Summary
EMERGING Fund I, LP is a Chicago-based venture fund specializing in early-stage investments at the intersection of Competitive Social Entertainment (CSE) and Restaurant Technology (ResTech). It combines deep operator networks, proprietary venue-level data, and hands-on validation to identify and scale the next generation of experiential hospitality concepts and the technology that powers them.
Background
EMERGING was founded on the thesis that two powerful secular trends, the rise of Competitive Social Entertainment and the technology transformation of the restaurant industry, are converging to create a generational investment opportunity.
The current portfolio is deployed across 15 investments, balanced between Social Entertainment (~49%) and ResTech (~51%), with holdings including Puttshack, F1 Arcade, Batbox, Poolhouse, Botrista, and Chowly.
Its edge is a closed-loop validation approach: pressure-testing products and concepts inside active venues, gathering real operational data, and refining solutions before scaling investments, an information advantage traditional venture approaches cannot replicate.
Why the Champion Fund invested
- Purpose-built platform for the fast-growing CSE and ResTech categories.
- Closed-loop validation inside live venues yields early, proprietary signal.
- Operator-first network compounds deal access advantage each year.
- Diversified across 15 holdings, balancing entertainment and technology.