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Who we are
Skydeck Capital, based in Chicago, is a private investment firm investing capital on behalf of the Polsky family. Because of the proprietary capital base, Skydeck Capital is not bound by any pre-defined time horizons or investment hurdles and can focus on long-term impact and value creation.
OUR STORY
Skydeck Capital’s ethos comes from the experience and entrepreneurial spirit of our founder, Michael Polsky, who founded Indeck, Skygen and his latest energy venture, Invenergy. The name “Skydeck” pays homage to the successful exits of Skygen and Indeck. Today, Invenergy is North America’s largest independent, privately held renewable energy company.
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
Skydeck Capital focuses on non-energy investment opportunities.
Private Equity: Target direct investments in lower-middle market companies in majority or minority equity positions
Real Estate: Target both opportunistic and income producing real property with experienced operators
Venture Capital: Back exceptional teams through all phases of growth
OUR PILLARS
- EXPERIENCE: We have invested across industries, through various cycles, and have assembled dynamic operating teams
- FLEXIBILITY: We have flexibility on structure, time horizon and risk management
- RISK: Debt can fuel growth, but only as much as the company can afford. The health of the underlying business is our top priority
- EFFICIENCY: We act fast. Our decision-making process is nimble, and our diligence is efficient
- PARTNERSHIP: We let managers operate autonomously. Board-level support and access to our network of link-minded partners
Investment criteria
Private Equity
- Management/Leveraged buyouts or recapitalizations. Will consider majority or minority equity investments
- Preference towards being lead investor with customary negative control rights
- $3-10 million in EBITDA for majority investments, flexible on minority
- Sector Preferences: tech-enabled services, industrial and B2B services, manufacturing, engineered industrial products, healthcare
- Preferred Characteristics: consistent cash flows, recurring demand, low customer concentration, potential for material growth
- Management team and Sponsor to have a material financial investment in the company
Real Estate
- Preference for non-institutional, income-oriented investments with high quality cash flows
- Long-term hold periods, resilient assets able to perform through multiple market cycles
- $3-10 million equity investments with control over major decisions
- Preferred Characteristics: Core Plus to Value-Add commercial or multi-family, sale-lease backs, covered land plays
- Opportunity Zones: we invest in mixed-use developments in the urban core of tertiary markets
- Sponsors/Operators willing to invest alongside Skydeck in a material way
Venture Capital
- Seed through late stage funding
- Look for diverse, high-growth revenue streams rather than products
- Less focus on pre-revenue opportunities. More focus on executing on early successes.
- Focus on quality of management team and the lead investor
Meet our team
The Skydeck Capital team works efficiently and effectively in a true partnership form.
Jon Taiber
Founder and Partner, Skydeck Capital
jon@skydeckllc.com / 
Jon Taiber has two decades of experience in finance, accounting and family office industries. Taiber has led and managed 50+ direct investments in private equity, early stage companies, and real estate. In 2013, Taiber co-founded Skydeck Capital.
In 2001, Taiber was recruited to run Polsky Holdings, the family office for the Polsky Family. Taiber was responsible for all wealth management functions including the allocation of capital across traditional and alternative asset classes as well as direct investments. Additionally, he is a member of the founding group at Invenergy, which has grown to be the largest privately held renewable energy company in North America.
He has served on the boards of the Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation, LJP Waste Solutions, United Oilfield Services, Buzz Referrals, Conservatorio S.A. and Polsky Foundation as well as a member of Adams LaSalle Institutional Apartments LLC.
An Iowa native, Taiber earned a BBA, with distinction, from the University of Iowa and holds a CPA certification.
Tim Parker
Partner, Skydeck Capital
tim@skydeckllc.com /
Tim Parker has significant accounting and tax experience serving clients during his stint in public accounting. Additionally, Parker managed the tax and financial reporting process for a private equity backed international manufacturer working closely with management on mergers, acquisitions and strategic divestitures.
In 2015, Parker was recruited to run Polsky Holdings, the family office for the Polsky family. At Skydeck Capital, he is responsible for overseeing all financial functions including oversight and reporting on investments, treasury, asset management, tax planning and compliance.
A Chicago native and Certified Public Accountant, Parker attended DePaul University's College of Commerce earning his Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Evan Wood
Principal, Skydeck Capital
evan@skydeckllc.com /
Evan Wood brings a strong finance background in both family office and institutional operations, specializing in launching and operating private equity and alternative asset funds. He has significant experience in financial reporting, valuations, investment evaluation, and asset dispositions. He has been responsible for overseeing audit and tax preparation.
In 2017, Wood was recruited to join Skydeck Capital, where he is responsible for executing the investment functions of the group, portfolio asset management, and performing diligence on acquisition opportunities. Additionally, he devotes time to building relationships with Independent Sponsors.
