2026-10-15. Is this you? Ask for a correction.