Michael Lavin
Managing Partner at Germin8 Ventures
Greater Chicago Area
Invests in
Sectors:
Min Investment:
$1,000,000.00Max Investment:
$3,000,000.00Target Investment:
$2,000,000.00
Skills
Education
Lists including Michael
Investments
AgriWebb
Total Funding: $13M
Enko Chem
Total Funding: $130M
Brightseed Bio
Total Funding: $110M
Andes Ag
Total Funding:
Nobell Foods
Total Funding: $75M
Bushel
Total Funding: $20M
FieldIn
Total Funding: $12M
CropX
Total Funding: $50M
Work Experience
2017
Managing Partner
2017
I run the investing and fund management activities of Germin8 Ventures, which is a multi-stage venture capital firm investing in transformative Food & AgTech with strong strategic backing. Our goal is to combine unique domain expertise with best-in-class investment approaches to support the most capable teams and technologies shaping the Agrifood sector in ways that have major positiv consequence on food security, population health, as well as the prosperity of producers and their local communities.
2024
Investment Committee Member
2024
2017 - 2020
Mentor and Collaborator
2017 - 2020
2018 - 2020
Mentor
2018 - 2020
2018 - 2019
Associate Board Member - Good Food Accelerator
2018 - 2019
2017 - 2019
Mentor
2017 - 2019
2011 - 2017
Investment Banking Associate
2012 - 2017
Served as an investment banker at Chicago-based Mesirow Financial, successfully executing numerous M&A, capital raising and restructuring transactions across a variety of sectors, including food & agriculture, industrial technology, aerospace & defense, packaging and industrials for clientele ranging from boutique family- and founder-owned companies to the Fortune 500. In addition to primary investment banking responsibilities, I also served on Mesirow’s three person corporate development team and advised the board of directors on matters related to acquisitions, investments and divestitures, as well as other corporate strategy initiatives and personal investing by board members.
Associate, Mesirow Financial Consulting
2011 - 2012
- Advised Fortune 500, leading legal and government clientele - Corporate Turnaround & Financial Restructuring - Litigation, Forensics, Investigative & Intelligence Services - Management Consulting
2011 - 2011
Restructuring & Turnaround Advisory Intern
2011 - 2011
Management Consulting Engagement - Led a team from the University of Illinois in a four-month project to develop an algorithm-based tool for Alvarez & Marsal to prospect potential clientele likely to face distress in six to eighteen months in the future.
2009 - 2009
Corporate Finance and Risk Management Intern
2009 - 2009
- Developed manual and policies for risk management best practices and protocols - Structured and negotiated equipment financings - Applied data analytics in the development of hedging strategies and formation of synthetic hedges - Investigated injury events and created preventative measures - Financial analysis
2008 - 2008
Accounting/Operations Intern
2008 - 2008
- Food manufacturing and production spanning multiple operations throughout the value chain - Lean manufacturing practices - Data analytics and quality control - R&D and product development - Supply chain logistics - Accounting