An Iowa native, Wood holds an MBA, with distinction, from DePaul University, earned a BBA, with honors, from Drake University, and holds a CPA certification.
Lior Shachaf
Financial Analyst, Skydeck Capital
lior@skydeckllc.com /
Lior Shachaf has extensive investing experience across asset classes including public and private equity, real estate and venture. Prior to joining Skydeck, Lior worked as an investment professional at a family office and as an accountant at Ernst & Young. Additionally, he served in a special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces.
Lior joined Skydeck Capital in 2019 and is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and executing investments, as well as supporting existing portfolio companies.
Born in Israel, Lior received his MBA, with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, earned a BA, Magna Cum Laude, from the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya and holds a CPA (Israel) certification.
Michael Polsky
Founder and Managing Partner, Skydeck Capital
With more than 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Michael Polsky is widely recognized as a pioneer and industry leader in the cogeneration and independent power industry in North America. Polsky founded Invenergy, a leading clean energy company in 2001. Previously, in 1991, Polsky founded SkyGen Energy – a developer, owner, and operator of natural gas-fueled generating plants – which was purchased by Calpine Corporation in 2001. Before forming SkyGen, Polsky co-founded and was President of Indeck Energy Services Inc. In 2002, Polsky endowed a center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business which is named after him. In 2016, Polsky was appointed by President Barack Obama as a Member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Polsky holds an MSME Degree from Kiev Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Portfolio Companies
Skydeck Capital maintains a diverse portfolio of private equity and real estate investments in addition to several opportunistic investments in venture and public companies. While Skydeck Capital was founded in 2013, the Polsky family has been making successful direct investments in private equity, venture and real estate for over two decades.
Sustainable waste solutions
including waste-to-energy options
Mass Timber is changing the way we build
Digital health management
Infrastructure maintenance:
Highway/street sweeping
Independent Elevator Company: Modernization, Installation, Repair and Maintenance
Heart failure monitoring and management platform
STEM online
learning platform
Security technology solutions
revolutionizing the locksmith industry
Innovative credit solutions at the point of sale
Custom design and packaging solutions
Cancer risk
assessment solutions
Quick and convenient personal loans
Meals that cook themselves
in our smart oven
Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Leading provider of additive manufacturing solutions
Solar engineering design and sales software platform
Transforming retail consumer experiences and engagement
Remote 3D Collaboration for Manufacturing
Teaching & Learning Online or In-Person
On Demand Virtual Mental Health Platform
Pioneering proteomimetic medicines
Therapeutics for difficult to treat cancer
Helping banks become more nimble overnight
Real-time visibility for your entire supply chain
Representative Real Estate Investments
731 S. Plymouth
Historic building in Chicago’s Printers Row neighborhood which once served as a student dormitory, since repositioned as market rate apartments.
WGN Corporate Campus
10 acre site containing mission critical operations and located in the highly desirable Roscoe Village neighborhood in Chicago.
Hyde Park Places
Portfolio of three vintage apartment buildings in the Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood repositioned as economically priced market rate apartments.
Crown Arts Campus
Creative office campus, spanning nearly 20 acres, located in the Northeast Arts District of Minneapolis.
Shoreham Solar
Acquisition of approximately 150 acres of land on Long Island and leased on a long-term basis to a solar energy project.
Adams LaSalle Institutional Apartments
Strategic partnership in the acquisition and management of over 3,000 multi-family unit portfolio following the 2008 financial crisis.
Salt District
Mixed-use development of the iconic former Morton Salt Packaging Warehouse in Chicago.
Milwaukee Post Office
US Postal Service distribution facility strategically located on 9 acres in the Milwaukee CBD and adjacent to a major transportation center.
Murfreesboro Distribution Warehouse
300,000 sf facility on 30 acres of land housing multiple tenants and their warehousing needs.
The Tannery Creative Office Campus
15 acre campus of creative office assets located in Milwaukee’s urban core and opportunity zone.
Opportunity Zone Investments
The Yards
South St. Paul, MN
Opportunity Zone development creating 150+ residential units featuring covered parking, dog park, pool, roof deck and more
North Side Yard
Stevens Point, WI
Opportunity Zone development bringing 200+ residential units and 30,000 square feet of commercial space to build the next generation Stevens Point
The Brio Building
Oshkosh, WI
Opportunity Zone development which broke ground in 2020 on 53 residential units and the future home of the Oshkosh Food Co-Op in the core of Oshkosh
Urbane Platform
Urbane 210
Davenport, IA
Opportunity Zone development which broke ground in 2020 on 60 residential units and 6,600 square feet of ground floor retail space in downtown Davenport
Urbane 1220
Sioux City, IA
Opportunity Zone development bringing contemporary living to downtown Sioux City. 56 residential units with multiple floor plans and ground floor retail.