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.
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.
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
Private Equity
Real Estate
Venture Capital
The Skydeck Capital team works efficiently and effectively in a true partnership form.
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 has a strong finance background in both family office and institutional operations, previously specialized in launching and operating private equity and alternative asset fund strategies. He has significant experience in both public and private markets, financial reporting, 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 from sourcing, performing diligence on acquisition opportunities to portfolio asset management. 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 has extensive investing experience across asset classes including public and private equity, real estate and venture. Prior to joining Skydeck Capital, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Mixed-use development of the iconic former Morton Salt Packaging Warehouse in Chicago.
Creative office campus, spanning nearly 20 acres, located in the Northeast Arts District of Minneapolis.
Historic building in Chicago’s Printers Row neighborhood which once served as a student dormitory, since repositioned as market rate apartments.
Strategic partnership in the acquisition and management of over 3,000 multi-family unit portfolio following the 2008 financial crisis.
Portfolio of three vintage apartments buildings economically priced market rate apartments
Acquisition of approximately 150 acres of land on Long Island and leased on a long-term basis to a solar energy project.
45k square foot brick and timber building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.
300,000 sf facility on 30 acres of land housing multiple tenants and their warehousing needs.
15 acre campus of creative office assets located in Milwaukee’s urban core and opportunity zone.
South St. Paul, MN
Opportunity Zone development creating 265 residential units featuring covered parking, dog park, pool, roof deck and more
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
Oshkosh, WI
This Opportunity Zone development opened to tenants in 2021. Brio features 60 residential units and is the proud home of the Oshkosh Food Co-Op
Davenport, IA
Opportunity Zone development, which opened in 2021, featuring 60 residential units and 6,600 square feet of ground floor retail space in downtown Davenport
Sioux City, IA
Opened in 2022, this Opportunity Zone development brings contemporary living to downtown Sioux City. 56 residential units with multiple floor plans and ground floor retail