Waiting for a lighthouse emoji…🌊

⏰ Midwest Minute 

While the Midwest may not be ocean-front, it is, after all, bordered by six quadrillion gallons of freshwater (aka the Great Lakes). This region is also home to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and attractions like the Lake of the Ozarks. Michigan, in particular, boasts more lighthouses than any other U.S. state, with a grand total of 115 beacons lining the Great Lakes. Not only does Michigan have the most lighthouses, but it also features some of the most haunted and iconic ones. Although North America can't claim the world’s oldest lighthouse (the Tower of Hercules in Spain holds that title), it is home to the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Great Lakes: the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in Toronto, built in 1808. Many towns with lighthouses celebrate their maritime heritage with annual festivals, such as the Michigan Lighthouse Festival. Lighthouse keeping was one of the first U.S. government jobs available to women, dating back to the 19th century. Even Missouri, a landlocked state, features a few lighthouses around the Lake of the Ozarks and along the Mississippi River you can visit.

While many Midwest lighthouses were automated in the mid-20th century—advancements that reduced the need for resident keepers—there are still many opportunities worldwide to volunteer as a lighthouse keeper. For example, the Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Michigan was nearly decommissioned but was saved by the efforts of the local community and their Keepers Association. Lighthouses have played crucial roles in preventing shipwrecks on the treacherous Great Lakes, which have witnessed numerous maritime disasters over the centuries, such as the infamous wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Today, these lighthouses still play an important role and continue to shine as bright spots (pun intended) in the corridors of marine trade to inland North America. Nowadays, with modern nautical charts and GPS, lighthouses are all but obsolete; however, we’ll continue to appreciate the architectural feat and allure of a these structures that meet land and water.

Land Ho! We have a few Midwest-based funding announcements to share! Chicago’s Tempus AI has officially filed for a US IPO. Lexington-based PayHOA raised a $27.5M Series A. Lightbank officially announced their $290M FIII. More of the latest news down below.

Have any insights into the Midwest ecosystem or a funding announcement to share? Want to share your favorite Midwest lighthouse? Send us an email: [email protected] 

📰 Notable News

Exits

• Chicago-based Tempus AI filed for IPO

Startup Funding

• Tuesday Health - $60M round from investors like Valtruis and Blue Venture Fund | Chicago

• Asset Watch - $38M Series B led by Wellington Management | Columbus

• Voxel51 - $30M Series B led by Bessemer | Ann Arbor

• PayHOA - $27.5M Series A led by Elephant | Lexington

• Aeropay - $20M Series B led by Group 11 | Chicago

• Bedrock Materials - $9M Seed co-led by Trucks Venture Capital, Refactor Capital and Version One Ventures | Chicago

• Tenon - $8M Series A co-led by High Alpha and Step Stone | Indianapolis

• Phenomix Sciences - $5.5M Series A from investors like DexCom and Labcorp | Minneapolis

• Scheduler AI - $2.8M Seed led by Drive Capital | Cincinnati

• Coinflow - $2.25M Seed led by CMT Digital | Chicago

VC Funds

• Lightbank - $290M FIII | Chicago

Other News

• Ticketmaster antitrust lawsuit could give new hope to ticketing startups

• Uber, Lyft to stay in Minnesota after Legislature passes bill boosting driver pay

• Cincinnati-based Palm Springs-inspired pickleball company Nettie lands marquee collab with Mattel's Barbie

📆 Mark your Calendar

Need to fill your social calendar? We’ve scoured newsletters, scanned LinkedIn and found some of the latest tech + startup events in the region. Know of any upcoming events and want to share them? Send us an email: [email protected]